Posted on 03/22/2005 6:15:47 PM PST by FR_addict
First segments.... (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In a medical case as high profile as Terri Schiavo, you would think the medical experts would have all the answers. But just by listening to them and reviewing statements they gave to the court, it's easy to see why a final answer is so complicated.
DR. WILLIAM HAMMESFAHR, NEUROLOGIST: I spent about 10 hours across about three months and the woman is very aware of her surroundings. She's very aware. She's alert. She's not in a coma. She's not in PVS. ...
DR. RONALD CRANFORD, NEUROLOGIST: A vegetative state is a scary diagnosis. Unless you know what you're looking for, it looks like the patient is interacting. But Terri is not interacting.
GUPTA: Both of them are neurologists and their conclusions are based on diagnostic tests that are supposed to be objective. Yet, they tell different tales.
HAMMESFAHR: Her CAT scan has maybe 75 percent of the brain tissue still left. CRANFORD: I've seen her. There's no doubt in my mind, whatsoever, she's in a permanent vegetative state. Her CAT scan shows extremely severe atrophy to the brain. And her EEG is flat. It doesn't show any electrical activity at all.
GUPTA: And, most importantly, their opinions about a possible recovery?
HAMMESFAHR: With proper therapy, she will have a tremendous improvement. I think, personally, that she'll be able to walk, eventually, and she will be able to use at least one of her arms.
CRANFORD: There's no way. That's totally bogus. ...
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(Excerpt) Read more at transcripts.cnn.com ...
An MRI was never recommended because, in this case and other patients in a permanent vegetative state, the CT scans were more than adequate to demonstrate the extremely severe atrophy of the cerebral hemispheres, and an MRI would add nothing of significance to what we see on the CT scans. Plus the MRI is contraindicated because of the intrathalamic stimulators implanted in Terri's brain. A PET scan was never done in this case because it was never needed. The classic clinical signs on examination, the CT scans, and the flat EEG's were more than adequate to diagnose PVS to the highest degree of medical certainty, along with the credible testimony of the three neurologists at the longest evidentiary hearing in American law, whose opinions were strongly affirmed by the trial court judge and three appeal court judges. Please see Judge Greer's opinions on the credibility of the experts testifying on behalf of the Schindler family.
I saw the information somewhere else, too - that they couldn't do any more than a CT scan because of the brain implants. They don't say why - maybe the implants would cause reflections in the MRI image or something. Here's Cranford's response to the Wendland allegation, from the same link:
As for the National Review Online article, I stand by my record. The record is very clear that I did not testify that Robert Wendland was in a PVS, and the same applies for the case of Michael Martin in Michigan. Both these patients were clearly not PVS (see Broder AJ, Cranford RE. Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary, How Was I to Know? - Michael Martin, Absolute Prescience, and the Right to Die in Michigan. University of Detroit Mercy Law Review, 1995; 72:787-832. and Nelson LJ, Cranford RE. Michael Martin and Robert Wendland: Beyond the Vegetative State. Journal of Contemporary Health Law and Policy, 1999;15:427-453). In all the major right to die cases on a national level in which I have testified or been heavily involved with (including Brophy, Rosebush, Torres, Cruzan, Busalacchi, Ellison, Butcher, Martin, Wendland, and now Schiavo), my neurological diagnosis and the final opinions of the courts were identical (except for some legitimate differences of opinion on the degree of cognitive functions in Wendland). So my record stands for itself.
Here's more information about Dr Hammesfahr:
An October 23, 2002, Tampa Tribune article reported that during an October 2002 hearing, George Felos, attorney for Schiavo's husband, Michael Schiavo, questioned Hammesfahr's qualifications, noting that he "charges cash for treatments and advertises himself as a nominee for a Nobel Prize based on a letter his congressman wrote to the Nobel committee." An October 25, 2003, St. Petersburg Times article noted that Greer, who presided over the hearing, called Hammesfahr a "self-promoter" who "offered no names, no case studies, no videos and no test results to support his claim" that he had treated patients worse off than Terri Schiavo.
