Posted on 03/27/2005 6:31:02 AM PST by gesully
When did Michael Schiavo first start trying to kill Terri? Mary Mostert March 23, 2005
Because I try to track down facts before I write about a subject, I have not written about Terri Schiavo and the battle over her condition. What actually happened to Terri back in 1990 that caused her to be the topic of world conversation today? Before we decide to permanently dispose of her, shouldn't we first find out how she got into this predicament?
Well, she collapsed, we are told by her husband Michael, in 1990 and was taken to the hospital . Some stories say she had a heart attack. Other stories, including a medical report by Dr. William Hammesfahr, a world-reknowned neurologist, totally refute any heart attack. Hammesfahr reported:
"Ms Schiavo was in her usual state of good health until 2/25/90, when her husband reported that he was awakened from sleep approximately 6 Am by her falling. He reports that she was unresponsive. "Paramedics were called, and aggressive resuscitation was performed with 7 defibrillations en route.
"In the Emergency Room, a possible diagnosis of heart attack was briefly entertained, but then dismissed after blood chemistries and serial EKG's did not show evidence of a heart attack."
Some reports guess that she collapsed due to an effort to lose weight — although, she was not at the time overweight. Hammesfahr's report stated:
"The patient had a difficult hospital course with the development of poorly controlled seizures and prolonged coma state requiring, for a time, ventilator support. However, the staff noted improvement, and it was recommended by several physicians that she be discharged to an intensive rehabilitation center."
In 1992, Michael Schiavo sued for malpractice and won over a $1 million. He was personally awarded $300,000 for his "loss" and $700,000 for Terri's rehabilitation and care for the rest of her natural life. However, the therapy, after the award, was not approved by Michael Schiavo and she was confined to a nursing home after the settlement.
It was after the settlement that Michael first claimed that Terri had previously stated that she didn't want to be kept alive by artificial means — a statement he never mentioned during the malpractice trial. He has never produced any written proof that Terri said that.
Beginning almost immediately after receiving the malpractice funds, Michael Schiavo, as Terri's legal guardian, began to refuse approval for ANY therapy or rehabilitation efforts and she has been confined to bed.
Since 1995, Michael Schiavo has lived openly with a girlfriend, Jodi Centonze, with whom he has two children, while remaining legally married to Terri, as well as being her legal her guardian.
In 1998, Michael Schiavo petitioned the court to have Terri's feeding tube removed. In 2003, Michael Schiavo's attorneys reported that the trust fund was down to $50,000, with more than $430,000 going to "pay for court costs associated with her husband's legal battle to remove his wife's feeding tube." Meanwhile, Medicaid helps to pay Terri's $5,000-a-month nursing costs at a hospice in Pinellas Park, Florida. 13
During this time period, Terri's parents have attempted to gain guardianship over their daughter. During the legal battles that have ensued, in 2003 a deposition was taken from Dr. William Campbell Walker, a radiologist, concerning a bone scan the hospital did on Terri in 1991. That bone scan revealed what Dr. Walker reported at the time as "compression fracture in the 19 vertebral body of the spine."
For seven years as Terri has been consistently denied rehabilitation treatment that, according to several doctors, would have significantly improved her chances of recovery, Michael spent her money awarded for her therapy on lawyers trying to get her starved to death. Several doctors pointed out, including Dr. Hammesfahr, that Terri not only CAN swallow on her own, but frequently DOES swallow and pictures shown clearly indicate, as Hammesfahr and other testify, that she can and does respond to voice commands and particularly to her parents.
This would indicate that she is NOT in what the State of Florida defines as a "vegetative" state. It also makes me wonder, now that the feeding tube is removed, if any effort to help her swallow water or food is being made today, or whether under the court order spoon feeding also has been outlawed? Terri's parents, if they just came and got her and took her home, I guess would be arrested for kidnapping under Florida's legal system.
At this point, the legal system of Florida has, in the words of one legal observer, created the "framework for legal euthanasia." Of course, euthanasia is technically the practice of killing someone painlessly because they prefer death to life for whatever reason. I would not classify starvation as a "painless" way to die.
Dr. Hammesfahr stated in his report:
"In the spring of 2000, three physicians, including Dr. Jay Carpenter, who is a former Chief of Medicine at Morton Plant Hospital, filed affidavits after observing Ms. Schiavo. All three physicians stated that it is visually apparent that Ms Schiavo is able to swallow and, in fact, does swallow her own saliva.
"The patient continued with no physical therapy, communication or speech therapy, or routine medical screening evaluations and treatment such as dental care, mammography, gynecological exams or pap smears during this time."
Under these conditions and questions, it would appear to me that Terri SHOULD have a totally different guardian, such as her parents, until some questions are answered about the spinal and other injuries that appeared on her bone scan a decade ago. Why is it that a man who clearly wants his wife dead, cannot explain how she actually got into the state she is in, or produce ANY proof, other than his unsubstantiated words, that she would want to die, is being unquestioningly defended by the Florida courts?
