Terri Schiavo Hospitalized With Apparent Puncture Wounds In Arm! Apparent Foul Play!

WFTV-ABC in Orlando | UNK

[MindBender26]

In 7:25 break, anchor reported "Terri Schiavo was rushed to a Pinellas County emergency room last night after nursing home staff noticed puncture wounds on her arm. The wounds appeared to be caused by a hypodermic needle! Toxicology tests were conducted but the results are not available yet!"

This could open a huge new round in this case. What did tests reveal? Who was last person in room? When was husband there? Was staffer trying the Angle of Death routine?

This will be developing hard all day!

[TOUGH STOUGH]

how long = how far

[a5478]

"Need to move at much high issue levals."
Give us a hint....
1. Medicaid fraud
2. Financial Mismanagement
3. Disabled Rights
4. Life Insurance policy on Terri Schiavo
Getting close?

[floriduh voter]

Absolutely. I am basically reporting breaking news and have a right to my opinions based upon information I am privy too but would never publish. I've held back on posting pictures of close friends of Terri without permission because I respect their privacy.

I get hugs and warm greetings from Terri's family and locals who are all friends and I have no doubt that grassroots activism and prayer is why Terri's still with us.

Finally, I DON'T USE MIND CONTROL BUT FELOS and someone on this thread has.

"we are losing" over and over again to get us to give up and stay home. Nice try, TROLLS and HAS BEENS.

[floriduh voter]

SOMEONE ON THIS THREAD IS TRYING TO HURT THE MORALE OF TERRI'S SUPPORTERS UNDER THE GUISE OF BEING BETTER, SMARTER AND FASTER. IT'S BULL PUCKY.

I am DONE POSTING ON THIS THREAD NOW. If you let the "guru" here persuade you that we are a bunch of idiots and kooks, then some of you belong on this thread. I haven't listed chronologically what my efforts have been to help Terri but SHUT UP to anyone who is trying to argue with me or discredit me.

I THINK are some has beens here at Free Republic and they don't "get" grassroots activism. WHAT A BUNCH OF HIGH MINDED, IVORY TOWER KOOKS who are all talk, no action.

[MindBender26]

There is little value in trying to prevail on the ancillary legal issues.

The law provides that Michael is her guardian. That means he speaks for her, as if he were her. In other words, although the grounds might exist for Terri to obtain a divorce, sue for a writ of mandamus on disabled rights issues, etc., Michael would have to be the one to initiate the process, because in a legal sense, Michael IS Terri.

Three types of groups have tired to get him removed. The family, "interested groups" and wackos. Interested groups might be her church, an anti-hospice group, etc.

Of these, the family had the best shot. It was a very difficult task and they failed. So did the interested groups and the wackos. It is wholly within the jurisdiction of the judge to take Michael's position away or leave him as guardian.

There is amply case law to justify leaving Michael in place. The parents have far from clean hands in this and the judge just did not buy removing Michael and denying him his legal rights.

So, who speaks for Terri in a legal sense? Michael and only Michael.

The bottom line is that Michael wants something. Everyone does. It's obviously far more than just her death. The question is, just what does Michael want. Determine that. Negotiate it. Get him the negotiated answer, and he cedes Terri to the parents. End of case.

Since Terri's case involves such a major issue as life or death, no judge is going to let in turn on a lesser point such as a life insurance policy. May not like it, but that's reality.

Everyone expects a judge's opinion to be short, sweet and perfect. Everyone expect the complete preservation of Terri's "rights." Her family has rights too. Do does Michael.

Those differing rights are in conflict.

Courts come into play when the answer is not easy and rights are in conflict.

The other thing holding her back right now is the incredibly bad PR work we have seen in this matter, and the resultant turn in public opinion.

She needs much better assistance.

[Ohioan from Florida]

Well, Michael says he doesn't want the money, and he has said that he wants to fight the Schindlers till Terri's death, "no matter what". Somehow, I just don't think Michael wants any negotiations. He wants Terri to die and he wants the state to sanction that death. He once said that "This is bigger than Terri and me" or something to that effect. I think he was referring to his knowledge that Felos is entrenched in the "right-to-die" movement, and that Felos is in it for unethical reasons. I think you might get somewhere faster by giving George Felos what he wants...promotions for his book(s) (both published and no yet published), and his idea that he knows how to "soul-speak" with the incapacitated. How you can give him that without accomplishing Terri's death, I know not.

[FR_addict]

The bottom line is this...if the public ever dares to take its eyes off Terri for even a second she is dead..so, we are going to keep watching, and listening, and vigiling with our little signs, and we will never cease to hold these public officials accountable for what is going on.

Just catching up. Excellent post!!!

You summed up what grass roots activism is all about. Separately, each of us may not make a difference, but combining the voices of all of us can make all the difference in the world.

