Professor Appointed to Probe Schiavo Case

Guardian Unlimited ^ | Nov 1, 2003 | Vickie Chachere

[Future Useless Eater]

Professor Appointed to Probe Schiavo Case

Saturday November 1, 2003 1:01 AM

By VICKIE CHACHERE
Associated Press Writer

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - A judge appointed a University of South Florida professor on Friday to independently investigate the case of a severely brain-damaged woman at the center of a right-to-die battle.

Jay Wolfson, an expert on health care financing, will report to Gov. Jeb Bush and recommend whether the stay the governor enacted to keep Terri Schiavo alive should be allowed to remain.

Schiavo suffered severe brain damage when her heart stopped due to a chemical imbalance and has been in a persistent vegetative state for more than a decade. Doctors have said there is no hope for her recovery.

Her husband, Michael Schiavo, has fought to have her feeding tube removed, saying his wife did not want to be kept alive artificially.

Terri Schiavo's parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, dispute that claim and have fought to keep their daughter alive, saying they believe she could be rehabilitated.

Terri Schiavo's feeding tube was removed for six days in October before the Florida Legislature and Gov. Jeb Bush enacted a special law to have it reinserted. The law also required a guardian to be appointed.

George Felos, the attorney for Michael Schiavo, and the American Civil Liberties Union filed briefs this week challenging the constitutionality of the governor's action. The state is expected to respond on Monday.

The judge said that if the law is found to be unconstitutional, Wolfson is to cease his work.

The Schindlers had objected to Wolfson's appointment, claiming comments he made to a television station indicated he was biased against the newly enacted law. The judge said he found no evidence of bias.

Wolfson did not return calls seeking comment.

The judge ordered Wolfson to report to the governor in 30 days, but said the deadline could be extended if needed.

[NautiNurse]

Stop repeating information over and over--and beware of the Viking Kitties, Troll.

[saveterri1]

Hey, I wasn't arguing with you either and greatly appreciated your comments :-)

I am dumber than a 3 minute egg and was just throwing out things for thought and hopefully clarification by you and the other outstanding FR people here, on what is going on in our fight for Terri in this regard.

That's all...Have a fantastic day!

[saveterri1]

Don't have a clue what you are talking about. I received several posts and PM's re references on this matter so I posted them. Bye

[saveterri1]

I am done here. Did what I was asked by FR members for your consideration. No more comments from me on this matter. I just broke my keyboard:-). You look at everything posted on this tread, do your own research, make your own decision, and post what is going on here if you would like. Thanks and God Bless..

[pickyourpoison]

If you were Terri's father, what would you be doing at this point to see that future court rulings fell in her favor?

Another thing, is there a way to discover what actually happened to the settlement money.

I have a hard time believing he would put it all in the girlfriends name. When this is all over, she could say. I don't have your money and don't know what you're talking about. You've spent all your money and said so in court, now go away and send me my child-support.

I enjoy reading your posts.

[Normally a Lurker]

Some here apply even a five-year criteria.

[Bluebird Singing]

The same book that I quoted from states that there is an anorexia nervosa - bulemic type, and bulimia nervosa. What separates them is that the bulimic type anorexic is SEVERELY malnourished, and the patient refuses to maintain a body weight greater that 85% of what's normal for age and height.

What bothers me is Schiavo's claim in his lawsuit that doctors should have noticed "sagging skin", claiming bulimia, and her parents were unaware of a disorder.

[cyn]

Hi -- welcome to FR. Thanks for your posts, you're doing well, the details like pinging can wait! But check on the "freepmail" -- in the upper corner of your screen. Also look at posts to you to see our responses to your points.

The bottom line is to save Terri's life -- return her to her parents who love her and don't mind being 'inconvenienced' by her care.

Looks like you've been working very hard on several aspects. Just from a quick read, we're not automatically buying assertions of Terri's bulimia. You've laid that part out now to us now -- give it time, give it additional substance if you have some right now.

If there is some hard truth to be faced, the bottom line does not change -- we are all working to get Terri home with her family once and for all.

For that we have to work together, and work with the Schindlers. IF as I see suggested here mistakes have been made in the past, then they need to be corrected. All for Terri's sake. But with care and caution.

Take care of yourself, get some rest.

