Posted on 03/28/2005 11:16:36 AM PST by ex-Texan
Pinellas Park, FL (LifeNews.com) -- Terri Schiavo was able to receive part of communion on Easter Sunday and hospice workers have provided Terri morphine to be able to ease the tremendous pain associated with the dehydration and starvation she's endured for 10 days.
Barbara Weller, an attorney for Terri's parents Bob and Mary Schindler, said hospice workers are giving Terri morphine to ease the pain brought on by failure of her internal organs.
Weller said Terri cried when she hugged her mother on Saturday night and tried to tell her something, but couldn't.
"She knows what's going on,” Weller told the Associated Press.
Dr. David Stevens, the president of the Christian Medical Association, says "most so-called experts have never seen someone die in this manner."
However, Stevens worked for 13 years in Africa, where the most common cause of death in children is dehydration from gastroenteritis.
"I have seen hundreds if not thousands of patients with dehydration and some of them so far gone, that despite resuscitation attempts, they died," Dr. Stevens said.
"Contrary to those that try to paint a picture of a gentle process, death by dehydration is a cruel, inhumane and often agonizing death," Dr. Stevens explains.
Meanwhile, Monsignor Thaddeus Malanowski had been prohibited by Terri's estranged husband Michael from administering communion, but he said Sunday that he was able to hold Terri's hand while the hospice priest, the Rev. Joseph Braun, placed a drop of wine on Terri's tongue.
However, her mouth was so parched and dry from the dehydration that they unable to place a small morsel of bread in her mouth.
"She received the blood of Christ," he explained outside the hospice afterwards. The announcement drew cheers form the crowd of pro-life advocates and disability rights activists who have been outside the hospice since Terri's feeding tube was removed.
Malanowski also anointed Terri with holy oil and told her that God has forgiven her of her sins.
Still, Terri's family was upset that Michael didn't readily agree to the communion request.
"I think a lot of the reason Michael is doing this is because of vindictiveness and maybe anger toward my family for whatever reason," said Terri Schiavo's brother, Bobby Schindler. "It doesn't make any sense to me why he's doing this."
Malanowski later celebrated a communion Mass with more than 100 supporters outside Woodside Hospice.
"We won't give up. We will fight to the end," Malanowski said, according to a Reuters report.
"Terri we love you," the crowd sang
What pain. Didn't they say it would be painless? [/Scarcasm]
I thought they said she was "brain dead" and was incapable of feeling pain.
If so, whats with the morphine??
Question for Judge Greer: How is it that Terri's in a vegetative state if she needs morphine for pain?
Why are they giving her Morphine for the pain of starvation/dehydration if she's a vegtable and unable to feel pain or even be aware that she's alive? Hmmmmmm!
Hmmm. My church didn't pass out morphine with the crackers and grape juice yesterday.
Another article I read this weekend talked about the peaceful and painless process of starvation....thne, in the very next paragraph, mentioned that they had started administering morphine to ease the pain associated with starvation.
HUH????
What happened to the Euphoria?
pain? I thought she was "brain dead?"
Didn't you see the press conference Felos held? It is beautiful and peaceful. Since he's known Terri he has never seen her more beautiful. /outrage
not to mention the fact that Terri can receive Communion wine orally, but is not allowed to receive water orally. I cannot believe that Terri is still alive after so many days of this torture. Truly she has a will to live.
I am so disgusted with this country right now for allowing this to happen and (according to most opinion polls) supporting it. I had regained some faith in the morality and decency of tha average American when we re-elected Bush, but this has made me lose it again.
Ditto that! Where are all the docs claiming starvation and dehydration are a "peaceful, painless" way to die!?
Maybe it was that calling him a murderer thing. I dunno.
Excellent post.
*curtseys*
This is now an active euthanasia.
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