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"If Terri didn't want a feeding tube and had told her husband so, why did he wait so long to request the removal?"

I'm assuming that at point he (and Terri's Doctors) had hope of a recovery. After a reasonable amount of time (like 15 years) one must re-evaluate. I'm not anti-Terri by any means, and I agree there are a lot suspicious circumstances surrounding all this. It's very sad all the way around, if she is brain-dead (as many say she is) then it will not be hurting her at all to keep her around, if she is not maybe she has some quality of life (the famous video.) In either case I would think Michael would turn her over to her parents. If however she is not brai-dead and has a tormented sense of life I think she should be allowed to move one.

What I really don't want is the gov't tell me and mine what medical decisions are best for us.

Advanced Directive - if you don't have one you better get one

"Advanced Directive - if you don't have one you better get one"

No, but if you do, make it ONLY a limited one...
--DON'T say you dont' want extraordinary efforts put in, because then they really don't, cannot, try as hard.
--DON'T put in writing that you allow the doctors to make the decisions should there be no family around, because your relative could be 10 minutes away, and the docs could make the wrong choice.
--DON'T say that you don't want to be on artificial respirators entirely, because what if you're on a few days, recover and can be off?
--DON'T say it's okay to do something to you which God forbids, causing them to be guilty of murder and yourself of self-murder.

What CAN you say? "Yes I have an Advanced Directive", "Yes I want all possible means to keep me alive",(this doesn't mean you have to stick with this later. Then have determined several possible guardians to be contacted. You are not making an arrangement with the Medical Profession. They only want to know Yes take care of me" or No.

THEN make your agreement with your friends/family/guardians as to how to decide. Ask that they evaluate amongst themselves your case. Give them the freedom to change to someone else if needed.

Value your life. Let God take you when He wants. He'll use means, such as the wisdom of your guardians to help you be pain free if needed, to not bankrupt your entire family, but He does it ethically. As much as death can be ethical.

"If Terri didn't want a feeding tube and had told her husband so, why did he wait so long to request the removal?"

As her guardian - Michael ordered the feeding tube because it was costing too much money to have staff take the time to feed her.