Posted on 03/23/2005 7:27:11 AM PST by queenkathy
Tuesday, March 22, 2005 11:52 p.m. EST
Second, Third Nurse Accuse Michael Schiavo
Two additional nurses have filed affidavits in the Terri Schiavo case that corroborate bombshell allegations by nurse Carla Sauer Iyer, who went public on Tuesday with claims that Michael Schiavo had deliberately withheld treatment from his disabled wife.
Heidi Law was a certified nursing assistant at the Palm Garden Convalescent Center in Largo, Fla., where she treated Mrs. Schiavo in 1997.
Story Continues Below
In an affidavit filed with the court in August 2003, Ms. Law maintained:
"I know that Terri did not receive routine physical therapy or any other kind of therapy. I was personally aware of orders for rehabilitation that were not being carried out. Even though they were ordered, Michael would stop them."
Law continued:
"Michael ordered that Terri receive no rehabilitation or range of motion therapy. I and [another CNA] would give Terri range of motion anyway, but we knew we were endangering our jobs by doing so.
"We usually did this behind closed doors," Law said, because "we were so fearful of being caught ... we were always looking out for Michael, because we knew that, not only would Michael take his anger out on us, but he would take it out more on Terri. We spoke of this many times."
"At least three times during any shift where I took care of Terri, I made sure to give Terri a wet washcloth filled with ice chips, to keep her mouth moistened.
"On three or four occasions I personally fed Terri small mouthfuls of Jello, which she was able to swallow and enjoyed immensely. I did not do it more often only because I was so afraid of being caught by Michael."
Like nurse Iyer, Law suspected that Michael was mistreating Terri, noting in her sworn statement:
"Several times when Michael visited Terri during my shift, he went into her room alone and closed the door. This worried me because I didn’t trust Michael.
"When he left, Terri was very agitated, was extremely tense with tightened fists and sometimes had a cold sweat. She was much less responsive than usual and would just stare out the window, her eyes kind of glassy. ...
"We were convinced that he was abusing her, and probably saying cruel, terrible things to her because she would be so upset when he left."
"The Palm Gardens staff, myself included, were just amazed that a 'Do Not Resuscitate' order had been put on Terri’s chart, considering her age and her obvious cognitive awareness of her surroundings."
Carolyn Johnson, a certified nursing assistant who worked at the Sabal Palms nursing home in Largo, said Terri's mistreatment went back to at least 1993.
"During this assignment I took care of Terri Schiavo several times," Johnson said in her own August 2003 affidavit.
"I learned, as part of my training, that there was a family dispute and that the husband, as guardian, wanted no rehabilitation for Terri. This surprised me, as I did not think a guardian could go against a doctor's orders like that, but I was assured that a guardian could and that this guardian had gone against Terri's doctor's orders."
Johnson recalled: "No one was allowed to just go in and see Terri. Michael had a visitors list. We all knew that we would lose our jobs if we did not do exactly what Michael said to do."
Johnson continued:
"I remember seeing Michael Schiavo only once the entire time I worked at Sabal Palms, but we were all aware that Terri was not to be given any kind of rehabilitative help, per his instructions.
"Once, I wanted to put a cloth in Terri's hand to keep her hand from closing in on itself, but I was not permitted to do this," Johnson said, "as Michael Schiavo considered that to be a form of rehabilitation."
"WHY don't at least the Florida citizens feel like collectively vomiting?"
OH, I dare say a few more clicks and it's not vomit on anyone's mind.
Well I've been pushing for THOSE clicks for quite awhile now. But then I am considered too aggressive for some folks here. Somehow that doesn't bother me too much. IF THIS can take place right under the noses of hundreds of thousands of citizens, ANYTHING can. The politicians certainly have no Will and have failed miserably but the citizens have no will either. Or they have a will to speak, email, phone etc. but it stops there. In this situation, it isn't going to do it. What a different country you would have had if the determination of "the people" had been in 1776 as it is today huh?
Apparently so nic!!
I have about the same opinion of most of the judges.
I don't understand why the courts didn't handle it as above. They are disregarding the law.
AGAIN huh TA? Now I've gotta go to bed. Tomorrow we'll see I guess. In the meantime, I continue to pray. Sweet dreams freepers. CO
> You know and I know there has been fraud perpetrated on the Court, but does the Court seem to care?
I'm really totally unconcerned about what the "honorable" Court/Greer thinks or doesn't. It's obvious that Gov. Bush has been holding back because like so many politicians he wants political cover, which is disgusting and cowardly. My purpose in calling the Governor's office was to pass on this information which might be viewed as (at least I hope) a valid legal reason on which he could rely for cover to act on Terri's behalf. (Unless/until a legal complaint is filed, Greer is home free with his judicial homicide/civil execution order.)
> Do you really think this woman WILL pass the information on S????
Only she knows for sure. All I know is that I called to at least put the issue in front of the Governor's people. Then I posted the idea as pc93 requested I do.
The lady I spoke with seemed genuinely interested and sympathetic. I've read about quite a few stories of rude receptionists -- particularly the Pinellas County Republican Party office. That was not my experience today, so I hope for the best, and that Jeb Bush's office will be inundated with others calling about this same outrageous judicial roadblock.
Here in California, I keep doing what I can at this distance. Because of this poor excuse for a judge 10 year old children are now being arrested, and Florida's governor and the President of the United States are being swung by their political tails. The political structure of this country is now totally out of whack. Shades of the Martin Niemoller story. Everyone is at risk as a consequence of this extreme and outrageous example of judicial tyranny !!
"...Their Affidavits are good and valid evidence..."
I believe I said that. I just made the distinction between nurses and CNAs.
At the time Carla Iyer went to the police the Sheriff of Pinellas County was on the Board of Directors of Suncoast Hospice - anyone else here see a connection?
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