Posted on 04/07/2005 5:34:06 PM PDT by News Hunter
Edited on 04/07/2005 5:39:05 PM PDT by Sidebar Moderator. [history]
In a situation recalling the recent death of Terri Schindler-Schiavo in Florida, an 81-year-old widow, denied nourishment and fluids for nearly two weeks, is clinging to life in a hospice in LaGrange, Ga., while her immediate family fights desperately to save her life before she dies of starvation and dehydration.
Mae Magouirk was neither terminally ill, comatose nor in a "vegetative state," when Hospice-LaGrange accepted her as a patient about two weeks ago upon the request of her granddaughter, Beth Gaddy, 36, an elementary school teacher.Also upon Gaddy's request and without prior legal authority, since March 28 Hospice-LaGrange has denied Magouirk normal nourishment or fluids via a feeding tube through her nose or fluids via an IV. She has been kept sedated with morphine and ativan, a powerful tranquillizer.
Her nephew, Ken Mullinax, told WorldNetDaily that although Magouirk is given morphine and ativan, she has not received any medication to keep her eyes lubricated during her forced dehydration.
"They haven't given her anything like that for two weeks," said Mullinax. "She can't produce tears."
The dehydration is being done in defiance of Magouirk's specific wishes, which she set down in a "living will," and without agreement of her closest living next-of-kin, two siblings and a nephew: A. Byron McLeod, 64, of Anniston, Ga.; Ruth Mullinax, 74, of Birmingham, Ala.; and Ruth Mullinax's son, Ken Mullinax.
Magouirk's husband and only child, a son, are both deceased.
In her living will, Magouirk stated that fluids and nourishment were to be withheld only if she were either comatose or "vegetative," and she is neither. Nor is she terminally ill, which is generally a requirement for admission to a hospice.
Magouirk lives alone in LaGrange, though because of glaucoma she relied on her granddaughter, Beth Gaddy, to bring her food and do errands.
Two weeks ago, Magouirk's aorta had a dissection, and she was hospitalized in the local LaGrange Hospital. Her aortic problem was determined to be severe, and she was admitted to the intensive care unit. At the time of her admission she was lucid and had never been diagnosed with dementia.
Claiming that she held Magouirk's power of attorney, Gaddy had her transferred to Hospice-LaGrange, a 16-bed unit owned by the same family that owns the hospital. Once at the hospice, Gaddy stated that she did not want her grandmother fed or given water.
"Grandmama is old and I think it is time she went home to Jesus," Gaddy told Magouirk's brother and nephew, McLeod and Ken Mullinax. "She has glaucoma and now this heart problem, and who would want to live with disabilities like these?"
Gaddy's telephone is not in operation and she could not be reached for comment.
According to Mullinax, his aunt's local cardiologist in LaGrange, Dr. James Brennan, and Dr. Raed Agel, a highly acclaimed cardiologist at the nationally renowned University of Alabama-Birmingham Medical Center, determined that her aortic dissection is contained and not life-threatening at the moment.
Mullinax also states that Gaddy did not hold power of attorney, a fact he learned from the hospice's in-house legal counsel, Carol Todd.
On March 31, Todd told Ruth and Ken Mullinax during a phone conversation Georgia law stipulated that Ruth Mullinax and her brother, A.B. McLeod, were entitled to make any and all decisions for Magouirk. Ruth Mullinax immediately told Todd to begin administering food and fluids through an IV and a nasal feeding tube.
Todd had the IV fluids started that evening, but informed the family that they would have to come to the hospice to sign papers to have the feeding tube inserted. Once that was done, Magouirk would not be able to stay at the hospice.
Ken Mullinax recalled that Todd said the only reason Magouirk was in the hospice in the first place was that the LaGrange Hospital had failed to exercise due diligence in closely examining the power of attorney Beth Gaddy said she had, as well as exercising the provisions of Magouirk's living will.
Todd explained that Gaddy had only a financial power of attorney, not a medical power of attorney, and Magouirk's living will carefully provided that a feeding tube and fluids should only be discontinued if she was comatose or in a "vegetative state" – and she was neither.
