Posted on 03/22/2005 3:58:24 AM PST by billorites
Shameful! There's really no other word to describe what is now both the Terri Schiavo ``case'' and the Terri Schiavo ``law.''
Before there was a ``case'' or a ``law,'' Terri Schiavo was just a 26-year-old woman, wife to Michael Schiavo, daughter of Bob and Mary Schindler. Then in 1990 a heart attack, likely resulting from an eating disorder, cut the oxygen to her brain, putting her in what doctors describe as ``a persistent vegetative state.''
Since then Michael Schiavo and the Schindlers have played dysfunctional family - neither willing to relent on who should have the last word on Terri Schiavo's care. They have fought out their battle over 15 years before 19 different judges in six different courts and the Florida Legislature, which attempted - ultimately unsuccessfully - to intervene. The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to intervene in the case on three separate occasions.
Common sense has long since gone out the window as politicians, first at the state level and now in Congress, have shamelessly used the case to pursue their political agendas - and as the equally shameful relatives of Terri Schiavo have allowed themselves to be so used.
Ah, but there's so very much shame to go around here. The U.S. Senate, of course, passed the Schiavo bill ``unanimously'' on a voice vote with only three members present Sunday because, well, all of those future Democratic presidential contenders like Sens. Hillary Clinton and John Kerry [related, bio] wouldn't want to actually put this to a debate and roll call.
Then, of course, there's the utter shamelessness of Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist - Dr. Frist, a heart surgeon, remember - who insisted after watching a video that Terri Schiavo ``has a level of consciousness.''
Most doctors actually examine a patient before rendering a diagnosis, but not when that doctor ends up in Congress.
And then, of course, there was the 203-58 vote in the House, in which a lot of good Republicans who as a matter of philosophy want to keep the federal courts out of people's lives were perfectly willing to make an exception in this case where the political stakes were high.
The only question is whether Terri Schiavo's due process rights were protected. And the answer is more than those of any patient, anytime, anywhere.
That there was hope she would not be in a PVS, forever.
I think he's a control freak, as well. Right now, he's really getting a high off of having absolute control over Terri, and through her, her family. But what about after Terri dies? He can't control her family any more. So--there's still Jodi, and I have a feeling she's about to feel the brunt of his controlling personality.
I think you're right. More or less a figure-head to tell us how bad we are if we don't take care of our bodies. *~*
I think you misread my post. I said the husband was treating Terri's FAMILY like dirt.
We've been down this road once before in Bush's first term. At this point, words mean very little to me, in regards to judicial nominees. Republicans in Congress, particularly the Senate need to grow some backbone and use the Constitutional Option. The Democrats are the ones using the Nuclear Option.
But not, I hope, for others. Hear about the ABC poll (all over the news this morning)? What it tells me is that approximately 30% of the American people are educated on this subject. That's probably about 20% more than a year ago. Progress can be slow, but I think we're starting to turn things around.
What about those elderly already in nursing homes, are we going to insist on feeding tubes for every person who is not getting proper nutrition?
And if we insist on feeding tubes, why not ventilators?
There are those in the medical community that would love to see this happen. It would be a bonanza for some health care providers and would bankrupt Medicare/Medicaid even faster.
Many elderly in nursing homes have dementia, it is too late to ask what their wishes are?
When an elderly person quits eating, it is their body's way of shutting down. Talk to a Hospice worker, there are stages of decline, and to quit eating is one of them.
Are we going to impose the "will of the government" on a person who does not desire to eat?
Then let's take all those with eating disorders, such as anorexia, and insert feeding tubes, by order of law.
Sorry for misreading that. The reason could be here.
http://www.sptimes.com/2003/11/23/Tampabay/Schiavo_clash_is_root.shtml
Who in their right mind believes or trusts Michael Schiavo? Because his *claim* that Terri would have wanted to "have the plug pulled" is what this whole house of cards case is built on.
If this woman dies because of the judges rulings and the Repubs don't go balistic on the dems for their obstruction, then nothing will convince them.
I think that these common decisions are the ones based on trying to prolong life another day, another week, in a terminal situation where the outcome cannot be changed even with extraordinary measures. The decision to terminate a healthy, but cognitively disabled person is not the type of decision happening every day--if it were, there wouldn't be court involvement every time a "loving" family member decides they're tired of waiting for the person to die.
While I feel sorry for her, she has had 10 years to realize that he won't treat her any differently. Employee Assistance programs are there for her. If she wants them.
The above article get's it completely wrong and is meaningless dribble!!!! How awful for you to post it at this time!!!!!!!
Does that newspaper have a stake in a cable TV system, and does that system carry pornography?
Evil and corruption is permeating the news media to an unprecedented degree. I fear that not only are we going to have to have a wholesale replacement of our judicial system, we may need to disestablish the corporate controlled "press".
I'm afraid there are lots of families who have relatives who are brain dead. Decisions are made to terminate life in those cases as well. Every day.
There are a heck of a lot more than just internet doctors that dispute the diagnosis of PVS. Furthermore there are credible reports from multiple witnesses of altered medical charts and discarded notes; the unanswered questions about denial of therapy; unanswered questions about the cause of her condition; discrepancies in the husband's testimony in the malpractice suit vs. his later statements; substantial errors in law by Judge Greer; conflicts of interest in the appointment of guardians; the inappropriateness of a blind judge to consider a case with substantial visual evidence; and many other items that together cause very considerable doubt that this case has been properly adjudicated.
Well Stated! You are exactly RIGHT!!!!!
There are 22 appeals courts and judges who disagree with all that.
Judge Greer's ability or inability to see a video may be impaired. I don't know. I do know that you can google PVS and see patients who act just like Terri. They move their eyes and make noises. But they have no brain activity. None. Those are involuntary actions.
you have not seen some of the facts in this case not only has she had all of the test you mention her husband had doctors perform an operation to insert electic stimulators in her brain - 10 years ago- to restart the brain function. I have no dog in this fight and take no sides, but like the paper I know something about in-laws and I'm not sure that they are always right.
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