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All That Glitters is a SHUNT
Next mystery: Why is there a shunt in Terri's ventricle? This CT image is "flipped" (i.e. the CT scan is mirror-image backwards which is just an inconsequential error made when scanning the image into the computer), so the right side is LEFT and vice versa. However, everyone can see, easily, the ovoid white object sitting in the front of the big black butterfly in the center of Terri's brain, correct?
That shining object is the tip of a shunt. A shunt is a tube inserted into the brain to reduce pressure caused by build-up of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the brain. That big black butterfly in the middle of Terri's brain is her ventricular system, which holds the CSF and in Terri's case, it is enlarged (dilated).
Now...why was Terri being shunted in 1996? First, if Terri's brain damage was due to oxygen deprivation, her enlarged ventricles would be by a passive mechanism -- which is not amenable to shunting -- not by obstruction of the egress of CSF. To me, the presence of a shunt indicates obstruction to the flow of CSF that needs to be circumvented. Obstruction to flow is hard to postulate given the mechanism of Terri's brain injury (oxygen deprivation).
It would NOT be hard to postulate, however, if she had BLOOD in her head at some point in the past. So did she? Was there a history of trauma? I would like to see the BONE SCAN taken of Terri that purportedly showed evidence of traumatic type osseous uptake!
It is quite unusual to see high-pressure hydrocephalus when the mechanism of brain injury was INFARCTION; and, more so six years after the event.
So
IS THIS REALLY TERRI'S CT?
IF it is then her atrophy is SEVERE, BUT not as bad as has been implicated by the press and the courts
IF it is then why did she have hydrocephalus six years after her non traumatic infarction
IF it is... why was she shunted...AND IS SHE STILL shunted? IF not, why was the shunt removed?
IF it is, why does the Second District Court NOT mention Terri's hydrocephalus in it's dissertation on Terri's woeful cerebral condition??
IF Terri DOES have hydrocephalus from ventricle blockage, was there trauma that caused bleeding that lead to hydrocephalus on the basis of a blood clot obstructing ventricular outflow?
IF so, what was that trauma?
IF Terri had hydrocephalus in 1996, she may still have hydrocephalus now; some patients with hydrocephalus respond to shunting with increased mental functioning!
IF THIS IS NOT TERRI'S CT THEN WHERE IS HER CT?
Based on this evidence Terri Schiavo should have a CT scan repeated. She should also have an MRI and a PET scan to gage the severity of her brain dysfunction.
IF THIS IS TERRI'S CT OF THE BRAIN, SOMETHING MAY BE VERY WRONG
http://codeblueblog.blogs.com/codeblueblog/2005/03/csi_medblogs_co.html
Terri Schiavo Bombshell
According to Dr. William Hammesfahr, world renowned neurologist:
Terri's feeding tube is for the convenience of nurses; not because Terri needs it. Terri does not drool. Liquid is the hardest thing to swallow, and she swallows 1½ to 2 liters of saliva a day.
Terri is not in a persistent vegetative state or coma. She is a living thinking person who makes choices and decisions. This is terrible. They are trying to kill her. While Dr. Hammesfahr was examining her, he observed Terri chose to ignore her husband Michael and, the person taking the video. When Terri heard her mother's voice, she smiled and tracked her. Terri moved her arms and legs as Dr. Hammesfahr requested her to.
(Videotapes show Terri reacting to people. These are at terrisfight.org scroll down to "Videos of Terri.") A persistent vegetative state, by definition, allows no awareness of the world or ability to interact with the world.
(The video entitled, "Asked to open her eyes" allows you to see and hear the examination. When she opened her eyes on command, the doctor said, "There you go, good. Good! (Laughing) Good job! Good job, young lady, good job!")
(The video entitled, "Tracking a balloon" allows you to see and hear the examination. When she followed the balloon, the doctor said, "Look over here, Terri. There you go. Can you follow that, Terri? There you go. Can you follow that at all? Can you see that? OK. Look over here. That's fine. That's it. Now come over here. You see that, don't you, huh? You do follow that a bit, don't you, huh? OK, look up here. That's good!")
