Posted on 10/26/2003 2:04:02 PM PST by Normally a Lurker
Behind the story of the fight over whether Terri Schiavo should live is another story.
This one is about how she came to exist in this terrible twilight, not fully dead but not really alive.
Terri Schiavo apparently had an eating disorder.
Even some of her family members have said they think so.
Eleven years ago, when she was 26, Schiavo collapsed with the disease of the middle aged, the old, the overweight.
The St. Petersburg woman had a heart attack when her body ran low on potassium, the chemical needed to make the muscles work. No muscle matters more than the heart. This is the way women with eating disorders usually go. Whatever the cause, they die at rates 12 times higher than women who eat normally.
Potassium is why sweaty athletes guzzle Gatorade. It contains potassium. You also find it in bananas, potatoes, oranges. They are ordinary foods, to ordinary eaters. But women who suffer from anorexia -- who starve themselves -- or from bulimia -- who vomit what they eat -- regard even a Ritz cracker as a threat.
Family members have said Terri Schiavo put herself on a liquid diet in high school because she was overweight and dateless. She was a size 12 when she married three years later, but that wasn't enough. She kept dieting so she could finally wear a bikini at the beach. She lived afraid of what all dieters fear, that the pounds will return.
Schiavo had other red flags signaling the possibility of an eating disorder, said Susan Mullins, who counsels women with eating disorders at Tampa's Hyde Park Counseling Center.
Schiavo suffered abdominal pains before the heart attack. They occur when you throw up a lot or your stomach, so used to no food, finally gets some.
Her period was intermittent. If you don't eat enough, your body doesn't produce what's necessary to create the uterine lining that is shed every month in menstruation.
And if you don't have a uterine lining, there's no place for a fertilized egg to attach itself. Terri Schiavo wanted to get pregnant, but couldn't.
Schiavo's family didn't see her problem before her heart attack. Her husband has insisted he saw nothing wrong at all. That's also common.
"We've had women in treatment who were married for 15 years, and their spouses have not known," said Mullins. "There's a lot of hiding, a lot of secrecy, shame, embarrassment associated with eating disorders."
Not even Schiavo's doctors knew her problem. This is also typical. They don't know what to look for.
"Medical ignorance is pretty widespread," said Robin Piper, who runs the Turning Point of Tampa, another clinic that treats women with eating disorders.
Eating disorders are another stop in that crazy house of distorted perceptions called addiction. Women can't stop using food to hurt themselves the way drunks and junkies can't stop using liquor or crack to hurt themselves. Yet this thing that has a woman out of control is, to her, about being in control.
"If I can't control what happens to me or my family, I can control what I eat. You can't make me eat," Piper said.
We live in a culture where zero is a dress size and a status symbol. That's why I tell you all this. It might save a life. The appeals may go from the Pinellas circuit courts to the U.S. Supreme Court again, but it's almost certainly too late for Terri Schiavo.
Her parents and the growing circle of strangers around the country who call themselves her advocates say they are fighting for what Terri Schiavo would want. They are so sure they know. But if you understand that she had an eating disorder, what she would want is a disturbing, tantalizing question.
Said Robin Piper: "She spent all her life fighting whether to eat, and now people are fighting over whether to feed her or not. What would she think if she knew?"
I could probably give you a hlf dozen or more "good" explanations for this, but each would just be specualtion on my part. I believe that there's already been too much speculation in this case - most, or nearly all, of it specualting "bad" explanations - but virtually all without any first hand knowlegde.
Are you disputing the FACT that he has a girlfriend, illegitimate child and one on the way?
Are you disputing the FACT that he has not followed through on the commitment to provide therapy and rehabilitation for Terri?
Are you disputing the FACT that he has kept Terri in a hospice rather than in a health care facility that can provide needed therapy and rehabilitation?
Are you disputing the FACT that he refused to allow Terri to be treated for life-threatening infections?
Are you disputing the FACT that he is using the money that was earmarked for Terri's rehabilitation to pay legal fees to his prominent right-to-die attorney?
Are you disputing the FACT that he has put strict restrictions on Terri's visitations with family members and friends, and has, to the point of legal action, forbidden any videotaping of Terri? What's he afraid of?
I ask you again, what is the logical explanation for him not to just move on and let her family take over her care?
Nice try at a dodge, but as I thought, you can't come up with a good explanation.
