Schiavo's Parents Ask Judge to Intervene

Fox News ^ | 4/27/04 | AP

[MVV]

TAMPA, Fla. — The parents of a severely brain-damaged woman at the center of a right-to-die case say her husband has barred them from visiting her. They are asking a judge to intervene.

The lawsuit is the latest salvo in the long legal battle between Bob and Mary Schindler and Terri Schiavo's (search) husband, Michael -- his wife's legal guardian who is fighting to remove the feeding tube that keeps her alive.

[cyn]

Thanks for finding and posting this article.

Schiavo's Parents Ask Judge to Intervene

Tuesday, April 27, 2004

TAMPA, Fla. — The parents of a severely brain-damaged woman at the center of a right-to-die case say her husband has barred them from visiting her. They are asking a judge to intervene.

The lawsuit is the latest salvo in the long legal battle between Bob and Mary Schindler and Terri Schiavo's (search) husband, Michael -- his wife's legal guardian who is fighting to remove the feeding tube that keeps her alive.

Michael Schiavo (search) blocked all visitors from the Clearwater nursing home where his wife lives after apparent needle marks were found on both her arms March 29. The Schindlers had visited that day.

The Schindlers said they, too, were baffled by the needle marks. Tests found no unauthorized drugs or other substances in Terri Schiavo's blood. Police were investigating, but spokesman Wayne Shelor wouldn't discuss details Tuesday.

In their lawsuit, filed Monday, the Schindlers contend Michael Schiavo, as their daughter's guardian, is consistently late filing the required annual care plans for her. They argue he therefore has no legal right to make decisions for her, or to keep visitors away.

"I'm asking the judge to have a hearing and determine that Michael has been acting without authority and to restore visitation," said Pat Anderson, the Schindlers' attorney.

Deborah Bushnell, an attorney for Michael Schiavo, said he has asked the court for extensions in filing the annual care plans, and blamed delays on "the legal situation." She also defended the bar on visitors until the end of the police investigation.

"We want that all to shake out before instituting visitation," she said.

Terri Schiavo, 40, has been kept alive with a feeding tube after suffering severe brain damage when her heart briefly stopped more than a decade ago.

Her husband contends she never wanted to be kept alive artificially. Her parents doubt she had that wish and believe her condition could improve with therapy.

Terri Schiavo's feeding tube was disconnected for six days in October before Gov. Jeb Bush (search) signed a law requiring it to be reinserted. Michael Schiavo sued Bush, challenging the constitutionality of the hastily passed law that allowed the governor to step in.

[cyn]

bump that thought...

I called the West Palm Beach Chamber of Commerce during the 2000 vote re-re-RE-count & told them I didn't dare come for a visit because I couldn't trust them to calculate charges and my change correctly. H'mmm.

[Wampus SC]

"Trolls wait for orders from HINO's dream team. Trolls show up at Free Republic when Terri's team does new court filings. Trolls are enlisted to bring disinformation and lies to the table."

I'm considering bringing back The Wampus's Official Troll Graphic. :) Yes, they show up exactly on schedule. They must be given talking points too, and instructed not to deviate from them. They'll all use one or at most two new talking points each time, in addition to the usual "Terri is already dead" background noise. They repeat the point over and over, and the best they can do to back it up is to turn surly, or just repeat it again.

Their current refrain is something like this: Since Terri would have died in her condition 100 (or 100,000!) years ago, she should die now.

Compare what's been said on this thread with:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1122668/posts?page=88#88

[Concerned]

THE BANDIT ORIGINALLY WROTE: "Mother nature, being the nature she is, tells us Terri Schiavo, the person, whom became what she once was, beginning with her birth, from birth through her adult life by means of experiences; education; tastes; emotions; love; happiness, etc. -- everything that makes us an uniquely coinscious being died in 1990 when her brain cells were deprived of vital-life-sustaining oxygen."

THE BANDIT LATER WROTE: "I made no attempt in my post to decide when a human is worthwhile or not. I just suggested that the Terri Schiavo that her friends and family knew and loved is no more."

Sure you did. BTW, are YOU the same person YOU were 10, 15 years ago? I'm not.

THE BANDIT ADDED: "I believe human beings are much more then just a lower brain steam that maintains heart and lungs activity. Without their consciousness, ability to be a free thinker to learn, to project a unique personality...to be able to intereact with the world around you....without this ability you are lifeless."

