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Terri's Last Chance
The Weekly Standard ^ | mar. 23, 2005 | William Anderson

Posted on 03/23/2005 7:21:50 PM PST by Zivasmate

Terri's Last Chance It's time to try giving Terri Schiavo orally administered liquids. by William Anderson 03/23/2005 12:45:00 PM

THE CHIPS ARE DOWN. We have had a surfeit of due process. It is now well past time to consider the facts which process has willfully ignored. There is no reason, medical, moral, or legal, to refrain from an attempt to provide Terri Schiavo with orally administered liquids.

There are only two possible explanations for having employed gastric tube feeding. Either (1) her neurologic damage has brought about a swallowing dysfunction with danger of aspiration pneumonia; or (2) it was simply a matter of convenience to avoid labor intensive hand feeding.

In either case, no medical reason now exists to refuse a trial of natural drinking. She may have impaired swallowing function, but that at its worst cannot be as bad as death by dehydration.

Allowing her to drink water would be the definitive test of swallowing function. She may be able to swallow water and other clear liquids, in which case she will avoid death by dehydration, even if she later succumbs to malnutrition. Or she may be able to swallow pureed food, which will avoid death by malnutrition. Or she may not be able to swallow water without aspiration into the lungs, and so would develop pneumonia, and have a quicker and more peaceful death.

As to legal concerns, a guardian may refuse any medical treatment, but drinking water is not such a procedure. It is not within the power of a guardian to withhold it, and not in the power of a rational court to prohibit it.

The moral case speaks for itself. When we awaken from this queasy nightmare, people will ask how it could have been that a court could post a police officer by the bedside to insure that a dying woman succumbed to a ghastly death by thirst.

William Anderson is a lecturer at Harvard University and Senior Psychiatrist at Massachusetts General Hospital.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: feedingtube; pneumonia; schiavo; swallowing; terri; terrischiavo; water
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To: conservative cat
What they deleted wasn't 'inflamatory'.

The poster's screen name had 'amazing grace' in it. ....I clicked on the 'reply' button, and found out that her statement AND her name had 'evaporated'.

61 posted on 03/23/2005 8:20:50 PM PST by mommadooo3
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To: Zivasmate
It is not within the power of a guardian to withhold it, and not in the power of a rational court to prohibit it.

At this point in our history, it's pretty obvious that in many cases we do not have a rational court.

62 posted on 03/23/2005 8:21:00 PM PST by El Gato (Activist Judges can twist the Constitution into anything they want ... or so they think.)
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To: harpo11
This blood thirsty husband wants to quickly cremate her remians.

he already has gone to court and gotten permission - from Greer, of course.

Now you put everything together and if anyone can't connect the dots, it's because they don't choose to.

63 posted on 03/23/2005 8:22:08 PM PST by maine-iac7 ("...BUT YOU CAN'T FOOL ALL THE PEOPLE ALL THE TIME" - Lincoln)
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To: MplsSteve
Is there really any proof out there that Mike Schiavo was an
abuser or that he intentionally hurt Terri? Anyone?

=======

Yes... there are X-rays and scans that show her broken bones and
that's why he wants her to be immediately cremated after death !!!

=======

The 23rd Psalm --- Translated to Terri's Present Reality !!!

The Lord is Terri's Shepherd --- That's Relationship !!!
She shall not want --- That's Supply !!!
He maketh her to lie down in green pastures --- That's Rest !!!
He leadeth her beside the still waters --- That's Refreshment !!!
He restoreth her soul --- That's Healing !!!
He leadeth her in the paths of righteousness --- That's Guidance !!!
For His name sake --- That's Purpose !!!
Yea, though Terri walks through the valley of the shadow of death --- That's Testing !!!
She will fear no evil --- That's Protection !!!
For Thou art with her --- That's Faithfulness !!!
Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort her --- That's Discipline !!!
Thou preparest a table before Terri in the presence of her enemies--- That's Hope !!!
Thou annointest her head with oil --- That's Consecration !!!
Her cup runneth over --- That's Abundance !!!
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow Terri all the days of her life --- That's Blessing !!!
And she will dwell in the house of the Lord --- That's Security!!!
Forever --- That's Eternity !!!
Congressional Subpoena & President Signs Schiavo Bill --- That's Expectation !!!
Gov. Jeb Bush takes Terri into protective custody --- That's Deliverance !!!

Face it ---- The Lord is crazy about Terri !!!
Otherwise --- Why else would He continuously deliver her from
the evil hands of her attempted murderers ???

.