So, the behavior and actions of Mr. Schiavo are totally independent of the facts of this case, huh? What world do you live in?
And many of them appear totally incappable of distinguishing their speculations (or those of others) from facts.
I have responded to such questions in the following article/thread
Questions raised about Terri's collapse
Celebrated forensic pathologist says 1990 injuries should be investigated
http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=35276
Yes, I've read that article, and a related one in the Chicago Tribune. I also read the transcript of Dr. Baden's (rather brief) interview by G VanS.
While Dr. B is generally well respected, in that interview he appeared to be less informed than one should be to make such accusations. For example, he said that it was very unlikely for someone Terri's age to have a potassium imbalance unless they had certain kinds of diseases, which she didn't have. He seemed completely unaware of her apparently very long-term bulimia problem.
Further, he seemed to be unaware (or at least didn't mention) that bulimia is one of the "diseases" that can cause such a problem - in fact that it is practically the major cause of death for those with bulimia problems.
While he said he had looked at a bone scan, it appeared that he had not looked at any of her other medical records. I've previously addressed his supperficial (and likely) wrong "analysis" causing him to say she had no heart problem - see my post about my own heart problems - if he looked at my EKG, he'd likely make the same statement about me - and he'd be wrong - see my previous post on this.
On a minor note, he referred to her as a 20 year old - and discussed the typical health conditions of 20 year olds. However, I believe she was closer to 30 ywars old (if he like to round off to nearest X0 in discussing age). Not a big point, but it further makes it seem that he had not really given this case enough attention to be making the comments that he made.
I believe she should be sent to a facility like the Mayo Clinic or Scripps where she can be given all the therapy and rehab she needs for a period of time. I would even be willing to donate to the cost.
There should be a complete and total investigation of Michael and his attorney and the court appointed doctors. It appears they all have an agenda - get rid of Terri. Only completely impartial people should be involved in her case and that goes for Judge Greer too.
Well my friend, I'm pooped and its time for bed. Haven't been getting sufficient rest because I'm on the computer all night.
I would be happy to discuss that experience with you, privately. Please send me a "freepmail" with you phone # and I'll give you a call, or if you prefer, I'll respond with my phone # and you can call me.
Well then, I can pnly conclude that there is a problem with your thinker. It doesn't matter what side your on, if you are conversant in this case and have read ALL the legal filings and decisions, one can only conclude that there are way more questions than answers.
The preeminent one being, the state deciding who lives and who gets starved to death.
As to giving you specific medical info/reports (proof) on these things, I assume that you don't really think I have acces to such things. However, the article at the following link probides sufficient info for an objective analysis/conclusion (IMHO).
As to your thoughts re Judge Greer's bias of whatever: Did you know that this case has been handled by other judges before him and his decisions have been review by numerous judges - 19 judges overall have looked at the case - and all have agreed = I find it unbelievable that all 19 are biased.
Terri Schiavo apparently had an eating disorder. ...Even some of her family members have said they think so.
Eleven years ago, when she was 26, Schiavo collapsed with the disease of the middle aged, the old, the overweight. The St. Petersburg woman had a heart attack when her body ran low on potassium, the chemical needed to make the muscles work.
Family members have said Terri Schiavo put herself on a liquid diet in high school because she was overweight and dateless. She was a size 12 when she married three years later, but that wasn't enough. She kept dieting so she could finally wear a bikini at the beach. She lived afraid of what all dieters fear, that the pounds will return.
Schiavo had other red flags signaling the possibility of an eating disorder, said Susan Mullins, who counsels women with eating disorders at Tampa's Hyde Park Counseling Center. Schiavo suffered abdominal pains before the heart attack
Her period was intermittent.
Terri Schiavo wanted to get pregnant, but couldn't.
Schiavo's family didn't see her problem before her heart attack.
Her husband has insisted he saw nothing wrong at all.
Not even Schiavo's doctors knew her problem.
The appeals may go from the Pinellas circuit courts to the U.S. Supreme Court again, but it's almost certainly too late for Terri Schiavo.
Her parents and the growing circle of strangers around the country who call themselves her advocates say they are fighting for what Terri Schiavo would want. They are so sure they know. But if you understand that she had an eating disorder, what she would want is a disturbing, tantalizing question.
Said Robin Piper: "She spent all her life fighting whether to eat, and now people are fighting over whether to feed her or not. What would she think if she knew?"
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