No, Mr. Hitler, living human beings are NOT "lifeless!!!" BTW, I forgot to mention that my daughter has a very rare type of dwarfism and had been trached and on respirator for THREE YEARS, but hasn't needed it for SIXTEEN YEARS, because---unlike Terri Schiavo---our daughter was able to get the THERAPY she needed.

Also, you must not have been following Terri's case. She ISN'T even in a coma---she is VERY conscious!

THE BANDIT ADDED: "That doesn't mean one still cannot love that person, I still love many who are today dead and in the ground. I love the memories of when they were alive. But they are dead because they are no longer able to express themselves or their will among the living today...."

Mr. Hitler, you are VERY sick. You need help. PLEASE see a psychiatrist or psychologist. Or better yet, FORCE yourself to get EDUCATED and EXPERIENCED by spending some time talking to and "walking in the shoes" of some parents of mentally and/or physically disabled children.

You REALLY need some hands-on EDUCATION and EXPERIENCE regarding disabled people. They ARE people---just as much as YOU and I are!

BTW, I am THANKFUL to have our 19 year old disabled daughter and 4 year old non-disabled daughter. Each has taught me a LOT!

[Concerned]

LITTLE JEREMIAH WROTE: "A beautiful post."

Thanks! I wrote back to The Bandit on post # 84.

LITTLE JEREMIAH ADDED: "The spiritual view is that the real identity of the human being is an eternal soul, which is inhabiting the body, and is of infinite worth, no matter what the condition of the body.

BINGO!!!!!

[cyn]

morning prayer bump for Terri and her family.

[TheSpottedOwl]

This is true. some folks think the notion of "God" is archaic at best. But God does see everything, whether or not Michael Schiavo and his minions believe in Him.

[Ohioan from Florida]

I don't know how to post an article on FR yet but here is a link to a new one at World Net Daily. I haven't seen it posted on FR yet, but it's possible someone has. It's called: "Dentist blasts Terri Schiavo's care".

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=38255

[Ohioan from Florida]

Ping to #88. I apologize to those who have already been pinged.

If you want on or off my "Terri ping list", please let me know. All requests respectfully honored!

[Stone Mountain]

Do you really expect to change someone's mind or influence their opinion by calling them Hitler?

[Stone Mountain]

It's a lie that Jeb Bush can't save Terri all by himself.

So why won't he? At this point, he has already allied himself with Schiavo's supporters - I can't see that he would incur any additional political risk by going all the way...

[kimmie7]

Never apologize for pinging me to a Terri thread. NEVER!!! ;-)

I'm still watching, praying and waiting on the Lord.

[cyn]

Great find, great article -- thanks! It's not been posted elsewhere here ... I'll post & provide link.

[Ohioan from Florida]

I'm still watching, praying and waiting on the Lord.

Funny, those are the same words I wrote in a letter to Judge Greer just today! Of course, they aren't the only words I used...!

Miss talkin' with you, girl!

[kimmie7]

Same here! I'm around, just not nearly as much. We're going to officially homeschooling Jake this fall (PRAY FOR PATIENCE FOR ME! LOL) and I have been busier than a one-legged man in a fanny kicking contest!

Please keep on pinging me, though. As I get Jake settled into, well, settling in to activities I will be able to freep a bit more during the day.

[kimmie7]

Cyn!

Just wanted to give you a big ole cyber ((((hug))))!

[Ohioan from Florida]

Well then, you'll be busy! I HS'ed my son last year (6th gr) because of his illness, and it was so worth it! I'd continue, but he really missed his school buddies, so this year, he's back, and we're dealing with the health issues as we go.

Praying for patience for all of us!

And special prayers for Terri!

[cyn]

Here's your article:

Dentist blasts Terri Schiavo's care -- 5 teeth removed due to lack of cleaning

[cyn]

( ( ( Hi, kimmie! ) ) ) Same to you! I'm smiling SO BIG still over your news. I have mentioned it in our prayer groups, still with AWE!

I am praying for Terri's mother to receive answers to her prayers as well. I cannot imagine being separated from a precious child as Terri's mother is from hers. Nope.

And mother's day is coming up!!

[Ohioan from Florida]

TY so much...I still have much to learn about posting at FR.