Increasingly, it appears to me, that Terri would have gotten better care had her husband never won that malpractice suit and been given $1 million to spend — much of it on lawyers to legally kill off his wife.
It all makes me wonder just when Michael Schiavo made his first effort to kill Terri? Was it before or after she ended up in the hospital with an unexplained problem that put her in a coma?
Mary Mostert is a nationally-respected political writer. She was one of the first female political commentators to be published in a major metropolitan newspaper in the 1960s. After working in President Lyndon Johnson's failed War on Poverty programs in New York state, she became a Republican. She ran, unsuccessfully, for the New York State Senate and became campaign manager for a number of candidates. She once served as the secretary of "Positive Action NOW!"--a South African women's group that sought to reduce the hostility among South Africa's various racial, religious, and political groups.
In recent years, Mary has researched, written, and edited articles for national talk show host Michael Reagan's Information Interchange on the Internet, and for The REAGAN MONITOR, a monthly newsletter that provides in-depth information on key issues. Her book, COMING HOME - Families Can Stop the Unraveling of America," was published in 1996 by Gold Leaf Press. Mary maintains a political media site, Banner of Liberty. She can be contacted at mary@bannerofliberty.com . Click here for more information.
MICHAEL SCHIAVO'S lies and contradictory testimony in easy to read format
Well, there's one thing that seperates us from the violent facist Moonbats - if this had been their issue, Micheal would be dead and custody would have been conviently returned to Terri's parents. It says alot, that with all the emotion on both sides, no one from ours was willing to go that far. Even our protesters have been civilized.
I have heard repeatedly from MS and company that he is "fulfilling a promise that he made to Terri." A PROMISE HE DIDN'T REMEMBER NOR MENTION UNTIL YEARS after her collapse, but he DID remember it and tell others right after he got the money.
As in Bill Clinton's case, the Lord will have his way. Mr. Clinton has suffered a four artery bypass from which he has not totally recovered from. His complication of excessive water buildup between his heart and lung is extremely serious, even though surgery removed the problem of excessive fluid buildup for now. I can also tell you his sex life is at least severly diminished at best, if not totally inactive at worst.
Michael Schiavo and his cohorts will get their just due from a higher authority than man. The victim here, however is not only innocent Terri Schiavo, but the United States of America. The Democrat "Doctor Death" Party is daily working its destruction of the American way of life. Sad to watch the American people stand idly by, while being led like lambs to the slaughter. Adolf Hitler would extremely proud of the current Democrat Party!!!
Thanks for the added note. That was informative! And the press can't figure this out, not can the courts! WOW! What power...to decide the fate of another human being, thinking you have no consequences! The day of judgment will be a tough day for these "do-gooders" (in their mind, anyway!). "But, God...we did it all legally!"
I thought he was a liar from the start and this article confirms my belief.
bttt
I'd give odds on 'Before'.
Yes, it's the only explanation that makes sense when compared with his behavior. The sealed medical records, the timing of the DNR order and the alleged living will, the refusal to grant a divorce after having kids with another woman, the hiring of a euthanasia lawyer and doctor, orders of non-treatment for infections, leaving in the electrodes, refusal of routine tests, putting her in hospice when she wasn't terminal, and the intent to cremate, these things don't add up to loving husband fulfilling the wishes of his dear beloved wife.
Most Catholics don't cremate bodies and Terri's family is very religious.Hmmmm....
And look how they lied, distrted, and framed the Republicans' efforts to save Terri as political! Look! This is quite remarkable that hardly anyone knows of this!!!!
******
Memogate Part Two (The Dubious “GOP Talking Points” Memo)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1371673/posts
The writer missed the important question. Is it old, or new? This can be determined from the radiology report if the radiologist had bothered to note the difference. (They usually would do that, but sometimes, very rarely, they might not)....
A compression fracture can be (well, is usually) caused by a severe impact such as a fall on the tail, or a head-butt. Some sort of 'axial loading' type of trauma.
Sorry, maybe 'TMI'....the rest of me is just sad, numb.
If we decide to bypass the rule of law, who gets to decide what rulings to trump? Hillary?
Terri's lawyer - who doesn't practice that kind of law and was working probono, compared to Micheal spending 1.25 mil on his - did not present a good case and got her tail kicked.
I think there's a chance that the judge acted soley on what was presented in court, inside the law, even though he may have felt the decision was unfair. That happens alot in the real world.
I truly believe he has plenty to hide. It's also apparent that he is determined to inflict as much pain and vengence on her family as he can.
The story of how her wishes were expressed 17 years ago keeps changing.
I would think even MS's most ardent supporters would be appalled at the cruelty he is displaying to her parents. He is pure evil.
I have an autoimmune disease called Sjogrens Syndrome that, among other things, attacks the moisture producing glands in my body. Even with copious amounts of water and medication, I'm often in pain. My eyes get so dry that I get deep corneal abrasions, which are painful beyond words. My mouth gets so dry inside that big chunks of skin come off. I can't imagine not having water for 45 minutes much less 8 days.
Excellent.
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