Gov. Bush calls special session over Terri Schiavo

Firstcoastnews.com ^ | 10-20-03 | Cynthia Capers

[WackySam]

King

[wildandcrazyrussian]

"provides that person is not civilly liable & is not subject to regulatory or disciplinary sanctions for taking action in compliance with any such stay. "

You know, I think this makes room for any kind nurse to help out a bit before it actually becomes law without getting in legal trouble if it actually becomes a law.

943 posted on 10/20/2003 11:53 PM EDT by honeygrl
**********
That is a crucial point, and any kind nurse would be sorely tempted, if only to know that she (or maybe he) tried to help when it was most needed.

But I wonder how many armed guards are posted at the door of the room in the massive hospice building? I found a website which indicates that they have 1,000 employees (which with shifts indicates maybe the size of a 500 bed hospital although without an emergency room and other amenities). I can envision Terri's room being at the end of a long hallway with very restricted access.

[HiTech RedNeck]

The Senate Rules Committee gets it this morning with a vote by the Senate this evening. The Rules Committee needs to be freeped HARD to keep it exactly the same as what the House passed.

[Theodore R.]

I see no way that Terri can wait until tonight. Bush needs to take executive action and not for this legislature to get everything arranged beforehand to give him cover.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Reportedly Terri still responded last night. No normal person would be that way. Sounds like metabolism in slow motion. Perhaps even slower if someone has set the room temperature colder than normal.

[Theodore R.]

I just sent this email to Bush:

Governor, Terri's kidneys are about to shut down. You must order hydration NOW. She can't wait for the state senate to get its i's dotted and t's crossed and debate various versions of a bill. You can act on the grounds that the legislature is expected to pass legislation to save her. It is unconscionable to let her suffer like this.

[A. Patriot]

....or is introduced by consent of two-thirds of the membership of each house.

Thank the Lord that that provision is in there. It is not in my state. Jeb "the empty suit" or "I really care" Bush sure didn't help. He could have acted when he expanded the call yeaterday. I just hope he signs the bill in a timely manner.

Thanks inquest.

[Theodore R.]

I do think that this cold room has paid unexpected dividends for Terri. It has kept down bacteria so that she could fight off infections without the needed antibiotics that "Lord" Schiavo denied her. Schiavo, having nursing credentials, must have forgotten that bacteria flourish better in a warm room than a cooler one. Let's hope the cool room keeps her going through tonight, but there will be no relief before midnight, I am afraid. How unconscionable.

[Theodore R.]

Apparently Terri told her brother right before her collapse in 1990 that she wanted a divorce, that Schiavo was "abusing" her, I forget the exact wording. So he may be furious that she wanted a divorce from HIM. That could be a factor in his venom. I always thought it was about the money, not about Terri, as he has long maintained.

[PleaseNoMore]

I am grateful to each and every legislator that came out on Terri's side. Last night as the vote came in and the results were read, I wept. I did not even realize how much emotion I had left in me over this as I had resolved myself to be calm.

This present and particular battle is for Terri yet the war is for all who may, one day, find themselves in a situation akin to Terri's. As one speaker said last night, "It could be YOU or YOUR family member".

I am not able to physically stand with Terri's family in Florida. I am only able to support them in prayer and by emailing and making phone calls. Besides, I am also an emotional and rebellious person and my mom told me that it was probobly a good thing that I wasn't there because I *would*, most likely, end up in jail. What good could I do from a jail cell? :o)

One thing each and every one of us should do, if we haven't is to see what our respective states' laws are regarding this matter. If they need to be changed let's change them. The other thing is to make sure that we all have a living will specific to our wishes. I did mine yesterday.

I have to say that I woke up with renewed hope this AM. I hope we understand the magnitude of what has been acheived. "We", collectively, have stood up to the pro death camp and, in a sense, to the corrupt judiciary, and have looked them in the eye and told them that WE THE PEOPLE count and that we WILL NOT just lie down and take it. People, those in power have taken an oath to UPHOLD the Constitution and to PROTECT us. They have NO MORE power than what we allow them to have as they are representatives of us, of our collective wills. They are OUR voice and as such, they need to be reminded that we have something to say. For those like Terri who can't speak, we are their voices, too. They need to be reminded of their accountability to US.

I am so honored to be among you all. If we can become stirred over every injustice as we have the injustice being perpetrated on Terri, we can truly change things. As a child I used to have great desires to make a difference in the world. My mom would comfort me and tell me that I could not carry the burdens of the world on my shoulders, that it was impossible for one person to change things. As I grew older I became cynical and began to believe that it was impossible to make a difference. I called her at 10:17 last night and told her that she was wrong.

Sorry for the emotional rant. Bless you all.

[phenn]

The bill is being pushed back because of language. We need to keep the pressure on. Here are the contact details for Florida's Senate. Please circulate:

http://www.flsenate.gov/Legislators/index.cfm?Mode=Member%20Pages

[PleaseNoMore]

Geez, what part of "Let Terri live" do they not understand?

Seriously, what are the faults that they find in the wording? Do you know?

[syriacus]

Did they have a verbal feud way back when, he socked her upside the whatever, and she got into her current state?

IMHO, my "gut feeling" is that he learned she was going to leave him and he tried to get her to stay.

A person need not have intended to kill someone in order to have caused the victim to "collapse." All that a big guy needs to do, is to "restrain his victim" by using physical force.

People can be unintentionally prevented from breathing when they are restrained in certain ways. People can get potassium imbalances (and sometimes their hearts stop) when they are agitated during a struggle.

In more recent years, law enforcement officials and institutions have been alerted to ways to avert "sudden deaths" and "heart attacks" of people in their custody.

I am not saying any of this happened to Terri.

I am only saying that people can be killed or rendered unconscious without much evidence.

There especially would not be much evidence if the victim lives and, therefore, there is no autopsy.

[PleaseNoMore]

The bill would put an immediate moratorium on all dehydration and starvation deaths in Florida.

Pardon my ignorance, but the bill itself doesn't halt the starvation/dehydration of Terri?

[HiTech RedNeck]

I've visited in a nursing home and they had the room temperature run up to 80 degrees, my guess for the comfort of the occupants. Hoping some savvy and compassionate maintenance man has "busted" the system to get Terri's room down to, say, 65 or so. Also would make guards less alert so easier to sneak her water...

[syriacus]

A heartfelt "Thank you" for telling us this.

I understand what you mean about getting "emotional" when you see injustice. The World Wide Web is perfect for people like us.

Another heartfelt "thank you," to Tim Berners-Lee, et. al., creators of the WWW. (Strange...Al Gore created the internet, but doesn't seem to have had a role in creating the web....Well, I guess he was busy with other things at that point.)

[HiTech RedNeck]

Maybe complaining that the stays themselves don't or can't sunset. Is the House going to be in session again today to resolve this if the Senate won't pass the exact House bill? This is like the old movies where the freight train was bearing down on the heroine tied to the tracks.

[Donaeus]

Lord, be with Terri and her family. Please give the men and women in the Florida legislature and Gov. Bush the courage and strength to do what is right. Amen.

[CindyDawg]

Called JB this morning but I can't get thru to the senate. (busy signal). I hope their phones are ringing off the wall..

[krunkygirl]

BTTT lest we forget those who cannot speak for themselves