Posted on 06/19/2005 6:04:50 PM PDT by wagglebee
Dr. William Hammesfahr, nominated for a Nobel Prize for his work in Medicine, has been recognized by agents for Medicare, the federal government, and others for new approaches to helping the brain injured.
Dr. Hammesfahr has been identified in helping patients with chronic brain injuries from many causes actually leave long term disability, and return to work.
Dr. Hammesfahr was identified the first physician to restore deficits caused by stroke.
Dr. Hammesfahr has released the following statement in response to the autopsy report on Terri Schindler Schiavo:
We have seen a lot on the autopsy of Terri Schindler Schiavo in recent days, that I feel needs to be addressed. To ignore these comments will allow future 'Terri Schiavo's' to die needlessly after the wishes of clinicians and family are ignored.
Considering that there were so many physicians and therapists who were willing to step forward to treat Terri Schiavo, from university based practitioners to those in private practice, it clearly shows that the mainstream medical community across the board, those involved in treating patients, knew that they could help Terri.
The record must be set straight. As we noted in the press, there was no heart attack, or evident reason for this to have happened (and certainly not of Terri's making).
Unlike the constant drumbeat from the husband, his attorneys, and his doctors, the brain tissue was not dissolved, with a head of just spinal fluid. In fact, large areas were "relatively preserved."
The purpose of the therapies offered by so many, from major universities, brain injury centers, and from private practice physicians, is to improve and restore quality of life, and function, which the mainstream medical community clearly tried to get to her.
I have had a chance to look at Dr. Nelson's analysis of the brain tissue, and essentially, as a clinician, these are my thoughts.
The autopsy results confirmed my opinion and Dr. Maxfield's opinions, that the frontal areas of the brains, the areas that deal with awareness and cognition were relatively intact. To use Dr. Nelson's words, "relatively preserved." In fact, the relay areas from the frontal and front temporal regions of the brain, to the spinal cord and the brain stem, by way of the basal ganglia, were preserved, thus the evident responses which she was able to express to her family and to the clinicians seeing her or viewing her videotape. The Spect scan confirmed these areas were functional and not scar tissue, and that was apparently also confirmed on Dr. Nelson's review of the slides. Dr. Maxfield's estimates of retained brain weight were apparently accurate, although there may have been some loss of brain weight due to the last two weeks of dehydration.
Dr. Maxfield and myself both emphasized that she was a woman trapped in her body, similar to a child with cerebral palsy, and that was born out by the autopsy, showing greater injury in the motor and visual centers of the brain. Obviously, the pathologists comments that she could not see were not borne out by reality, and thus his assessment must represent sampling error. The videotapes clearly showed her seeing, and even Dr. Cranfoed, for the husband, commented to her that, when she could see the balloon, she could follow it with her eyes as per his request.
That she could not swallow was obviously not borne out by the reality that she was swallowing her saliva, about 1.5 liters per day of liquid, and the clinical swallowing tests done by Dr. Young and Dr. Carpenter. Thus, there appears to be some limitations to the clinical accuracy of an autopsy in evaluating function.
With respect to the issue of trauma, that certainly does not appear to be answered adequately. Some of the types of trauma that are suspected were not adequately evaluated in this assessment. Interestingly, both myself and at least one neurologist for the husband testified to the presence of neck injuries. The issue of a forensic evaluation for trauma, is highly specialized. Hence the wish of the family to have observers which was refused by the examiner.
Ultimately, based on the clinical evidence and the autopsy results, an aware woman was killed.
s/Dr. W. Hammesfahr
[Dr. Hammesfahr was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology in 1999. The Nomination was for work started in 1994. In 2000, this work resulted in approval for the first patent in history granted for the treatment of neurological diseases including coma, stroke, brain injury, cerebral palsy, hypoxic injuries and other neurovascular disorders with medications that restore blood flow to the brain. It was extended to treat successfully disabilities including ADD, ADHD, Dyslexia, Tourette's and Autism as well as behaviorally and emotionally disturbed children, seizures and severe migraines.]
Yes and that is why therapy is done to prevent the contractures and relieve pain - of course, it was not allowed in Terri's case because Michael did not want any therapy.
Let's investigate and find out.
He was condemned for being a Christian even though he clearly supports removal of hydration etc. in certain cases.
His report, in PDF form, is still online.
If that's true..what the heck??
Somebody please wake me up when this is all over.
You know - I agree.
Is it constitutional for a government to write laws that allow killing of U.S. citizens?
I would expect at the least this is an unconstitutional law as the government has no right to kill citizens unless in compliance with the criminal laws.
Why were so upset by the Waco massacre? Because government attacked its own citizens and killed men, women and children over religious rights.
My comments about the stiffness and contractures being caused by decerebration had nothing to do with whether or not she received therapy for them. TAdams had opined that her stiff neck was caused by some injury. I pointed out that a stiff neck, along with other stiffness and the contractures are caused by decerebration (the severe damage to the cerebrum) and that the hospital discharge summary made note of her decerebration, and the resulting seizures. The hospital discharge notes also made no mention of any injury to her neck.
How come a judge of a case has the right to also be the guardian of the subject of the case?
Does not appear fair, impartial, or legally viable to me.
Yes, it's true.
We ALL need a Valium IV drip, IMO. :-)
Can you concede that there may be a few bright people who are concerned about this case- somewhere out there in the US?
Because it's the LAW; remember "them?"
Well duh....This is Florida remember. We deal with the Florida Supremes here that are not legimate in dealing with fairness.
And, we have the scientology headquarters here awash with lawyers and influence and the euthanasists thriving with the win.
Have you ever heard of an entire county that was under the control of powerful interests? Have you seen politicians caving to those powerful interests? Have you seen entire elections controlled by those interests.
We have to realize that not every one plays fair.
Oh yes, we all have such fond memories of her. She had a delightful sense of humor, loved the Lord with all her heart, and showered her granddaughters with love. I am so glad you posted a comment to me. Who would have thought that a stranger on the internet would inspire a walk down a beautiful memory lane today for me. Thank you for that. :)
So if the government says it's "ok" to kill innocent people then it is not murder. When the population starts saying things like this you know we are in trouble.
Too invasive. I'll take mine by inhaler, thanks.
The State of Florida should arrest those, who under color of law, murdered an innocent.
I firmly believe there are many good people who actually believed Nurse Carla's Lies. There is a special place in hell for all the deliberate lies and deceptions she has concocted.
Wonder if Fuhrman will address this in his book? sw
Nose candy? Hm...
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