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.
Terry is not much different than a retarded child- sweet and innocent and helpless- Hitler wanted them dead as well as Michael Schiavo- he wanted her alive until the lawsuit was over then wanted her to go away- with continous rehab she could have led a simple life. I have a friend that got whacked by a side mirror of a truck and could only gnaw and stare- her new husband had more love for her than this cold cad- she was a beautiful person but at least tried and put her in a coma program to try to stimulate her back to life!
Do you recall when that was done and why?
I am unable to diagnose this editorial writer as anything but brain dead.
Also, I know of no electrodes that anyone would leave in any brain for any purpose, and in 20 years of seeing more than 10,000 CT's of the brain, I have never observed such a phenomenon.
In addition, it is hard to believe that anyone inserted electrodes, in 1992, that had paramagnetic properties that would preclude an MRI of the brain currently. I doubt that. Most of those devices are titanium or stainless steel, which are unaffected by MRI. Besides, with MRI, in that type of situation, the only reason not to do an MRI is because you are looking for information in the region of the artifact, where there would be distortion of the image.
If the items are not paramagnetic (like iron), there would be no danger and no contraindication to an MRI. Sounds bogus to me.
from a neurologist at http://codeblueblog.blogs.com/codeblueblog/2005/03/csi_medblogs_co.html
Haven't you read what was tried for Terri? Even experimental surgery was tried. Long past the time doctors said there was no hope.
And Michael got the $$ from the lawsuit and waited five years to determine there was no hope. Pesky facts.
She can't have an MRI because in the early days of her condition, her husband really did take measures to have her treated and had something implanted in her brain to help stimulate it. It's fair to say that she's never had a PET scan. But these are moot. The first point is, why is the written contract to stop feeding assumed? Would food and treatment have been withheld if she had a heart attack?
The other side is his claim that as husband, his position should rule -James Taranto in yesterday's Best of the Web Today wrote:
"But it is equally unreasonable to let Mr. Schiavo have it both ways. If he wishes to assert his marital authority to do his wife in, the least society can expect in return is that he refrain from making a mockery of his marital obligations. The grimmest irony in this tragic case is that those who want Terri Schiavo dead are resting their argument on the fiction that her marriage is still alive."
Michael claims that the money is gone. The money issue to consider is that most of it has not been spent for sustaining Terri's life, which were the terms of the payment, but to exterminate her. If it's found that she was not represented properly, he could be ordered to repay the monies.
I think he's a true narcissist-- he has to eliminate all that is not perfect in his view. This is why it's so amazing to watch him wig out on the press as he whines that he is not getting his way (of course, stated as though he cared at all about Terri).
Let's not take the word of someone who has never even seen all her tests or examined her.
Let's take instead the word of her three guardian ad litems and court documents.
Ah, but don't you see? It's about power. Hino is a control freak. That was one reason Terri was going to leave him. It's still about the control he can weld over her. She suffers and he elated. Fluid leaves her body making cremation of the evidence a quicker process.
I don't remember the year, early 90's, I think.
It was done to try and stimulate her brain activity.
Did she actually receive the treatment after the electrodes were implanted? And if so, for how long? Is that part of the judicial record?
Can he do that? Is this wishful thinking on your part? I would love to see that play out if it can be done.
I'm sorry, I simply can't take that on faith. There's every reason to doubt the motives of both the husband and the Florida court.
Sorry, yes.
My mistake.
LOL, a doctor has to examine Terri before commenting on how MRIs work?
Too late for Terri Schiavo.
FWIW, Peach, I understand that people in this country have a right to refuse medical treatment. But I think before we allow someone to be killed by dehydration and starvation in this country, that the patient's wishes should be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. We have a higher standard of evidence in criminal trials, for Heaven's sake, than is being applied here.
She did, but I believe his efforts only lasted the first year. I do not know if it's part of the record, but would not be surprised as Michael needs to feel self righteous.
What she didn't receive was independent legal representation, which the judge took upon himself and thereby denied her a fair trial.
Well, I don't think that.
But I do think that the word of her guardian ad litems and court documents are more worthy of consideration than some guy who CLAIMS on the internet to be a doctor and see no reason why she can't have an MRI.
The next time you see YOUR doctor, ask him if you had electrodes in your head if you'd be able to get an MRI.
And why that hasn't been addressed is beyond me.
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