More from Dr. Cranford about Terri's evaluation for the court:
The Schindler family, Pat Anderson, the Schindler lawyer, various vitalist groups, and the two physicians testifying at trial on behalf of the Schindlers, as well as numerous health care professionals signing affidavits who never examined Terri but instead relied on the short videotapes, have consistently maintained the following facts-Terri Schiavo is aware, responsive, follows commands, smiles in response to the family, and has emotions; the videotapes are important because they show that “Terri is a person,” and that she can respond, follow commands, smile in response to her mother, and visually track objects placed in front of her; she will improve with appropriate treatment and rehabilitation; she has the ability to swallow; the reason she can’t swallow well now is because she has been denied appropriate medical treatment for years. However, the trial court judge and the appeals court justices have stated that Terri Schiavo is in a permanent vegetative state and that no treatment is available to restore her neurological functioning, consistent with the opinions of four neurologists directly involved in the care of Terri Schiavo over 15 years, and the three neurologists testifying at trial (two selected by Michael Schiavo, and the other selected by the trial court judge when Michael Schiavo and the Schindlers were unable to agree on a neutral court-appointed medical expert).
These presumed neurological facts and assertions by the Schindler family, their lawyer, Pat Anderson, and others about Terri’s neurological condition are all completely and categorically false, with one exception. Patients in a vegetative state usually retain an intact swallowing reflex and thus can swallow to some degree in an involuntary, reflex fashion. Swallowing tests performed on Terri Schiavo in 1990, 1991, and 1992 all showed severe oropharyngeal dysphagia, compatible with the vegetative state. No further swallowing tests were ever performed again in her subsequent clinical course, since Terri Schiavo never improved, and there was no valid reason for believing these swallowing tests would be any different today than they were over 10 years ago. Thus, Terri Schiavo does have the ability to swallow, like most other patients in a vegetative state, but only in a reflex fashion. The majority of adult patients in a permanent vegetative state, like Terri Schiavo, are given nutrition and hydration by a PEG tube placed in the stomach through the abdominal wall. This form of medical treatment is the safest and most effective way of supplying long term nutrition and hydration to an unconscious patient. (29)
It is possible (but highly unlikely) that, with a great deal of attention and care, and an understanding of how to optimize swallowing by using the involuntary swallowing reflex, Terri’s nutritional and hydration needs could be maintained by the oral route (as is the case in many children in a permanent vegetative state, where parents and health care professionals spend many hours at the bedside feeding these children by mouth by utilizing the involuntary swallowing reflex). But such an undertaking is medically inadvisable, as it would greatly increase the risk of aspiration pneumonia and death.
The overwhelming fact is that, whether Terri is fed via a PEG tube or fed orally, she is still in a permanent vegetative state, and the manner of feeding her will not result in any change in her clinical condition, except she would probably die much sooner were attempts made to feed her orally. So further swallowing tests would be totally meaningless in terms of the ultimate outcome of Terri’s neurological condition and state of consciousness.
Wolfson's report is the most important report that freepers should read. But they won't. Their minds are made up.
And all this crap that she's not really PVS; even her parents acknowledged that in 2002. And you're right. It's about money. They admitted under oath they are angry they didn't get any of that malpractice money.
Oh, and for all those claims that Terri never had a lawyer. Wolfson, her guardian ad litem (one of 4) is a lawyer.