Those letters, emails, vigils, phones calls are more important than the other side wants to acknowledge. Go Freepers!

[FR_addict]

They have another competent attorney joining the team. HE WAS SO OUTRAGED THAT HE VOLUNTEERED upon hearing the local news accusing the Schindlers. He stated so on local television today - it's not idle chatter. He's a pit bull but with people skills.

People skills and a pit bull. This sounds like a great combination. I hope he is serious.

[FR_addict]

"I THINK there are some "has beens" here at Free Republic and they don't "get" grassroots activism."

Well said! Terri is alive because of the little people. I know I appreciate everyone's efforts here. This is not just about Terri anymore. Even the Pope weighed in on this issue.

I feel so sorry for her parents, who have had to deal with Michael and his "right-to-kill" attorneys for so many years. Now that Terri has the Governor and other caring groups behind her, I think she has a chance, but it's important for the "little people" not to give up. I'm one of the little people and proud of our grass roots activism.

[Ohioan from Florida]

I'm one of the little people and proud of our grass roots activism.

I'll ditto that!

[floriduh voter]

Attorney George Felos MAY HAVE PAID SHILLS here at Free Republic and they are being paid to go negative WITH TERRI'S MONEY.

BEWARE THE ENEMY WITHIN.

[MindBender26]

Finding out what someone really wants, or to put it better, what meets their needs, is really a process.

Once begun, it has their ups and downs, but the trick is to keep moving a little closer each day.

Despite Michael's protestations that it is not about the money, never discount the impact of funding in any negotiation.

My only worry at this point is getting the negotiations started, not finished.

To do so, one must get past the lawyers. Felos, as a lawyer, sees everything in jurisprudential terms, won and lost, approved and disapproved, sustained and disallowed, opposing parties, etc.

Like most ego-driven lawyers, Felos wants total victory. The problem is, in this case, he probably has the legal position to achieve it.

Progress only comes when middle ground, mutual benefit, is found. Then it moves forward.

The problem here will not be ending the negotiations favorably. The problem will be starting the negotiations. So much harm has been done by the whacks such as we see here, that it has become very personal to everyone on the other side. There has been so much idiotic chest-puffing and personal attacks by the whacks that it will be difficult for Michael to acknowledge that this is not just another painful personal attack.

Rule #1, when you want to get someone to do something, you must think like them and understand their needs, in order to make progress. Only when we understand their wants and needs can we expect them to understand ours.

We can think all day long that Michael is the worst scum in the world, but with the legal situation as it is, our victory train runs through Michael's station... and the whacks here have been doing everything they can to make sure he is angry enough to derail our train.

Let's face it, they have strong legal points. We must then ask ourselves, what can we "give" them that is greater than a legal victory.

Please don't get me wrong here either. I'm not necessarily talking money. Sometime it's the smallest thing. But to be able to give it to them... IN EXCHANGE FOR WHAT WE WANT... we must first learn what Michael really wants.

This will not be easy, and it will be ESSENTIAL that we swing public opinion back to Terri's side. This will be difficult, especially since the crack (cracked) wacko team has succeeded in reducing her public support from 77% to 29% in the Tampa Bay area.

They will be hard to displace, but think about it. They have lost every legal battle. They have disastrously lost the battle for public support (in fact, they did such a poor job in that area, it will probably be a case study in Crisis Communications classes for years,) they have alienated everyone involved in this from the judge and the State's Attorney to most local news reporters, and their only legislative victory rests on Constitutional quicksand... BUT THEY THINK THEY DID A GREAT JOB!!!!

Please do not get me wrong. 98% of the people on Terri's team have been well intended and have quietly done a great job. It's just that 2% are OTW, and they have succeeded in using the media to erase her legal and public support.

Think of this need to keep lines of communication open (or in this case, reopen them) the way nuclear war planners see it. We would never have hit the SOV command center southeast of Moscow, and they would never hit the Presidential mountain command centers in West Virginia or Maryland. Why? Because you need someone on the other side to work with to end it when "enough" damage has been done to both sides.

My greatest worry is that those who have created this PR disaster will keep doing what they have been doing... which will only move Felos even more quickly toward that "total victory" he seeks.

I'm ready to help, pro-bono, in any way I can.

Be well

[MindBender26]

Attorney George Felos MAY HAVE PAID SHILLS here at Free Republic and they are being paid to go negative WITH TERRI'S MONEY.

BEWARE THE ENEMY WITHIN.

Plllleeeze!

The real enemy here is the wacko band of fringe "grass roots activists" who have allowed Felos to associate Terri's rational supporters with every nut group in the country (the quacks, the "kill the abortionist crowd, etc.) alienated everyone in the case from all the lawyers, to the judge, to the State's Attorney, to most local newspaper and television reporters... and in the process reduced Terri's public support in the Tampa Bay area from 77% to 29%, and lost every legal tactic they have tried

... and worst of all, deep down inside, THEY THINK THEY ARE DOING A GREAT JOB!