Dr. Hammesfahr said the doctor who complimented Terri for following the balloon later testified in court that she was in a persistent vegetative state. Dr. Hammesfahr stated this is "medical malpractice and attempted murder."
Terri did not have a heart attack. There were no cardiac enzymes in her blood, and no abnormalities in her EKG.
Terri was admitted into the emergency room with a very, very stiff neck consistent with brand new injury to her neck.
Dr. Hammesfahr had seen the combination of injuries Terri suffered (spinal cord injury, brain injury, and neck injury) one other time. That was in an attempted strangulation case.
A police report was sent to homicide. There was no follow-up; no investigation by police. Dr. Hammesfahr said Terri's situation is unique - he consistently sees wrong things happen to Terri. There is no law enforcement follow-up now for fear of stepping on toes.
Terri's bone scan revealed Terri was a victim of multiple traumas - doctors were mandated to report it. There was no history of trauma prior to her marrying Michael. The fractures had to happen after marrying him. First lumbar vertebra fracture is common when thrown against a table.
At first, Terri had physical therapy, rehabilitation, and speech therapy. Electrodes were planted in her brain stem. A month or two later, she was more responsive. She got better with rehabilitation. She spoke appropriately at times, saying such things as, "I am hungry."
When electrodes are implanted, there needs to be follow up because the electrodes could be the source of possible infection and hydrocephalus. If there is no follow up, one is risking further injury. No follow-up was given.
Dr. Hammesfahr said he never has seen so many people and institutions fail someone in so many ways.
Terri's 1996 brain scan shows 75% normal brain tissue; not scar tissue. It is not all fluid. That report is bogus. Her cortex is not missing; not at all. Some areas are thinned, probably due to hydrocephalus, with the fluid pushing against her brain. She is functioning. That is what is important. I have seen people a lot worse than her, and they are talking. A brain scan taken two years ago showed improvement.
The EEG (electroencephalogram, which is a test of brain activity) showed there was no recognizable brain activity. However, three doctors said she was restless. Muscle activity gives a reading, just as the brain does, producing artifact. By filtering out the artifact, the brain activity was also filtered out. The EEG should have been taken at her bed where she could relax. Judge Greer refused further testing. Dr. Hammesfahr said no further scan is needed because Terri is functioning, which obviously shows brain activity.
Judge Greer would not allow an eye examination, even though she is legally blind. She can only see objects 12" - 18" away.
She is isolated even though her condition demands sensory input.
Terri's medical records, which are legal documents, were falsified. Detailed records of Terri's responsiveness were thrown away. Nurses who were not even on duty wrote fraudulent reports as though they had been caring for Terri.
Why is it that Terri has to prove herself worthy of living? This is against the law in Florida. She is not in a persistent vegetative state. She is not terminal, even though she has been (illegally) in a hospice.
(If the judge were to order a swallowing test, strict care would be needed to ensure Terri were not sedated to the point she could not swallow. )
(This is not about "letting her die" because she is not dying. This is about deliberately killing her: Murder.)
These are notes from the January 7, 2004, Highway 2 Health Internet broadcast featuring Dr. Hammesfahr on http://www.highway2health.net
Dr. Hammesfahr is the first physician to treat patients successfully to restore deficits caused by stroke. His technique is approved by Medicare, and he was nominated in 1999 for a Nobel prize for this work which he started in 1994.
Dr. Hammesfahr has great success. Most doctors think a brain injury that has been there awhile is not treatable. He has had success with these cases, and he is convinced Terri would improve. (Improvement should not be required for Terri to be allowed to live).
Dr. Hammesfahr's contact information:
Web site is http://www.floridaneurologicalinstitute.com/
E-mail address hnihelp@yahoo.com
Phone number 1-800-673-6400
Major problem in the first few sentences of that blog, Code Blue. She didn't have a heart attack. She had cardiac arrest. Big diff. I stopped reading right there.