Neurologists see little sign of activity in Schiavo's brain

KRT Wire ^ | 3.23.05

[ambrose]

Posted on Wed, Mar. 23, 2005

Neurologists see little sign of activity in Schiavo's brain

BY BOB LAMENDOLA

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - (KRT) - Scans of Terri Schiavo's brain show that the great majority of her gray matter where thinking and feeling occur has died off and been replaced by watery fluid, with no chance of growing back, neurologists said.

About 70 to 90 percent of Schiavo's upper brain is gone, and there's also damage to her lower brain that controls instinctive functions like breathing and swallowing, said three Florida neurologists who viewed 12 of her CT "computed tomography" X-ray scans Tuesday and Wednesday.

"This is as severe brain damage as I've ever seen," said Dr. Leon Prockop, a professor and former chairman of neurology at the University of South Florida College of Medicine in Tampa, upon viewing the scans.

[McGavin999]

LOL! Like I'm going to believe YOUR expertise? I suggest you look up his qualifications.

[MHGinTN]

Yes. Have you missed the therapy results prior to the malpractice awards, the results of which influenced the award?

[jwalsh07]

MRI can also measure functionality right Doc?

[Texas Deb]

"Because sadly a document dosen't exist and her husbands conversations with his wife is what we have to go with. Did the parents ever say that they had a conversation with her to the contrary?"

Yes, her family and friends testified that they had heard Terri say just the opposite of what Michael and his relatives said.

Of course, as always, the judge sided with Michael and his family and decided to believe their heresay.

[eyespysomething]

How much brain damage is enough to warrant allowing a person to die based upon the testimony of a person with a conflict-of-interest in the outcome?

[MHGinTN]

Uh, dude, Greer authorized that more than $300,000 of Terri's rehab funds be paid to Felos in his valiant effort to have her put down. Be careful what you try with numbers.

[sinkspur]

Do you think Terri's scan is the worst he's ever seen?

I ain't a doctor.

[Dave S]

DCF Neurologist who examined her says she may be in a lower conscious state rather than PVS. His name is Dr WIlliam Cheshire

And he showed up today at the last minute after being hired as an expert witness. Does an expert witness ever produce an unfavorable examination? BTW, he didnt give her a neurological examination. He watched the video and sat with her for a while.

[UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide]

Because sadly a document dosen't exist and her husbands conversations with his wife is what we have to go with.

We refer to Mr. Schiavo here as the HINO (husband in name only). We do not believe him because he made this "information" known after 1) Seven years of saying he was going to care for her the rest of her life, 2) Three months after getting the $1.1 million malpractice settlement, 3) Abandoning his wife for another woman.

You will excuse our scepticism.

[jwalsh07]

Because sadly a document dosen't exist and her husbands conversations with his wife is what we have to go with. Did the parents ever say that they had a conversation with her to the contrary?

They sure did. Judge Greer didn't find them credible. Judge Greer never finds advocates for continuing Terri's life credible. It's like a disease.

Do you think, as a rule, judges should order the removal of hydration and nourishment based on hearsay, 10 year old CT scans and 45 minute exams by a PVS expert who claims a diagnosis of PVS, when 43% of PVS pateints are misdiagnosed, makes the patient not a person?

[wideminded]

So when shall we expect Dr. Kevorkian to be released from jail?

According to wikipedia he will be eligible for parole in 2007.

[Dave S]

A lie, she still has cortex

So another lie in the court record.

[jwalsh07]

And he showed up today at the last minute after being hired as an expert witness.

Uh, no. He is a consultant for DCF. But don't take my word for it, look it up yourself.

Does an expert witness ever produce an unfavorable examination?

Ask Judge Greer, he based his ruling on Schiavos hired guns, one of whom advocates removing the constitutional rights of diagnosed PVS patients.

BTW, he didnt give her a neurological examination. He watched the video and sat with her for a while.

He spent 90 minutes with her. Dr Death, your guy, spent 45 minutes with her. Greer accepted his testimony she was PVS as gospel.

You see a problem here?

[Toskrin]

What did he say wrong about PET?

[tomahawk]

It was her sister, I believe, who testifed that Terri said words to the effect, referring specifically to the Karen Quinlan case, "where there is life, there is hope".

[jwalsh07]

So another lie in the court record.

Correct,you are beginning to see the problem.

[Dave S]

Actually Wolfson recommended more swallowing tests that were never performed.

And he explained on tv tonight why they were not done. To have accepted Guardians recommendation would have weakened Michaels case that the Guardians appointment was unconstitutional. Micheal won that case.

[jwalsh07]

I ain't a doctor.

Yeah well after that staement I doubt this guy is either. :-}

[BedRock]

Any functional test, however, is going to be secondary to the results of the examinations.

How do you mean?

An EEG will show immediate brain activity, therefore giving an immediate, accessible examination of medical evidence.

But this seems to be the last thing that the Judicial system wants to see...

They don't even want to give Terri the benefit of the doubt that she may have a "chance" to gain some health back through therapy, which has been denied her because of her "loving husband."

Even in Roe v. Wade the Plaintiff was allowed injunctive relief (Roe was allowed to obtain an abortion) even though it was against Texas State law; because the Chief Justice stated that the case about to be heard was (hinged on the length of the human gestational cycle):

"capable of repetition, yet evading review because of it's shortness in time..."

But he also stated that this did not make the case a moot point, it did not lose it validity in the Court.

So before the plaintiffs rights were decided in the SCOTUS, she was granted a declatory relief injunction, just in case she won the case!

Why don't they allow the same opportunity to Terri??