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LOCAL FAMILY TAKES CARE OF DISABLED DAUGHTER IN TERRI'S CONDITION

Understanding the pain

Monday, March 28, 2005

The Brocatos have cared for their daughter, Lisa Watson, the past 15 years.

Friends of the Schindlers, who have a daughter in a very similar condition to Terri Schiavo, have gone down a different road.

Thirty-seven-year-old Lisa Watson suffered similar health problems to Schiavo. In fact, Watson spent a year in the same long-term care facility as Schiavo.

That's where Watson's parents, Mike and Dorothy Brocato, met the Schindlers.

"We'd have lunch together, have the girls in wheel hairs," Dorothy Brocato said.

But during the past 14 years, the Brocatos and the Schindlers have gone down very different paths in trying to care for their daughters.

"We're fortunate that we have a son-in-law that turned Lisa over to us," Mike Brocato said.

"My heart really goes out to the Schindlers because I know how I feel about my daughter, and we have a very good son-in-law that gave her to us," Dorothy Brocato said.

For the Brocatos, their journey with their daughter began when she was 22. She had difficulty during childbirth. Just eight days later she collapsed. Her heart stopped three times. Against all odds, she lived, but suffered severe brain damage.

The Brocatos have since dedicated their lives to taking care of their daughter.

"I'll take care of her until the day I die," Dorothy Brocato said.

The Brocatos believe with time, new medical technology will be able to Like Terri Schiavo, Watson suffered brain damage and lapsed into a coma.

"Where there's life, there's hope," Mike Brocato said.

Fourteen years after the difficult journey began, the Brocatos said their daughter's condition improves slowly with daily physical therapy.

"When I first brought her home she was lifeless," Mike Brocato said. "Now she'll follow anybody that's in the room."

Meanwhile, they've watched as the Schindlers struggled to keep their daughter alive.

"I feel like Michael [Schiavo] should have had more feelings for the Schindlers and given them custody of Terri," said Dorothy Brocato. "That's all they wanted."

The Brocatos wish the Schindlers were also given an opportunity to keep hope for their daughter.

In their 70s, the Brocatos are making plans for their daughter to be taken care of after they're no longer able. They plan to leave custody of their daughter with their two sons and a nurse.

http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2005/3/28/76027.html

Schindler family supporters head back to Congress

Monday, March 28, 2005

Supporters of the Schindler family continue the fight to save Terri Reverend Patrick Mahoney is headed to Washington Monday to speak with Congress.

Schiavo's life, though she may have only hours to live without her feeding tube.

In the latest twist, a group led by Reverend Patrick Mahoney said Sunday evening that Circuit Court Judge George Greer could be held in contempt of court by a federal judge for not allowing Schiavo to appear before Congress on Monday.

The original appeal was made only hours before Schiavo's feeding tube was removed March 18. Schindler supporters are saying Greer didn't uphold two subpoena issued by the House Committee on Government Reform demanding Schiavo appear before Congress.

The committee claimed they were launching an investigation concerning the medical equipment used to treat and care for Schiavo, the daughter of Bob and Mary Schindler. Federal laws protect anyone issued a subpoena to appear before Congress.

In a teleconference on March 18, Greer denied the motion, saying the committee had no business attempting an intervention in the case.

Mahoney, who is with the Christian Defense Coalition, is in
Washington, DC., today to demand Congress enforce the subpoenas.

Mahoney will lead a protest in front of the White House at noon and then head to the Speaker of the House, Dennis Hastert's office, to demand the congressional subpoenas be honored, with the goal of having Schiavo's feeding tube reinserted.

Earlier in the day, Schiavo was administered Catholic last rites and given Holy Communion by the family's spiritual advisor, Monsignor Thaddeus Malanowski.

This was amid conflicting reports about Schiavo's condition.

Family supporters of Mary and Bob Schindler said she was fighting but rapidly losing strength. Supporters of her husband, Michael Schiavo, said Terri Schiavo was at peace and in no pain. Michael Schiavo has said his wife would not want to live in this condition.

Schindler family spokesperson Randall Terry said there are still ways lawmakers can keep Schiavo alive.

"We know that there are members of Congress right now, who are scrambling, looking for a way to intervene," Terry said. "We're asking them, 'Use that authority.' "

A new face Sunday was attorney Larry Klayman, founder and former chairman of Judicial Watch, the group that filed lawsuits against the Clinton and Bush administrations. Klayman spoke about legal issues and how Governor Jeb Bush could still intervene in the case.

"The governor must come forward today, on Easter, and do what we asked him to do when we elected him as governor of the state of Florida under the Constitution, articles one and two, to protect the life of a Florida citizen,'' Klayman said. "And to exercise his supreme authority as the executive, and to step up to the plate, to be a man, put politics aside and to do his job.

"The fact that Terri has been subpoenaed, and she's now being put to a death sentence, to kill a witness is obstruction of justice. The Congress has no choice but to enforce that subpoena and to hold Judge Greer in contempt of court.''

Governor Bush still has several state appeals pending in the case. However, his office said he plans on filing no further appeals, and it is unlikely any of the appeals in the case will cause any type of last-minute intervention.

The governor and President George Bush have both said they have done everything in their power to have Schiavo's feeding tube reinserted.

"I cannot violate a court order," Bush said Sunday. "I don't have powers from the United States Constitution, or for that matter from the Florida Constitution, that would allow me to intervene after a decision has been made.''

The governor added he would be at peace knowing he did all he could if Schiavo dies. He's made efforts to have her feeding tube reconnected, including pushing state legislation. He's also brought forward a neurologist, who said he does not believe Schiavo is in a persistent vegetative state as some doctors have said since she lapsed into a coma 15 years ago.

Demonstrators who want to keep Schiavo alive continued to demonstrate throughout the weekend outside the Woodside Hospice in Pinellas Park where Schiavo resides.

Demonstrators on both sides of the issue prayed for Schiavo during vigils. Terry prayed for Schiavo not to die and once again urged Governor Bush to get involved.

"God have mercy, God don't let that happen," Terry said. "I still cannot in my mind picture Terri dying. I can't think about it. I can't focus on it."

Pinellas Park Police beefed up security at the hospice in light of a rumor of a possible security breach. They are also searching vehicles that go to the hospice.

Thirty-eight protestors outside the hospice have been arrested since the vigil began last week. Four more were arrested Sunday as demonstrators became restless.

Another man was arrested Monday morning as supporters on both sides grow restless awaiting either news about Schiavo's condition or something being done on her behalf.

Terri Schiavo's brother, Bobby Schindler, urged people to remain calm.

http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2005/3/28/75906.html