Gaddy, however, was not dissuaded. When Ken Mullinax and McLeod showed up at the hospice the following day, April 1, to meet with Todd and arrange emergency air transport for Magouirk's transfer to the University of Alabama-Birmingham Medical Center, Hospice-LaGrange stalled them while Gaddy went before Troup County, Ga., Probate Court Judge Donald W. Boyd and obtained an emergency guardianship over her grandmother.
Under the terms of his ruling, Gaddy was granted full and absolute authority over Magouirk, at least for the weekend. She took advantage of her judge-granted power by ordering her grandmother's feeding tube pulled out, just hours after it had been inserted.
Florida law requires that a hearing for an emergency guardianship must be held within three days of its request, and Magouirk's hearing was held April 4 before Judge Boyd. Apparently, he has not made a final ruling, but favors giving permanent guardianship power to Gaddy, who is anxious to end her grandmother's life.
Ron Panzer, president and founder of Hospice Patients Alliance, a patients' rights advocacy group based in Michigan, told WND that what is happening to Magouirk is not at all unusual.
"This is happening in hospices all over the country," he said. "Patients who are not dying – are not terminal – are admitted [to hospice] and the hospice will say they are terminally ill even if they're not. There are thousands of cases like this. Patients are given morphine and ativan to sedate them. If feeding is withheld, they die within 10 days to two weeks. It's really just a form of euthanasia."
Ken Mullinax does not want that to happen to his aunt. He pointed out that one of the ironies in this tragedy is that the now-helpless woman worked for years as a secretary for a prominent local cancer doctor.
"She devoted her whole life to helping those who heal others, and now she's being denied sustenance for life," he said.
Mullinax said he has begged Gaddy to let him take on full responsibility for his aunt's care.
"If she would just give us a chance to keep Aunt Mae alive, that's all we ask," he said. "They [Beth and her husband, Dennis Gaddy] have a family and Beth is a teacher, and it was just getting to be a lot of trouble. But I'm the caregiver for my mom, and Aunt Mae could move in with us. We'll buy another house with a bedroom and we'll take care of her. She can move in with us once she can leave the hospital."
But her health becomes more precarious by the hour. Her vital signs are still good, but since admission to hospice she has not been lucid – "but who would be since nourishment and fluids have been denied since March 28," Mullinax remarked.
Attorney Carol Todd could not be reached for comment; a message on her voicemail said she would not be gone the entire week of April 4. Hospice-LaGrange did not return phone calls.
That's possible. But I bet one could find a similar and wholly authentic case easily enough if this one is not.
I presently share Ramius suspicions about the article, chiefly for this reason: Why does the granddaughter have right of life or death over grandma when there are closer relatives? We are not talking spousal relationship (not that that would or would not affect the moral argument).
Freepers have spoken to the nephew. This story is true.
Graddaughter was handling Grandmas finances. She claimed she had medical rights too. She didn't. Grandmas brother, nephew and sister live in Alabama. They got there as fast as they could but granddaughter already had a head start and nephew told Freepers the judge is indifferent. Even better, in Georgia, you don't need to be a lawyer or have a law degree to be a probate judge.
And so it begins.
Nothing is settled in this case until my Aunt Mae is given nourishment and fluids! This is far from settled and far from over. The doctors did not meet Monday...that is Bull! They finally spoke on Wednesday and again today AND STILL NOTHING IS SETTLED OR DECIDED BETWEEN THEM. Every day they vacillate, my Aunt Mae grows weaker and closer to death.
Sure, we attended an emergency guardianship petition hearing before Judge Boyd on Monday, April 4.
However, the Judge would barely allow our attorney, Jack Kirby, to speak and would not even allow our attorney to cross examine Mae Magourik's attending Physician, Dr. Stout, so as to ask the doctor if he would agree that there are alternative treatments to a dissected aorta which are not surgery (my Mom has had the same condition of a dissected aorta as her sister Mae and we know that Mae CAN BE successfully treated without surgery) but Probate Judge Boyd WOULD NOT allow our attorney to ask that question. Even though Beth Gaddy's forces state that the dissected aorta is the major reason they put her in Hospice.
