Here's a redo of my post 2096 on this thread:
This is SO true!! Case in point, my mom. I spoke with her this evening for the first time in a couple of weeks (she has been gone visiting extended family and just returned). She lives in Gainesville, a mere two hour drive from Clearwater. I have a sister in Tampa, and a brother in Winter Haven. Mom only gets the local newspaper but does have cable TV. She does not have the internet.
Until tonight when we spoke, she thought that this was a tough call. She finally said that she did see a picture of Terri and that she appeared to be smiling, so she just wasn't sure. When I told her that Terri hasn't had her teeth brushed in 10 years, or had gynecology exams, or wasn't even allowed to have flowers or be taken outside because her wheelchair had a broken wheel, she FLIPPED! She did not know any of that stuff!
Believe me, I filled her in on Michael's fiancee and child, the way Michael said nothing about Terri's so-called "intentions" during a jury trial for the malpractice suit, and the "DO NOT RESUSCITATE" order that was put on in 1993. My mom was grateful that there were people out there (like us!) who are trying to help get Terri's story out. If it weren't for the internet, I'd probably know very little myself.
The point is, the major media has been selecting which parts of the story that they will include, and which parts they'll leave out. It could be intentional, or it could be lazy reporters. We need to Freep our print media as well as televised, because my mom is a perfect example of a warm and caring person who might have sided with Michael because she was not informed of more. I asked her to please bring this up to her friends in conversation and she promised me she would (she has Garden Club and other small groups she socializes in).Terri IS being talked about in little circles of people, but they are still being misinformed by the media. We've got to keep working hard to change that.
Yes, I've gotten this reaction from people too. Some of my co-workers(nurses) were quite shocked and disgusted to learn the true details of this case.
They were umder the false impression ( thanks to the useless press ), that Terri was comatose and some thought she was on a ventillator, and husband wanted to "pull the plug". I am happy to report that most of them have changed their minds to "Terri should be allowed to live" side now.