64 posted on 03/23/2005 8:22:24 PM PST by GeekDejure ( LOL = Liberals Obey Lucifer !!!)
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To: diamond6
What a beautiful woman! I heard that she had esteem problems, I can't believe that.

Actually it's not all that uncommon. They think people only like or approve of them because of their looks. In some, but not most, cases it's even true.

65 posted on 03/23/2005 8:23:32 PM PST by El Gato (Activist Judges can twist the Constitution into anything they want ... or so they think.)
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To: MplsSteve
Re physical abuse, aside from Terri's testimony of Michael's continued phyusical abuse of her to her girl friends, including her intention to file for divorce before it happened, and one girlfriend's urging for Terri to spend the night at her house the night Terri was injured, there was a bonescan done about a year and a half after the injury, only Michael had the medical records sealed and the parents did not beocme aware of it until @ 2002.

The bonescan showed fractures to every major bone in her body including vertebrae, hip and pelvis bones. The reviewing radiologist stated in the medical records that it showed a long history of pyhsical abuse. He particulary noted that the fractures of the pelivs and other long bones were only seen in victims of severe accidnets such as car crashes, falls from a horse, etc.

Only the medical records were sealed by Judge Greer at the behest of the hsuband and like so much other evidence, either never made it into the trial reocrd or was repeatedly ignored by Greer in his rulings.

There are also affidavits by a number of people as to physicla threats by Michael Schiavo including his stalking of the first girlfriend he had afte rhe attmepted to murfer Terri.

There is also a sworn affidavit from a nurse from 1996 that Michael attmepted to murder Terri five times in a nursing home by injecting Terri with striaght insulin. When the nurse went to the local police, she was fired the next day. THis affidavit has been around for awhile and the nurse was on the Hannityradio and TV program yesterday.

Mciahel's current bimbo's motjer worked for the local sheriff;s department from 1979 to 1999. Michael was hired as nurse for the county jail by the outgoing sheirff in November 2004.

We can go on, and on and on...

66 posted on 03/23/2005 8:25:14 PM PST by Viva Christo Rey (May GOD & St. Philomena save Terri Schiavo from the EVIL USA)
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To: This Just In
By now, she's too far down to be helped by a drink of water - she needs re hydration in a hospital. Besides, people are strip searched before they can go in to see her - and I believe that there's a policeman in the room - this I hope is true because I'm afraid what michael - who is desperate for her to die - and who, as a nurse himself, I had read, has access to needles and chemicals - of even just a needle of air...
67 posted on 03/23/2005 8:26:00 PM PST by maine-iac7 ("...BUT YOU CAN'T FOOL ALL THE PEOPLE ALL THE TIME" - Lincoln)
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To: northernlightsII; Zivasmate; patso
"The Los Angeles Times' editorial...on the Terri Schiavo case is so hysterical and over the top that we have to wonder. The law saving her from imminent starvation, the paper opines, 'amounts to a constitutional coup d'etat.' We guess that means the Florida judiciary is the legitimate government of the United States.

The Times doesn't go so far as to mention Hitler, but it does say that 'some social conservatives are happy to see the federal government acquire Stalinist proportions when imposing their morality on the rest of the country.'

So saving one woman from starvation is the equivalent of starving millions to death." --James Taranto

68 posted on 03/23/2005 8:26:19 PM PST by freeholland (in memory of Theo Van Gogh)
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To: Zivasmate
I think we need to start a thread :
Next step: Should Michael Schiavo be arrested on conspiracy to murder and have his guardianship immediately revoked?

There are enough potential witnesses speaking out. Why will the courts not listen to evidence by seemingly credible individuals piling up each day?

69 posted on 03/23/2005 8:27:43 PM PST by fight_truth_decay
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To: InvisibleChurch

#2...remember the New York Times said that it is a painless and dignified death.

And that is a manufactured lie. Or so I, as a non-medical preson - believe. Common sense says that a physically healthy and otherwise unmedicated individual will go through a progression of terrible and painful conditions before succumbing to dehydration and starvation. Some medical person convince me otherwise, please, without repeating the platitude about a painless and natural death.


70 posted on 03/23/2005 8:28:52 PM PST by ArmyTeach (Pray daily for our troops.)
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To: patso
She is not dead and to kill her will simply open the doors to killing the weak and the meek.

you got it!

Roe vs Wade has resulted in 40 million tiny innocents being killed -

If Terri dies, there will million more - the inconvenients - murdered in the decades to come.