So although we have a sort-of compromise, I am not holding out any hope especially since two of the three probate court appointed cardiologists are from the small clannish town of LaGrange, Ga.
This Judge has been NO HELP and has acted hostile and indifferent to our actions to keep my Aunt Mae alive. And what if the two LaGrange Ga. doctors rule against my Aunt? Should we just lay back and allow her to be WITHHELD NOURISHMENT AND FLUIDS? Heck No!!!
So although this Probate Judge is a slick talker, he has definitely not been on the side of life in this matter...however that is just my opinion.
Judge Boyd has NEVER ATTENDED LAW SCHOOL yet he is a Probate Judge who has the power of life and death in these matters. But Ga. Law allow a probate judge to be a non lawyer and that is just not right. That issue is my next cause!!!
So remember when you talk to this Judge Boyd...he is a slick politician...he runs for election...he may seem nice and say the right things however the one right thing he could say is that he is going to enforce Mae Magouirk's Living Will stipulations and make sure she has substantial nourishment and fluids to keep her alive....
Remember: MAE IS NOT TERMINAL...COMATOSE OR IN A VEGETATIVE STATE SO WHY IS JUDGE BOYD ALLOWING HER TO STAY IN HOSPICE???
In closing examine the contradictions in Judge Boyd's own court writing which bears his signature. In Boyd's petition for the appointment of a temporary emergency guardian for my Aunt Mae, he writes, in "Probate Court Estate Ruling 138-05" the following:
"That a clear and substantial risk of death and or serious physical injury can occur to the proposed ward "Mae magouirk" UNLESS she stays in HOSPICE at West Georgia Health Systems."
A RISK OF DEATH WILL OCCUR TO HER UNLESS SHE STAYS IN HOSPICE? Is he whacky or what??? Hospice is a home for the dying...Hospice is death. Who does he think he is fooling??
Now do you see what we are going against with this man and now do you she why I will not sit on my hands while these doctors he has appointed finally get around to acting.
EVERY DAY THESE DOCTORS WAIT TO DECIDE, MY AUNT MAE INCHES CLOSER TO DEATH!!!
Act now....I so need everyone to stay on these folks. The light of your involvement and public SCRUTINY will embarrass these folks who embrace the culture of death and thus will allow us to give Mae the proper medical care she deserves.
ACT NOW...KEEP THE PRESSURE ON THEM...DON'T FALL FOR THEIR PROPAGANDA. They want you to feel this is over....THE HELL IT IS!
Ken Mullinax Nephew of Mae Magouirk (God bless Richard Bingham/Steve LeFemine/David Kirkland/The Christian Coalition of Ga./The Catholic Archbishop of Ga./all of you bloggers!!!)
I do not understand this (contrast bolded areas):
Gaddy, however, was not dissuaded. When Ken Mullinax and McLeod showed up at the hospice the following day, April 1, to meet with Todd and arrange emergency air transport for Magouirk's transfer to the University of Alabama-Birmingham Medical Center, Hospice-LaGrange stalled them while Gaddy went before Troup County, Ga., Probate Court Judge Donald W. Boyd and obtained an emergency guardianship over her grandmother.
Under the terms of his ruling, Gaddy was granted full and absolute authority over Magouirk, at least for the weekend. She took advantage of her judge-granted power by ordering her grandmother's feeding tube pulled out, just hours after it had been inserted.
Florida[????] law requires that a hearing for an emergency guardianship must be held within three days of its request, and Magouirk's hearing was held April 4 before Judge Boyd. Apparently, he has not made a final ruling, but favors giving permanent guardianship power to Gaddy, who is anxious to end her grandmother's life.
Prayers for this dear Mae. Reading about Schiavo and now this has many of us frustrated - not knowing what to do. It's very much like abortion (a "private matter"), only more difficult to hide.
