Freepers call to action re. Terri Schindler-Schiavo. Make a complaint against Judge Greer:

Various ^ | August 28, 2003

[Ohioan from Florida]

Another thing that really bothers me about this case is where they get off saying that Terri wouldn't want to live like this.

First off, if she left no advance directive, it can't be assumed one way or the other how Terri felt.

Secondly, people change their minds once they're in a given situation. IOW, even IF Terri mentioned (casually) that she wouldn't want to continue under these "circumstances", she might feel differently once she got there.

Finally, and this is really puzzling to me, why don't the "experts" understand that Terri living like this for so long may be TERRI'S WAY of showing that she wants to live! Her will to live is so strong!!

As I've mentioned before, my father passed away in February. Although his situation was very different, there are some similarities. To make a long story short, we had his ventilating tube removed, because he had told us that was what he wanted. He was conscious and could converse a little with us. The important thing we learned from the doctors and nurses was that we would know what he wanted because he would "declare" himself. We didn't know what that meant, and they explained that almost always, the patient's body will show what their wishes are by whether it clings to life and tries to fight for everything it's got, or it will give up. IMHO, Terri has been doing JUST THAT for all these years! She has been "declaring" that she wants to live, by not needing a ventilator, by having stable heart rhythyms, etc. She may not be able to tell us with her mouth, but she is trying to tell us with everything she's got left!

How can these monsters live with themselves?

[MarMema]

how many other "Terri's" there have been

One of my goals is to collect as many of their stories as I can and put them on my FR page. Please visit if you like. I am finding more and more names very day...it is very sad.

[yesnettv]

I just think it would be nice to have rallies in more cities than where she is.
What do you think?
Fay

[kimmie7]

He's also opening the door to a little more attention from Freepers for Life! He needs to be exposed. Perhaps once Terri wins! (Thinking positively, and thanking the Lord for His miracle in advance -- should it be His will.)

[kimmie7]

Oh, I agree, but could you elaborate on your opinion on Rooker-Feldman and its application (or lack thereof) in this case?

[yesnettv]

Rooker-Feldman does not apply since none of the issues brought up in the Federal case were litigated at state level.
Fay

[MarMema]

Karen Ann Quinlan.

The thing I have learned is the Progession that is taking place. We started with genuine coma patients who were mostly unresponsive, then we went to Marcia Gray's, who were probably real PVS patients. Though caretakers thought she responded to them, she didn't really open her eyes or interact with people ( which does not mean she did not suffer and horribly, horribly, of all of these people this woman went through a living hell to die of dehydration).Maybe Hugh Finn comes next...

So now we move on to Nancy Cruzan and Christine Busalacchi. They were more responsive, definitely not coma and I don't think they were PVS either. We have people making video of Christine waving to them and it being shown on all the major news networks in St. Louis, in an attempt to stop her parents from killing her.

Both Nancy and Christine spoke, simple words, but clear enough, it seems. So they were killed anyway. Christine because her father said he didn't believe she wanted to live the rest of her life in a diaper.

Then you come to some victories. Michael Martin and Wendland, one is tooling around in his wheelchair, writing letters. Wendland died under mysterious circumstances but I think Martin is still alive and well.

Now we have Terri and this week to get through.

[Ohioan from Florida]

I really had no idea.

Me, either! I am ashamed to admit that I had not heard of Terri until late August. I had no idea that there were all these other cases as well. It is a sin of omission to my mind, and I hope to bring Terri's fight to the attention of as many people as I can.

[MarMema]

LOL, I sent the writing to Nancy Valko, she resides there. I figured if she had not seen it, at least she knows now where he stands. He was a really sad person to read about.
I mean who talks about killing their own daughter to the news as if it is a good thing? He sounded to me like he was proud of it.

[iowamomforfreedom]

Finally, and this is really puzzling to me, why don't the "experts" understand that Terri living like this for so long may be TERRI'S WAY of showing that she wants to live! Her will to live is so strong!!

This is something I have been thinking a lot about today. All the judge would have to do is allow Terri to have the therapy she needs. Since the only way someone improves with therapy is if they work at it - and they wouldn't work at it if they wanted to die, would they - then any improvement must mean they want to live. I'm not as "wise" or "well-educated" as "the judge", and even I could figure that one out.

Which just confirms what we all know - that this judge isn't really interested in what's best for Terri.

[MarMema]

Most people are really clueless to the frightening ramifications to all this.

That's it. You and I had no idea until Terri. Now we know. We need to make sure other people find out.

I have some plans along those lines...

[Ohioan from Florida]

What this neuro is saying is that people everywhere are doing the "PVS thing", it's like a fad now. They're all PVS and just go ahead and kill them.

Yes, like a fad, in that it's the "latest" thing going on. I hope, too, that like a fad, it will be replaced...by the moral thing to do.

[MarMema]

First off, if she left no advance directive, it can't be assumed one way or the other how Terri felt.

And this is where the courts have overstepped their boundaries, bigtime. They have made choices that I think actually erode the rights of the patients in quite a few instances.

The one guy I posted about on the other thread, he wrote down his sister-in-law for his next of kin, then when it came time for the feeding tube decision, the courts ignored that and said his wife had the first right to decide for him.

But you have to think the man goes into the hospital to have surgery and the unthinkable happens, he codes on the table. Now if he trusts his wife, why did he write down his sister-in-law when he entered the hospital?

And it was, I think, his sister-in-law who fought to keep him alive and his wife who got him killed in the end. Funny thing, that.

[Ohioan from Florida]

Yep, and so very sad, too!

[iowamomforfreedom]

Actually, I just clicked on your screenname in your post above where you mentioned it. I noticed you had quite a few links there. I will be sure to visit again sometime when I'm not so tired to do some more reading.

Yes, very sad how many you found. Even sadder to think about how many we will never know about.

[blueriver]

Yes, Karen Ann. Found this on the web:
http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Oasis/2919/cases.html

[MarMema]

There is a good discussion link on my FR page with the progression of the courts under American Life League.

Ironically many people think the euthanasia thing got its root in Roe vs Wade, including James Dobson I understand. It was apparently the right to privacy in Roe that enabled them to build on and use it to kill disabled adults.

I am still trying to figure out what right to privacy has to do with murder, I admit.

[iowamomforfreedom]

Federal Court Documents of Aug 30, 2003

[MarMema]

It's just so amazing how these people come forward years and years later with memories about the sick person saying they would not want to live "like that".

Especially in cases like Michele Finn, who like Schiavo, waited till the cash was all in before going for the kill.

[MarMema]

We should all remember to pray for Terri's attorneys too, I was thinking today.