Posted on 10/20/2003 7:22:52 PM PDT by varina davis
Just now on live thread from the Florida House of Representatives: passes, 68 to 23, bill to give Gov. Jeb Bush authorization to issue a stay in the case of Terri Shiavo.
This man who is willing to kill without first seeking serious rehabilitation needs to be watched every second.
He may have much to lose if Terri thrives and regains an ability to communicate.
On another thread.....
Girl emerges from coma during Bryan Adams concert
Last Updated: 2003-03-12 14:00:21 -0400 (Reuters Health)
MUNICH, Germany (Reuters Health) - A young woman left in a coma for six years after she collapsed at school has started to respond to the world around her after her mother took her to see her pop star hero Bryan Adams perform live.
Christiane Kittel, now 24, was left in a vegetative state after her collapse on 12 June 1997. Doctors believe her condition was caused by a combination of hot weather, a hereditary haemophilia condition and side-effects of the contraceptive pill.
She had to be resuscitated three times, once at school and twice at the University Clinic in Regensburg, where she underwent surgery before being attached to life-support machines in the intensive care unit.
Later she was moved to the intensive care unit at the Clinic for Neurologic Rehabilitation in Regensburg, where her parents Karl-Gunther and Adelheide Kittel have kept a 15-hour watch by her bedside every day.
Her father, now 55, told Reuters Health: "We did not want her to be alone so we have spent every day by her bedside. We take it in turns, my wife does six hours than I take over for about six hours, there is usually someone there constantly between 5 AM and 8 PM."
"We have never given up hope of seeing our beloved daughter again," he said.
"Bryan Adams was always her biggest hero and she loved his music before she fell into a coma," said his wife Adelheid, 53. "When we heard about the concert in Regensburg we knew straight away that we had to take her there."
A local paper paid for the tickets and doctors arranged special help to get Christiane to the concert, her mother said.
During the concert, Christiane started to move in the wheelchair and was fascinated by the music and the singer.
"I will never forget it, I could have hugged the whole world. When we got back to the clinic she was still animated, and three times she called my name, she said Mama."
Head of the clinic Dr. Gerhard Weber, who has worked with Christiane for six years, confirmed that the concert had been a big leap forward for the young woman, but warned there was still a long way to go.
"I think there had been signs that she was starting to respond to the treatment she was getting before the concert and was no longer in a full vegetative state, but the concert certainly represented a big improvement," he told Reuters Health.
"There is a long way to go but I am very happy with the results of our experiment. It was the first time she had been out of the hospital apart from a single brief trip to her home. What she needs now is for the various therapies to continue and a lot of emotional stimulation including more trips home, for example.
"It's wrong to say it is a great miracle what happened here," Weber added. "But we have taken small steps and we are on the way to our goal."
But father Karl-Gunther takes another view: "I have no doubt that it was the concert that marked the turning point. She seemed to come alive when she was there, and clearly called out her mother's name. We now believe she is finally coming home to us."
26 posted on 10/21/2003 12:46 AM EDT by TheDon
Another thread, another wakes from coma. He knew everything going on around him.
Post #32
Touching read
On another post....
I read somewhere today, (it might even have been on these boards) that, since Denmark passed it laws on euthanasia, 20% of it's nursing home residents are being denied food and water like Terri. I wondered why there was not more uproar in Europe over the thousands of deaths during the heat waves this summer. Maybe they abandoned their elderly on purpose, then it could be considered an act of God when they die. Stay out of Europe!
41 posted on 10/21/2003 1:03 AM EDT by tertiary01 (arity)
The above link is to a medical journal abstract from last month, advocating the removal of organs for use from brain damaged children, before they have died. (by MarMema)
There are some issues not addressed in this bill. Schiavo is still the guardian. His familiar, Felos, will try to shop this to a friendly judge to have it declared unconstitutional before the ink is dry
If that doesn't work, Schiavo, can decline any medical treatment Terri may need as a result of being without nourishment or hydration for over 144 hours.
A doctor yesterday said Terri "had begun the dying process". That means body functions are beginning to shut down. Heart, lungs, kidneys.
If Terri should need dialysis to remove built up toxins, Schiavo can deny that.
Terri surely has the will to live, having survived several attempts to terminate her.
I pray she has the physical stamina
I also fear Schiavo may have allies among the hospice staff. After all, this place is affiliated with Felos.
It is perfectly within their legal right to increase the morphine dosage. The call is theirs. They can say she needs more for "comfort' and no one can stop them.
In her weakened state this could finish her.
I've had experience with hospices and even a Catholic one told me making the patient comfortable was more important than preserving the life.
Hospices also prefer not to have what they call "live discharges.
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