FLA. LAWMAKERS MAY PASS TUBE-FEEDING LAW (LEGISLATURE MEETING TONIGHT, OCT. 20, TO PROPOSE BILL)

AP WIRE SERVICE ^ | OCT. 20, 2003 | AP WIRE

[varina davis]

Fla. Lawmakers May Pass Tube-Feeding Law

October 20, 2003 07:17 PM EDT

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Florida lawmakers were moving Monday to consider intervening in the case of a severely brain-damaged woman whose feeding tube was removed last week by her husband's order.

The Florida House scheduled a Monday night session to take up the issue. In the Senate, President Jim King said he will propose legislation that would give Gov. Jeb Bush the authority to order the feeding tube be reinserted to keep Terri Schiavo alive.

The tube was removed Wednesday following a decade-long court battle between Schiavo's parents and their son-in-law, who contends that he is carrying out her wishes not to be kept alive artificially.

"If we are to err - because time is of the essence - for goodness sake let us err on the side of caution," said King, a Republican.

Schiavo has been in what doctors call a vegetative state since her heart stopped in 1990 from a suspected potassium imbalance.

Bush told parents Bob and Mary Schindler last week that his staff would search for legal ways to save their daughter's life, but said Monday they haven't yet found a way.

"The legal ways, the remedies, don't exist," Bush said Monday, before the possible legislative moves became apparent.

Bush added, "I wish I could wave the magic wand and resolve this but every effort that we've had or every effort that has been proposed has either been thwarted by the courts or would be inappropriate."

Meanwhile, in a statement released through his lawyer, husband Michael Schiavo said Monday that he, too, is grieving, but "I did what I believe Terri would have wanted me to do."

[Jim Noble]

Most people whose feeding tube is removed die in 3-5 days.

Of course, most of them are dying. This case is most unusual.

[yesnettv]

Kick his teeth out

[diamond6]

My dad has asthma; gets it about once or twice a year. Prednizone and inhalers are his salvation. Its an awful disease.

I am happy to hear he is good. :)

[ChemistCat]

I support living wills and will honor them even when I do not personally agree with the choices made in them.

I myself have one and intend that I not be kept alive by artificial means under certain carefully delineated conditions.

I do, however, believe that minds can change, and as long as anyone can express a current desire on these topics, in any way at all, those wishes should trump an older document.

[WackySam]

I keep missing the names. I need to stop sceaming at my PC so I can catch them.

[Diva Betsy Ross]

He is saying " I believe a crime has been commited, but we do not have the duty to do anything about it"

[CindyDawg]

What???????

[varina davis]

This joker is equating upholding the state constitution with moral right. Abandonment of moral authority among our so-called leaders.

This is life or death. There is only one choice.

[Diva Betsy Ross]

spit in his face

[yesnettv]

That guy needs a shrink!

[diamond6]

Yeah, stick a liberal in it.

[NautiNurse]

Donald Brown (R) speaking now.

[dixiegrrl]

Thanks. Like I said it only happens when the weather changes, So he only gets it like your dad.

[Diva Betsy Ross]

He said he wants to "help this lady out and her family" and I will vote no. It is not constitutional for us to do anything about a crime.

[OXENinFLA]

Donald Brown: "When has this body ever ask the judical branch on a law before we passed it"(Paraprashed)

[FR_addict]

You summed up what he said in a nutshell.

[Old Student]

They are called AAC's, or Augmentative and Alternative Communications devices. They can be as complex as a computer-contolled sound device, or as simple as a board with pictures of things or actions that might be desired by the patient. They are used by the disabled to communicate their needs. they can be controlled by eyeblinks, or puffs of air, many other ways, as well. If Terri has the cognitive ability to blink her eyes, as she is seen doing in the videos I've seen posted on FR, or to control her exhalations as I've heard her do on the same videos, she can communicate using pictures or words or whatever. Her lack of ability to speak is probably because she has received no therapy since she was disabled. Because of the brain damage, she may be limited to very simple thoughts, like "hungry" or "thirsty" as she must be by now, but she was excited to hear her mother's voice on that video, and looked pretty bright-eyed to me, so I expect more for her. She may not have what would be called normal intelligence left, but she is still a person. She may even remember...

I worked with a high-school girl who had an aneurism that blew out. She had cerebral palsy as a result, her most erect posture left her body in an "S"curve, and she remembered being "smarter." She had trouble speaking, doing math and english and history, and she couldn't even control her bladder. She was, and IS still a person, and of value to the world as herself. If nothing else, you have only to meet her to know how lucky you are.

[dixiegrrl]

I am so glad I am not the only one screaming at my computer, I had to stop myself a couple of times from hitting it!

[NautiNurse]

"I want to talk to you not as a legislator, but as a parent."

Man, oh man, I have goose bumps now!

[Florida Mama]

someone please tell me that you are making a list concerning who is saying what...