This may be the way that America and Western civilizatiion come to their ultimate conclusion.
I think that Florida part is an error on WND's part. The family issued a statement. Mrs. Magouirk's brother, sister and nephew who are fighting for her life live in Alabama. The hospitilization and hospice are in Georgia.
The nephew was interviewed on the radio. PhilDragoo should be posting a link soon.
Another woman is being dehydrated and starved to death. For those who don't know background, story is at end of contacts.
Also, see this thread: http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/post?id=1379016%2C591
Please help us notify media. Do as much as you can. If you only have a little time, please do SOMETHING. Thanks.
Sean Hannity's e-mail: James.Grisham@abc.com
And click next link for the media in GEORGIA
http://www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/media/?command=state_search&state=GA&submit.x=13&submit.y=10
Special Note
Nationwide local media contact database - one of the best all-purpose links.
http://www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/media
For contact info for all media in a local area, enter your zipcode.
For contact info for all media in a state, click that state on the map.
For national media, check the "show national media" box.
When it returns your list of media outlets, you can click on the name to go to the website.
If you want to send email to any or all of them, click the box next to the name. Then, click "compose message". When the next screen comes up, enter the requested information, type in your message, and click "send message".
==>Added bonus: on the left hand side of the search page are links to the same kind of contact info for national, state and local officials; and state agencies.
To Call FOX News Channel:
1-888-369-4762
FOX News Channel Comments
Comments@foxnews.com
cbs phone # is 212-975-3247; e-mail is audsvcs@cbs.com
If you call you can either leave a message on their answering machine, or if you wish to talk with a "real person," call between 10 - 11:30 a.m. or 2 - 3:30 p.m.
Here's the background for those who don't know:
To view ENTIRE article, visit http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/a...RTICLE_ID=43688
Thursday, April 7, 2005
MATTERS OF LIFE AND DEATH
Granddaughter yanks grandma's feeding tube
81-year-old neither terminally ill, comatose, nor in vegetative state
Posted: April 7, 2005
7:33 p.m. Eastern
By Sarah Foster
© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com
In a situation recalling the recent death of Terri Schiavo in Florida, an 81-year-old widow, denied nourishment and fluids for nearly two weeks, is clinging to life in a hospice in LaGrange, Ga., while her immediate family fights desperately to save her life before she dies of starvation and dehydration.
Mae Magouirk was neither terminally ill, comatose nor in a "vegetative state," when Hospice-LaGrange accepted her as a patient about two weeks ago upon the request of her granddaughter, Beth Gaddy, 36, an elementary school teacher.
Also upon Gaddy's request and without prior legal authority, since March 28 Hospice-LaGrange has denied Magouirk normal nourishment or fluids via a feeding tube through her nose or fluids via an IV. She has been kept sedated with morphine and ativan, a powerful tranquillizer.
Her nephew, Ken Mullinax, told WorldNetDaily that although Magouirk is given morphine and ativan, she has not received any medication to keep her eyes lubricated during her forced dehydration.
"They haven't given her anything like that for two weeks," said Mullinax. "She can't produce tears."
The dehydration is being done in defiance of Magouirk's specific wishes, which she set down in a "living will," and without agreement of her closest living next-of-kin, two siblings and a nephew: A. Byron McLeod, 64, of Anniston, Ga.; Ruth Mullinax, 74, of Birmingham, Ala.; and Ruth Mullinax's son, Ken Mullinax.
Magouirk's husband and only child, a son, are both deceased.
In her living will, Magouirk stated that fluids and nourishment were to be withheld only if she were either comatose or "vegetative," and she is neither. Nor is she terminally ill, which is generally a requirement for admission to a hospice.
Magouirk lives alone in LaGrange, though because of glaucoma she relied on her granddaughter, Beth Gaddy, to bring her food and do errands.
(Excerpt)
Scratch the last reply. They got the state wrong. (it's 2 am. i think i'm sleepy lol)
I have a feeling that a profound re-arrangement is coming to the world. After it gets here, some folks will have a lot less trouble telling right from wrong. Count on it.
