Schiavo father: 'Down to her last hours'

CNN ^ | March 25, 2005

[RWR8189]

PINELLAS PARK, Florida (CNN) -- The father of Terri Schiavo, the severely brain-damaged woman whose feeding tube was removed a week ago, said Friday his daughter is "down to her last hours."

Bob Schindler, Schiavo's father, said, "Terri is weakening. ... Something has to be done, and has to be done quick."

Schindler said the family's hopes lie with the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta, Georgia, which is hearing -- for the second time this week -- an appeal claiming Schiavo's due process rights have been violated.

Schiavo is in her seventh day without food or water since Pinellas County Circuit Judge George Greer ordered the tube removed for the third time.

The case is again in the federal appeals court, where a three-judge panel will rule on the motion filed by attorneys for Schiavo's parents.

[MTOrlando]

I looked at that, but don't see the significance. Elaborate please?

[romanesq]

We choose to disagree based on numerous accounts and those of her family that Terri qualifies as PVS.

As such, we disagree with your desire to see her starved.

[Nowhere Man]

May Michael Schiavo find the remainder of his life miserable and painful. He should be berated, chided, and shunned wherever he goes. And someday when he needs it most, I hope someone has an opportunity to deny him food, or mediacl attention, so he can dies slowly and painfully.

Dang, dude, you're brutal! Nah, maybe it is bad karma to wish that on him, as the saying goes, "vengence is mine, sayeth the Lord." Well, I do understand your rageand frustration, I mean I feel it too.

Now, I think a perfect punishment for Michael Schiavo is to send him to a cell in Gitmo and feed him nothing but Circus Peanuts and Marshmallow Peeps and have him drink prune juice. Well, he should thrive and survive on that (relatively) well although I often wonder about the long term effects of Circus Peanuts on the human body, those orange things are nasty, I swear they were invented by Satan and laced with crack. B-)

I need my humor break here, guys, but it would be fun if I could so that. B-) B-P

Seriously, guys, I do believe karma and God will take care of things in this respect, but still, I understand the rage very well. Prayers for Terri.

[Proud_texan]

" It is easy to make casual statements about "not living like that."

Indeed, we share the same story over the same timeline and in addition in our living will my wife and I had not made any distinctions about "artificial" life support devices.

We NEVER, EVER considered a feeding tube to be the same as a a ventilator or heart/lung machine.

Maybe it was just us but had this never come up and a feeding tube had been necessary neither one of us would have considered it an artificial life support device, just as we wouldn't consider an IV one.

[cajungirl]

Your last sentence reminded me of my husband who when dragging his tired bones up for another 12 hour day after 40 years of working starts to bitch and then stops and says "well given the alternative I think working is a pleasure" and then chuckles and goes about his business.

[Zack Nguyen]

Did you make all that up just now?!

[cajungirl]

No kidding, get an IPOD and put everything you have or can beg or borrow and make playlists. It is so fabulous, the best toy my husband ever had stolen from him {other than his 1967 mustang for which he still grieves}

[cajungirl]

I remember Speck,,killing those nursing students.

Nice thing about age, you have history inside you!

IPOD playing Bob Marley, also dead like all my favorite singers. That is how I know I am old.

[OldPossum]

19 different judges and 16 different courts all agreed to carry out her wish.

"Her wish." Big assumption there, bud.

[Nowhere Man]

Indeed, we share the same story over the same timeline and in addition in our living will my wife and I had not made any distinctions about "artificial" life support devices.

We NEVER, EVER considered a feeding tube to be the same as a a ventilator or heart/lung machine.

Maybe it was just us but had this never come up and a feeding tube had been necessary neither one of us would have considered it an artificial life support device, just as we wouldn't consider an IV one.

True. My maternal grandmother passed away (again during Holy Week) 8 years ago yesterday. She has strokes and later pneumonia, which really took her life. She had a feeding tube in her stomach and was fed via a "Kangaroo" pump (that's what they're called, during that time, I temped at a medical supply company processing medical records, I learned a lot from there) up until she passed away. She did have a DNR (Do Not Resusitate) order but IIRC, the feeding tube was in until she passed on.

Myself, two years ago, I cut my left hand open on the pinky side slipping on ice getting out of my car and grabbing the garage where a nail or someting cut me. Got stitches but a week later, it was infected with strep and I went into the hospital, they took me in and the next morning, operated on me. I could have lost part or all of my hand and end up being called "Righty" and it would be more than my political leanings. B-) Anyways, I was fed via IV from the time I was took in until after the operation to keep me hydrated.

To, me, "life support" is something that is generally mechanical in nature, like a respirator, heart/lung maching, iron lung, etc., but an IV or feeding tube is not life support it is food and in many cases water. If you want to take it that far, we are ALL on life support with food, water and air.

[Nowhere Man]

Your last sentence reminded me of my husband who when dragging his tired bones up for another 12 hour day after 40 years of working starts to bitch and then stops and says "well given the alternative I think working is a pleasure" and then chuckles and goes about his business.

I know what you mean, a little off the subject, but right now, I work in a drug store developing photos while looking for something better in real estate titles, IT, whatever. When I get tired of doing what I do, I think, "it beats starving." It's not much but it's better than being unemployed.

[Libertina]

I am impressed by your family's faith and trust in our Lord. Have a blessed and joyous Easter, Ohio. :)

[Gondring]

And I'm sure you'd like someone to reply:

"and I hope you end up in a horrific situation of agony, with no hope of recovery, and people taunting you that you can't be allowed a peaceful exit..."

Then you could help your buddies discredit conservatives even more.

[Libertina]

Calling Publius - just YOUR kind of post here ;)

[PleaseNoMore]

A celibate monk? Are you kidding?

All he wants to do is "honor" Terri's wishes while he dishonors her as his wife by screwing around with another woman.

[cajungirl]

Good for you,,,a job is a job and better than not having one. I hope you find something you like!

[Gondring]

Okay, look. Some of you people are getting perilously close to blasphemy.

Yes, some are even suggesting that Jesus is as saintly as Terri (sic)...and I wonder if the Pope would be able to get her blessing. </sarc>

[Gondring]

The children and fiancée can't be used ex post facto to justify denial of Mrs. Schiavo's rights to no tube back when this started.

And I don't think the Schindlers can be trusted if they encouraged Mr. Schiavo to begin dating other women, yet now claim that their daughter is not gone.

[willyboyishere]

Wow, LAZ, you seem to have put it all together the way no one else on FR has! I'm so proud of you! And so ashamed of
myself for never noticing intimations in previous years of this side of you! ALL I can say again is WOW!!!! (But I have to say you got one of the longitudes wrong, but only by a few degrees.....I won't tell you which one.....tee,hee....)

[Gondring]

[lots snipped]
I am almost at that point to where I could never imagine myself being....every life has worth no matter what and is worth living....Given the choice, growin old is better than being dead.

But though you are "pro-life," do you respect lives? I know that sounds silly, but I am serious.

Do you respect those who don't agree with the way your personal experience has shaped your views? Will you not respect the wishes of those who might have a different view of their lives?

While your point seems to be that people will change their views when they actually get in that situation, the evidence is that many do not. The suicide rate is high among those who are elderly, disabled, etc. That is, there are many who choose death over the life they have. While that's a warning that we must improve the lives of elderly, disabled, etc., there's also only so much that can be done...and I suspect we would still see many choose death.