Terri was in a coma for approximately one month, and then evolved into a vegetative state. Four board-certified neurologists in Florida consulting on her care (James H. Barnhill, Garcia J. Desousa, Thomas H. Harrison, and Jeffrey M. Karp) had repeatedly made a diagnosis of PVS over the years. The initial CT scan on the day of admission, February 25, 1990, was normal but further CT scans documented a progression of widespread cerebral hemisphere atrophy, eventually resulting in CT scans of 1996 and 2002 showing extreme atrophy (CT scans-1996, 2002: "diffuse encephalomalacia and infarction consistent with anoxia, hydrocephalus ex vacuo, neural stimulator present); prior to these most recent two CT scans, CT scans had been performed on February 25, 1990, February 27, 1990, and March 30, 1990, with an MRI scan on July 24, 1990.The two most recent EEG's have demonstrated no electrical activity-on July 8, 2002: "no evidence of cerebral activity;" and October 4, 2002-"does not have any definite brain activity. However, most of the tracing is obscured by artifact from muscle and eye movement." The clinical exams over the years were entirely consistent with diagnosis of permanent vegetative state secondary to hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. From the initial hospitalization in February, 1990, until the present time, there have been no significant changes in Terri's neurological findings, and nothing in the medical records to suggest any disagreement whatsoever among Terri's attending and consulting physicians about the underlying diagnosis and prognosis for recovery. A deep brain stimulator was placed in Terri's brain on December 12, 1990 at request of the husband who flew with his wife to San Francisco for the procedure. This highly experimental form of medical treatment did not result in any clinical improvement in Terri's condition. (14)
If the Schindlers show the tape of Hannity interviewing this cguy last night to Kennedy they will get their review. Dr Death is a linatic with an agenda and any court accpeting his opinion as objective is NO court.
Would you feel any different if the guy's claim to be a Nobel Prize nominee was bogus?
A Doctor who doesn't believe that PVS patients have constitutional rights, when 40% of PVS diagnoses turn out to be in error, has no business in a court of law. And Judge Greer should know it. A disgrace and the same goes for anybody who makes excuses for this asshole.
That part is missing? What a shocker. Can't have any facts getting in the way of the agenda. < /sarcasm > This kind of thing might just turn Rush's girlfriend from the dark side. Also I've seen Dr. Gupta discuss Terri's case several times over the past few days and he seems to regret what's going on.
Cranford is a real piece of work. Googling him is quite interesting. He's a frequent expert witness who without fail testifies for proving PVS, has NEVER diagnosed otherwise, and some of the patients about which he's testified have recovered! Oh, and by his own admission, he spent a total of 45 minutes with Terri.
My God, and this man has a license to practice medicine.
We must keep the heat on Michael schiavo. If Terri dies, a private investigator needs to look into his life. It appears he has already euthanized two cats so he could sleep with someone beside his "new" finance'.
Michael Schiavo's former girlfriend speaks: Excerpts From Cynthia Shook's May 8, 2001 Deposition given in fear
In a previous Hyscience post, Carole Lieberman, M.D., M.P.H., Psychiatrist and expert medical witness, and the author of the book, Bad Boys: Why We Love Them, How to Live with Them and When to Leave Them, was quoted as saying, "I have studied men who exhibit pathology in their relationships with women. Profiles of the twelve different types of bad boys are explained. Michael Schiavo fits the profile, described in the book as the Prince of Darkness (see chapter 13). O.J. Simpson was cited as a classic example of this type, and there are indeed similarities between the two men. It is especially significant to note that O.J. flew into a homicidal rage when he realized that Nicole was totally abandoning him, as is characteristic of these impulsive men who most dread being abandoned by their woman. Similarly, Michael Schiavo was likely to have known that Terri had begun making plans to divorce him, since she had told a coworker and family member. Stalking is characteristic of this type of man, as well. And a girlfriend of Michael’s, Cindy, accused him of stalking her in 2001."
This is the story of "Cindy," and the deposition that she had to be forced to give, out of her fear of Michael Schiavo. Terri was also afraid of Michael, but of course Michael has been hard at work to make sure that she can't give a deposition as Cindy has!
In late 1991, 1½ years after Terri’s collapse, Michael Schiavo became involved in an intimate relationship with Cindy Shook. The romance continued for approximately one year. It can be documented that the two spent a weekend at the Don Caesar hotel in St. Petersburg Beach and they also contacted a Century 21 Realtor on the premise of purchasing a home.
In May of 1992, at the apex of the romance, Schiavo had Terri’s 2 pet cats euthanized to clear the way for his moving in with Cindy and her pet dog. Read more at this site.
http://hyscience.typepad.com/hyscience/2005/02/michael_schiavo_1.html
"Oh, and the person who nominated him for a prize denies it and he can't provide proof."