Another woman is being dehydrated and starved to death. For those who don't know background, story is at end of contacts.
Also, see this thread: http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/post?id=1379016%2C591
Please help us notify media. Do as much as you can. If you only have a little time, please do SOMETHING. Thanks.
Sean Hannity's e-mail: James.Grisham@abc.com
And click next link for the media in GEORGIA
http://www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/media/?command=state_search&state=GA&submit.x=13&submit.y=10
Special Note
Nationwide local media contact database - one of the best all-purpose links.
http://www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/media
For contact info for all media in a local area, enter your zipcode.
For contact info for all media in a state, click that state on the map.
For national media, check the "show national media" box.
When it returns your list of media outlets, you can click on the name to go to the website.
If you want to send email to any or all of them, click the box next to the name. Then, click "compose message". When the next screen comes up, enter the requested information, type in your message, and click "send message".
==>Added bonus: on the left hand side of the search page are links to the same kind of contact info for national, state and local officials; and state agencies.
To Call FOX News Channel:
1-888-369-4762
FOX News Channel Comments
Comments@foxnews.com
cbs phone # is 212-975-3247; e-mail is audsvcs@cbs.com
If you call you can either leave a message on their answering machine, or if you wish to talk with a "real person," call between 10 - 11:30 a.m. or 2 - 3:30 p.m.
Here's the background for those who don't know:
To view ENTIRE article, visit http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/a...RTICLE_ID=43688
Thursday, April 7, 2005
MATTERS OF LIFE AND DEATH
Granddaughter yanks grandma's feeding tube
81-year-old neither terminally ill, comatose, nor in vegetative state
Posted: April 7, 2005
7:33 p.m. Eastern
By Sarah Foster
© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com
In a situation recalling the recent death of Terri Schiavo in Florida, an 81-year-old widow, denied nourishment and fluids for nearly two weeks, is clinging to life in a hospice in LaGrange, Ga., while her immediate family fights desperately to save her life before she dies of starvation and dehydration.
Mae Magouirk was neither terminally ill, comatose nor in a "vegetative state," when Hospice-LaGrange accepted her as a patient about two weeks ago upon the request of her granddaughter, Beth Gaddy, 36, an elementary school teacher.
Also upon Gaddy's request and without prior legal authority, since March 28 Hospice-LaGrange has denied Magouirk normal nourishment or fluids via a feeding tube through her nose or fluids via an IV. She has been kept sedated with morphine and ativan, a powerful tranquillizer.
Her nephew, Ken Mullinax, told WorldNetDaily that although Magouirk is given morphine and ativan, she has not received any medication to keep her eyes lubricated during her forced dehydration.
"They haven't given her anything like that for two weeks," said Mullinax. "She can't produce tears."
The dehydration is being done in defiance of Magouirk's specific wishes, which she set down in a "living will," and without agreement of her closest living next-of-kin, two siblings and a nephew: A. Byron McLeod, 64, of Anniston, Ga.; Ruth Mullinax, 74, of Birmingham, Ala.; and Ruth Mullinax's son, Ken Mullinax.
Magouirk's husband and only child, a son, are both deceased.
In her living will, Magouirk stated that fluids and nourishment were to be withheld only if she were either comatose or "vegetative," and she is neither. Nor is she terminally ill, which is generally a requirement for admission to a hospice.
Magouirk lives alone in LaGrange, though because of glaucoma she relied on her granddaughter, Beth Gaddy, to bring her food and do errands.
(Excerpt)
My tagline needs to be longer and more inclusive....sadly.
Why thank you!
In relationship to this topic, that oldest daughter of mine and her bunch live over in Alabama, not too far from Anniston. I already contacted her to start stirring this up over in Alabama. She's gonna be on that in the morning too.
This re-arrangement that appears to be on the horizon is not lookin' good but I'm glad we've got friends here on FR to bring these things to light.
Yes, very sadly. I think you are right.
and people wonder why businesses are leaving the US and going overseas.
A Blind man could spot the reason in a minute.
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