I've stated that if she's not PVS, then I am no longer conflicted and absolutely do not want this done to her (removing the feeding tube).
So far, I've seen nothing to indicate that she isn't PVS.
Several courts have found that it is not doubtful that Terri made that statement to Michael.
And I believe the reason he will not transfer custody to her parents is to spare her the gruesome lengths to which they are willing to go to keep her alive. I would expect my husband to fight my parents if I were in her situation.
When Michael formally offered to divest himself entirely of his financial interests in the guardianship estate, why didn't her parents take him up on it. And if he's in it for the money, why hasn't he accepted the offers of $10M and $1M that have been made to him by two millionnaires? I can tell you that my husband wouldn't accept that kind of $$ either, if it meant not obeying my wishes.
We will have to agree to disagree about his possible motives, and if someone has evidence that she's not PVS, the courts, judges, lawyers, and doctors involved in her care for 15 years haven't seen it.
And if a husband takes a new lover, has children by her, and decides to kill his wife we know have approved it in advance.
I saw Senator Frist on the Senate floor really late Thursday night--he said that he had read all he could about Terri's case---and talked to some neurologist friends of his--
He read from some kind of book the definition of a persistent vegetative state, then the definition of a condition that is a step above PVS in cognitive ability--
Sen. Frist said that in HIS opinion and in the opinion of the neurologist that he talked to, Terri looked like she was in the better of the two---
He mentioned that although he is a Senator, his first "job" has been medical doctor, and it is as a doctor that be believes that Terri has not had the benefit of a thorough enough evaluation to warrant removal of feeding tube which will bring death---
You said you hadn't heard anyone else say anything different than PVS--this is an example--
I have always respected you from the posts I have seen, so I know that you are speaking with heartfelt thoughts, I just thought I would share what I saw on the Senate floor--
For what it is worth---
The diagnosis PVS is highly suspect. It was made in 45 minutes, using a only a CT scan.
Diplomates and Fellows of the American Academy of Neurology state that a differential diagnosis for PVS must include an MRI and hours of neurologic testing--over the course of weeks. Of course, this is the opinion of a group of highly educated, expert DISINTERESTED neurologists, not the opinion of the husband's pet neurologists, one of whom is a member of a society which advocates euthanasia.