All you have to do is a search on the nomination.
"Mike Bilirakis letter to Nobel Committee members presenting Dr. Williams Hammersfahr.
http://www.hnionline.com/nobel_prize_nomination.htm
If you read the letter you will note that Michael Bilirakis writes that he received commendations from different organizations, including "The Tramatic Brain Injury Association". Now I would imagine that this organization would be considered "Representatives of the medical scientific community" and therefore qualified to recommend him as a nominee. http://www.biaf.org/
If you go to Dr. Hammersfahr's website you will also see a letter from the BIAF congratulating him on a prior certificate he recieved.
http://www.hni-online.com/brain_injury_association_of_florida.htm
Who is Mike Bilirakis?………As Chairman of the Health Subcommittee, which has jurisdiction over much of the health-related legislation introduced in the House of Representatives, Mike has been a vocal advocate for medical research and a national leader on health reform. He was also instrumental in the passage of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003. As Chairman, he not only helped draft the House version of the Medicare bill but was also chosen to be one of the few members appointed to reconcile the differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill. And although Mike is thrilled to have legislation that he has worked on so tirelessly passed into law, he recognizes that his work is not done as his Subcommittee is responsible for overseeing the implementation of this historic new benefit. "
Mike Bilirakis supports Dr. Hammersfahr work.
"the MRI is contraindicated because of the intrathalamic stimulators implanted in Terri's brain. "
"I saw the information somewhere else, too - that they couldn't do any more than a CT scan because of the brain implants. They don't say why "
They can easily take the implants out.
Trinity - I'm getting ready to leave tomorrow and am busy this evening.
I hate to ask this but would you please provide this poster with the information re Dr. H?
Thank you!
"and the FLAT EEG's were more than adequate to diagnose PVS to the highest degree of medical certainty"
If Terri had a flat EEG, we wouldn't be having this discussion. Michael could have cremated her a log time ago.
Dr. Gupta: "He said that and I was a little surprised that he said that. I mean that is a very clinical thing when you say someone's EEG is flat that means they are brain dead. That's a really inmportant term for transplant surgeons before they take someone's organs. Terri is not brain dead. I think just about anybody that looks at her can tell that. What exact state she is in. I don't know. I've never examined her but the video along shows that she is not brain dead. "
long time ago
My husband used to coach Mike Barakis for his congressional debates. He's a good guy.
I don't think he knew at the time that he was only qualified to nominate for political things - not science. Since 1901, the Nobel Committee has had strict standards about nominations (and no, they haven't changed, tho I have seen Hammesfahr try to pull that one off, lol.)
Otherwise, being a Nobel Nominee would not hold the honor he tries to own by claiming it.
Hammesfahr hasn't so much as published in a peer-reviewed journal, or accomplished anything even close to being worthy of a nomination. Barakis was accommodating the request by the police group, and since then has asked Hammesfahr to using the letter to pretend he's an actual nominee. Hammesfahr knows he isn't supposed to and has for years - (see court transcript of 2002 trial linked to on my freeper page) but he continues.
My profile has the link to the guidelines, along with other things this guy has done.
Liberals are all over it now - it's their turn to expose frauds, I guess. Shame on conservatives - some of us were warning about it for months already.
Enjoy your vacation, Peach! I'm taking a vacation from this topic except to answer pings, myself! lol
Lugsoul - it seems you had information on this matter.
Perhaps you can help out nex time you're around.
And the fact is that the good doctor was asked by the Cour to bring in his letter of nomination and he couldn't do it.
He's also been asked to stop printing on his letterhead that he's a nominee (because he's not; it didn't go through ANY formal channels) but he claims it's too expensive to redo his letterhead.
And then of course there's his advertising in the National Inquirer, couldn't name one patient in court he'd helped who was like Terri, despite his constant mantra on television, and insurance companies won't work with him because he's strictly new age.
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