[mtbopfuyn]

During the trial, attorneys for the Schiavos showed a film of a day in Mrs. Schiavo's life at Sabal Palms Nursing Home in Largo. Although she's in a vegetative state, said St. Petersburg lawyer Glenn Woodworth, "you can tell she has some sense of her predicament".... (On the film) she knows her husband and looks into his eyes."

So by MS's own attorney, Terri is aware. Is this why Felos was brought on the scene?

[syriacus]

YEAH, Michael -- it took you FOUR HOURS to get this one good pxr of you and Terri to use in that 92 trial? RIGHT . . .

Good sarcasm!!!!

[syriacus]

And Terry DOES exhibit signs of cognition. She does respond, and She can point to where she is hurting and say "PAI(n)".

That's very good, especially considering how the muscles in the lower half of her face have been allowed to atrophy.

Anyone of us who had to say the word "PAIN" and hadn't had therapy would sound like Terri.

[Diva Betsy Ross]

I read nothing there that proves that Terri had an eating disorder, or severe bulemia. NOTHING. From this article she sound like a TYPICAL TEENAGE GIRL, nothing more. You really do not know much about young women , do you. That is a description the typical life of the average young woman.

[Bluebird Singing]

"The bottom line is to save Terri's life -- return her to her parents who love her and don't mind being 'inconvenienced' by her care."

Exactly. Terri's an innocent, caught in the tangled web of a couple of no good, heartless, narcissistic schemers - Felos and Schiavo.

[dandelion]

Not, it was NOT "proven in a jury trial". He won money in a civil case, and he didn't win the whole thing because HE DID NOT PROVIDE ENOUGH EVIDENCE.

The whole trial was a post - facto post mortem of a condition that, according court records, ONLY Michael Schiavo was privy to - if it existed at all.

The doctors say they were not aware of this condition in their patient, the parents are never indicated as being aware of this condition, and ONLY MICHAEL SCHIAVO AND HIS LAWYERS SAYS SHE WAS BULIMIC.

Logic - if Michael Schiavo knew so damn much about this condition, and if it was so obvious, why did he not stop her?

[nickcarraway]

Wait, wait, wait! I think a lot of false assumptioms are being made based on lack of pertinent info. The reason that Terri's pottasium levels were so low that night was because of what the paremedics injected her with on the way to the hospital! Is there any other basis for the bulimia/anorexia claim? Somehow, the paramedics mistake has gotten lost in the shuffle of information.

[dandelion]

There are a lot of false statements being made as well...

[dandelion]

There are a lot of false statements being made as well...

[Diva Betsy Ross]

I agree with your bottom line, but I think we need to be careful of wolves in sheep's clothing .

[Graymatter]

All these labels. Let's assume she had lost a lot of weight in a short period of time.
We used to call that a crash diet. When did it become a psychological disorder?
Did anybody, anytime, see her binge and purge? Bulimia's a theory, anorexia's a theory...
My theory is Michael Schiavo Syndrome.

[Pegita]

Heavenly Father, we return to give You thanks that so many here are actively seeking the truth that would set free this mother's child. Thank You, Lord, that You are Truth, and You promise that if we seek, we will find. Set before us, I pray, all that is needed to reveal the plans and the means of those who seek to end Terri's life. May every twist and turn be revealed, and may the findings be publicly displayed, for there are yet many who do not have the truth regarding this beloved daughter.

Make haste, O God, for the days of her imprisonment continue. Be her Shield where she is, allowing no harm to come near. Be her Comforter, her unseen visitor, her companion, her friend, for she has been bereft of so many pleasures. Raise up those who will help her .. strike down those who will not .. for You boldly proclaim that we shall NOT kill. Lord, make that distinction that we so often miss, much to the delight of the enemy .. we shall NOT take innocent life .. yet we shall require the life of the guilty. Terri is innocent, Lord, yet has been ordered to die. Sweep away this mockery of justice and declare Your sovereignty .. in Your hand is the life of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.

Look with favor upon the work of our hearts and hands, for there are hundreds who labor for this woman. By Your grace, Lord, turn back this onslaught on the lives of the disabled and infirm. Stir the people to stand firm .. increase our numbers .. for surely the cause is just. We thank You, Lord, that what is hidden will be revealed, that what is planned in secret will be made public, that what is dishonest will come under honest scrutiny, for in You is all Wisdom and Truth and Light. We praise You and thank You, Merciful God, in the Name of Jesus, Amen ...