Terri's life is far too important for it to be the base for your delusional ramblings.

Please for Terri's sake, stop hurting her.

Think about it. Today, like most days, Terri probably rested comfortably in her bed. No harm came to her from inside her room or inside her body.

The only real harm that came to her today was from the weird 2% lunatic fringe that used her case to push their own agenda... and thereby reduced Terri's public support even further.

Have you no shame or lucid moments, Sir? Have you no shame?

[FR_addict]

You may be right.

When the rude comments didn't work, they seem to be changing their tactics with the "divide and conquer" stategy by singling out certain Freepers with their venom.

Anyway, I appreciate your efforts and all the other Freepers who want to help Terri. We don't all have the same amount of time to devote to Terri's cause, but I know other Freepers are helping when I can't.

[cyn]

"Today, like most days, Terri probably rested comfortably in her bed. No harm came to her from inside her room or inside her body."

And the title of this thread is . . . what? It is not a given that Terri is being treated well at any point; she is in grave danger.

[MindBender26]

Please, I appologize.

I didn't mean to ignore you and "single out" someone else.

Please realize that I hold your "contributions"to Terri's march toward death in as much disdain as I hold the other strange 2% of the people who claim they are trying to "help" her... but in reality all they are doing is kill any public support she still has... and in doing so, they helping her enemies kill her too.

There was a time I thought you could be educated as to how to stop the egocentric foolishness that produced such disastrous results.

I now realize I was wrong about you.

Your first step will be to realize that responsible men accept responsibility for the results they create.

You and your band have presided over her loss of public support from 77% to 29% and her loss of every legal point argued.

If you are a responsible adult, then you will accept responsibility for this disaster. If you are not, then... well... there is no help for you.

Once you accept responsibility for the disaster you have presided over, then the only question becomes: Is it more important to you that you continue this attack on Terri so you can get your 10 seconds of sound bites on television... or is it more important that you stop... so Terri may live?

[MindBender26]

Me thinks, with all the current focus, she probably has a few weeks of safety from any possible further medical "misadventures."

I hope... oh how I hope....

[cyn]

"Have you no shame or lucid moments, Sir? Have you no shame?"

That's a heck of a way to talk to floriduh voter.

Yes, I like what you have suggested here, figure you'll present this to Terri's family, see if you all can come to a meeting of the minds. And this because you really care about Terri and her family and the rights of the disabled in general. But tearing down those who also care about her when you disagree with their methods is counter-productive and down-right destructive.

This is not a critique of your ideas per se, but of the manner in which you are presenting them to us here.

[cyn]

What are you hoping? What realistic expectations might we have at this point for Terri?

My concern is that Terri was just assaulted in her bed. Inexplicably, her parents were immediately blamed for 'puncture wounds' consistent with a needle by a lawyer who should know to be very careful what he says. Only now they aren't puncture wounds, they're scratches.

Terri's still missing two (2) teeth, and has a decubitus ulcer.

[Ohioan from Florida]

I have to say that I just don't get what you're trying to say. Either that or I do get it, but I disagree with some of the conclusions you've come to.

First off, I think you're assuming a few things about Michael that IMO don't apply to him. Things like presuming he is a rational human being. If he were a rational human being, he would have given up this to Terri's parents long ago. Most reasonable people would have let Terri's parents take over responsibility for her care long ago, especially when he decided to ask Jodi to marry him, live with her, own a business with her, and then have two children by her. Most people wouldn't want the extra burden of going head to head with Terri's family for this long. So I think I'm being reasonable to assume that something is not right with Michael in his head.

I use this same logic when thinking about our terror threats. Osama bin Laden is no sane man either. He'd like for all people of Western culture to die or become subservient to him and his ideas. Are we supposed to negotiate with him and his ilk? You sound like the people who want to blame Americans for 9/11.

Rule #1, when you want to get someone to do something, you must think like them and understand their needs, in order to make progress. Only when we understand their wants and needs can we expect them to understand ours.

This maybe works when the people you're negotiating with are sane and reasonable. That's not the case here. Here there is true hatred towards the Schindlers! That's not sane! And Felos is just your average good-for-nothing lawyer. He should be chasing ambulances, but he's found a better ticket! You can negotiate with evil all you like, but I don't agree it will change anything (other than giving the other side what they want).

Where did you get your public support numbers from? Some lousy polls? I have never bought in to the idea of accuracy of polls. You can slant any numbers any way you want to, depending on what result you desire. That's Statistics 101.

Hey, you are more than welcome to try your tack. Maybe it will work, and you can come back here and say "told ya so" to all of us who aren't sure where you're coming from. Please, do go help Terri in whatever way you can!. That's what the rest of us are here doing. Anything we can. If your stuff works, I'll tip my hat to you and say "Well done!"