Posted on 10/24/2003 7:05:19 PM PDT by JustPiper
I know you wouldn't want Terri's life to hinge on some sort of poll among young adults. You especially would not want that to happen since the pollster (Mike) neglected to tell Terri that the poll was for "keeps."
As a matter of fact, Terri was not allowed to read the "fine print" on my imaginary poll, at all.
The "pollster" (Mike) also neglected to tell her there is no "one-size-fits-all" solution to problems about pulling tubes at the end-of-life. Cases differ greatly. Beliefs of the patients differ, too.
I hope that, while he was polling Terri, Mike explained that, even though starvation may not be painful for terminal cancer patients, starvation would probably will be painful for her if she was not terminal.
I see now why everyone is suggesting a thoughtful filling out of a living will. Terri was denied that option.
A casual comment is not at all similar to a legally written statement.
I could have my math wrong, but I thinkTerri has more than 12 years to go, before the majority of her life will be "in that state"
I am not going to try to convinve you to change your mind about this case. As a matter of fact, I am awaiting MS's appearance on LKL myself. I want to hear his story too.
Hildy, I read the article in which the writer stated that Terri allegedly had an eating disorder. Personally, I took this as pure speculation from her family. Her family noticed that she was losing weight. Of course, there was never a medical diagnosis of anorexia or bulemia so we cannot say factually that she had an eating disorder.
OTOH, I also read that she would be visibly shaken after calls from MS. I read that he made comments about her weight. I read that she was unhappy in her marriage and that she confided in her brother that she was considering divorcing this man. IF these testimonies are true, they offer another reason for her weight loss. Stress.
I went on to read how MS would check the mileage on her car, among other things, when she would visit her family. Hildy, certainly you are a reasonable woman. You know that this behaviour is not common among all men whose wives visit their families. For as much as domestic violence has been spoken about we know that these are "classic" signs of a troubled, possibly abusive, spouse.
I read the stories of many people who knew Terri as a vibrant young woman and who have risked public ridicule and scrutiny to come out on her behalf to state these things. BTW, to clear something up, these are NOT new allegations. These people have maintained these accounts for several years. I see no one in MS's circle of friends or family come out and say what a wonderful marriage they had. I do recognize that his brother mentioned in the same article that he was not aware of any trouble in the marriage. Most times the abuser's family is either in denial or the dark about their family member's behavior. I have even listened to MS's former girlfriend, the one he was seeing at the time of his malpractice suit, who stated that MS was verbally abusive towards her and very controlling. She also said that he behaved in the same manner to a then infirm Terri. I believe that this same girlfriend broke off the relationship as she was frightened of MS.
Hildy, imagine that you were to suddenly find yourself in as precarious a sitution as Terri. Do you feel that your husband would begin dating other women? MS wasted no time in finding a paramour. He had one on his side at the trial and in Terri's room when he would visit her. Yet, his own testimony damns this behavior. He stated that he took his vows seriously, the ones that stated in sickness and health, till death do us part. YET, here he was with a girlfriend in his wife's room and while he was suing for money to care for her.I would say that he was a little distracted from his vows.
I have heard it argued that MS should and had every right to go on with his life. I agree with that. However, he used his wife to gain financially. He was in adulterous relationships when doing so. His statements during the malpractice suit makes his present motives and behaviors very suspect.
Hildy, as a reasonable and intelligent person, you have to admit, there are proveable aspects to this story that do not cast MS in a favorable light and that there are many mysteries in this case which remain unsolved.
Have a great day!
It really depends on what you mean by "the way Terri is living."
I can answer in a general way, though.
If I had the mind of a vegetable, I wouldn't care whether I lived or not. Vegetables don't suffer, as Felos reminds us when he says Terri would feel no pain as she was starved to death. Ironically, at the same time that Felos is saying Terri is "not there," he also says that she should be released from her suffering. George Felos talks out of both sides of his mouth...one moment he says Terri will suffer, the next moment he says she can't feel.
If I had a mind at the level of an "animal," I'd probably want to live as much as an animal wants to live. I'd give and receive affection, want to eat and drink, want to avoid pain, perhaps want to please people, try to communicate in my own way. I wouldn't even be able to think, "I want to die." Humans aren't allowed to starve animals.
If I had the mind of a baby, I'd be happy or sad, like a baby. Try to communicate like a baby. etc.
If I had the mind of a child, I'd try to learn new things, to gain new skills.
Please...
email Larry king at: larry.king.live3@turner.com
Talk about the fact that this is life and death and that he has a resonsibility to give equal time to the family that LOVES Terri. Remind him that CNN loses viewership because it responds to an agenda rather than show BOTH sides of an issue.
Again:
Larry.King.Live3@turner.com
and ask him to balance the time he is giving Michael....send him (sourced) transcripts, affidavits, your heartfelt pleas to REPORT THE REST OF THE STORY!
PLEASE DO THIS!
Perhaps we can impact Larry's heart and motivation to do a genuine fullblown story-showing BOTH SIDES! (If he has the courage and character to care!)
Don't you see anything wrong with him being married to Terri but living with and having a couple kids with another woman? The point isn't that he has 'moved on with his life', the point is he wants to stay legally married to Terri, but obviously doesn't care about her or his marital vows if he is committing open adultery.
Also, did you read these affidavits?
http://www.cnsnews.com/pdf/2003/aff2.pdf
http://www.cnsnews.com/pdf/2003/aff3.pdf
http://www.cnsnews.com/pdf/2003/aff1.pdf
^ Read them, they will give you more a picture of the character of Michael Schiavo.
I would not like to live the rest of my life in a wheelchair, without my own home, with a reduced income from what I have now, wrinkles, or a lot of things ---- but when/if any of that happens, I may want to live my life all the same. Who can say I won't change my mind?
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