DCF: Terri Schiavo Not Abused, Exploited

ABC/AP ^ | 4.16.05

[ambrose]

DCF: Terri Schiavo Not Abused, Exploited

State Agency: Terri Schiavo Was Not Abused or Exploited by Either Side of Her Family

By VICKIE CHACHERE

The Associated Press

Apr. 16, 2005 - State investigators found no evidence that Terri Schiavo had been abused or exploited by either side of her family, according to documents released by Florida's Department of Children and Families.

The agency investigated 89 complaints dating back to 2001, when Schiavo's feeding tube was removed for the first time and the legal battle surrounding her right-to-die case intensified.

The calls alleged that the brain-damaged woman was being mistreated by her husband and her parents for financial gain. One complaint alleged that Schiavo's parents were selling videos of her through a Web site; another said Schiavo's husband wasn't spending money intended for her rehabilitation.

But investigators said they found no evidence that either her husband or parents were exploiting her, and often noted in their records that they found Schiavo well cared for on their visits to her Pinellas Park hospice.

The agency released the records Friday under court order.

Schiavo, 41, died last month after her feeding tube was removed for the third time, ending a bitter court battle between her husband, Michael Schiavo, and parents, Robert and Mary Schindler, over whether she would have wanted to live in a vegetative state.

The repeated allegations of abuse were based partly on bone scans showing Terri Schiavo suffered fractures and statements she made to family and friends that she was unhappy in her marriage.

Schiavo's husband has denied harming his wife. His lawyer said the fractures resulted from osteoporosis caused by the woman's years of immobility and complications of her medication.

Robert Schindler declined to comment there on the release of the DCF documents. An attorney for Michael Schiavo did not immediately return calls.

Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Copyright © 2005 ABC News Internet Ventures

[Freedom Dignity n Honor]

What is hyponatremia?

Hyponatremia is a disorder in fluid-electrolyte balance that results in an abnormally low plasma sodium concentration (<135 mmol/liter; normal = 136-142 mmol/liter). A sustained decrease in plasma sodium concentration disrupts the osmotic balance across the blood-brain barrier, resulting in a rapid influx of water into the brain. This causes brain swelling and a cascade of increasingly severe neurological responses (confusion, seizure, coma) that can culminate in death from rupture of the brainstem. The faster and lower the blood sodium falls, the greater the risk of life-threatening consequences. A decrease in plasma sodium concentration to 125-135 mmol/liter usually results in either no noticeable symptoms or in relatively modest gastrointestinal disturbances such as bloating or mild nausea. Below 125 mmol/liter, the symptoms become more severe and include throbbing headache, vomiting, wheezy breathing, swollen hands and feet, restlessness, unusual fatigue, confusion, and disorientation (Adrogué & Madias, 2000). When plasma sodium concentration drops below 120 mmol/liter, seizure, respiratory arrest, coma, permanent brain damage, and death become more likely. However, some athletes have survived hyponatremia of <115 mmol/liter (Backer et al., 1993), whereas others have died at >120 mmol/liter (Gardner, 2002a)

. http://www.gssiweb.com/reflib/refs/604/SSE_88_Content.cfm?pf=1&CFID=1620319&CFTOKEN=30980571

[MHGinTN]

"They loved Michael untill the settlement money became an issue." ah, so that explains why Michael abused Terri (via forced even threatening neglect) for the decade that followed. Right ... you'd make a good Sbpreme Court nominee for the democrap party. Let them know if you're available.

[Freedom Dignity n Honor]

Terri had not only low potassium she had a high level of something.

I can't remember what it was. Maybe you do? I think someone pointed out that it was indicative of an insulin shot.

[HairOfTheDog]

LOL - honey read Howlin's living will above ;~D

[ecurbh]

LOL - honey read Howlin's living will above ;~D

ROFL! Pretty well sums it up. Let's print it out and go get it notarized.

[texasbluebell]

Re: insulin shock -- according to Carla Iyer's affidavit, she found Terri to be hypoglycemic about FIVE times on her shift, over about a year and half.

That was her belief -- that MS was injecting Terri with insulin.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

If she was murdered, you as a citizen need to contact the district attorney and file a complaint. This needs to be investigated by the police so that charges can be brought up against the offending party, X. If you do NOT do so, I assume you are realizing that such rhetoric holds no water.

[MHGinTN]

How about the videos showing Terri swallowing and licking her lips? Folks in PVS cannot do many things, and selectively licking the lips is one of them ... Your agenda is getting clearer by the post.

[unbalanced but fair]

new living will

My son e-mailed this to me last week. I'm still loving it. Interestingly enough, he received it from a severely disabled friend who agreed with it whole heartedly.

[joesbucks]

Well let's see. I was called Al Franken a little earlier and admitted to it and now you're calling me Greer. So you'll have to stop by my courtroom. But be carefull to be able to flee quickly or I'll have my death squad after you.

Not all of Terri's doctors and nurses agreed with the few that sided with her family. Matter of fact. most didn't. But then again, they are part of my deathbot squad. And I never said that Michael, Felos or myself knew what Terri wanted. I'm only saying that if, and yes it's IFLAND, because when there are conflicting facts, you weigh the ifs.

Misplaced wisdom and discernment is just as bad as foolishness. I'm not saying you don't know everything. I'll even grant you may be right. But neither of us know for sure. But then, in widom and discernment world, there's no room for humbleness.

[MHGinTN]

In diuretic parlance, 'water follows sodium' so if too much fluid intake caused the K+ imbalance then the sodium levels would also be out of wack. magnesium would also be out of wack and the serum calcium levels would be wild. As I recall, the blood workup where the low K+ showed up didn't indicate the other electrolytes being way out of the norms.

[DCPatriot]

Sorry. I have no agenda.