That's what this struggle is really about - the black robes and their puppeteers are determined

71 posted on 03/23/2005 8:30:22 PM PST by maine-iac7 ("...BUT YOU CAN'T FOOL ALL THE PEOPLE ALL THE TIME" - Lincoln)
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To: maine-iac7

He is putting her down like a pet on which the owner has given up hope; except that he would go to jail if he did it this way to a cat or a dog.


72 posted on 03/23/2005 8:32:24 PM PST by HiTech RedNeck
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To: El Gato

I agree. I am so amazed and touched at the outpouring of love this woman is getting, especially from her family. Can you imagine if all parents loved their kids like this? The world would be such a wonderful place.

Lord please rescue Teri!!!!!


73 posted on 03/23/2005 8:32:47 PM PST by diamond6 (Everyone who is for abortion has already been born. Ronald Reagan)
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To: El Gato
Actually it's not all that uncommon. They think people only like or
approve of them because of their looks. In some, but not most,
cases it's even true.

=======

Yeah... Karen Carpenter comes top mind... a beautiful girl... a
magnificent singer... starved herself to death, What a sad
and tragic waste !!!

74 posted on 03/23/2005 8:33:21 PM PST by GeekDejure ( LOL = Liberals Obey Lucifer !!!)
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To: northernlightsII
People who will fight to the end to starve an innocent helpless woman have no moral code. Therefore these people cannot hear us no matter how we shout:"This is wrong" their internal make up cannot receive that message

On the money.

and these people are in every town - every state - every country.

When they win the upper hand, you get Nazi Germany, Communist Russia, Saddam Hussein, etc...

This is a battle for Terri - and for US and the U.S.

75 posted on 03/23/2005 8:33:32 PM PST by maine-iac7 ("...BUT YOU CAN'T FOOL ALL THE PEOPLE ALL THE TIME" - Lincoln)
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To: HiTech RedNeck
He is putting her down like a pet on which the owner has given up hope; except that he would go to jail if he did it this way to a cat or a dog.

Got that right - indeed, I think in Florida you could get 6 months in jail for starving a dog

76 posted on 03/23/2005 8:40:12 PM PST by maine-iac7 ("...BUT YOU CAN'T FOOL ALL THE PEOPLE ALL THE TIME" - Lincoln)
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To: fight_truth_decay

We took down CBS half a year ago. We represent the power of the people. We can get this thing reversed somehow. There has to be a central clearinghouse for testimony which casts the doubt on the motives of Michael Schiavo. Maybe anyone with admissable testimony should send it to Governor Bush's office or to some volunteer Freeper near Talahassee, and have the evidence taken to Bush's office. What do you think?


77 posted on 03/23/2005 8:45:08 PM PST by Zivasmate (" A wise man's heart inclines him to his right, but a fool's heart to his left." - Ecclesiastes 10)
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To: Ethrane
All this stuff about "19 judges" etc. is bunk...while judges may have reviewed the original judges conduct with relation to the law, no one other than Greer has looked at the the intimate specifics of the case.

That's certainly the case with the 3 judge pannel of the Federal Court of appeals. I've not read the decision of the full court, nor quite all of the decision of the 3 judge panel. It's obvious that the only reviewed the form, not the substance, of the various proceedings.

78 posted on 03/23/2005 8:47:42 PM PST by El Gato (Activist Judges can twist the Constitution into anything they want ... or so they think.)
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To: Zivasmate

I agree...we are barking up the wrong tree at the moment and nothing good is going to come of it..we need to refocus and if an arrest warrant could be issued..surely there is enough evidence to suspect foul play. Would not his right of guardianship be revoked? These people are nurses and doctors and a stalking victim..much may be considered hearsay; but if he is to be arrested as many are like a dog with a bone (Schiavo being the bone)..Michael Schiavo may give in and reinstate the feeding tube if he felt he might have the potential of becoming Scott Peterson's bunk mate!!


79 posted on 03/23/2005 8:53:41 PM PST by fight_truth_decay
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To: fight_truth_decay

So what we're really saying is anyone on this board who possesses admissible evidence which casts doubt on the motive and character of Michael Schiavo must come forward now and fax or email it to Gov. Bush's office in Talahassee.

I believe Gov.Bush is the last person standing between Terri Schiavo's death and reinsertion of her feeding tube. Boy, all I know is if that were my choice, I would issue any order needed to get this thing done. What is Bush waiting for? Especially, since he says publicly that he is trying to prevent this death from occurring. Well???


80 posted on 03/23/2005 9:01:15 PM PST by Zivasmate (" A wise man's heart inclines him to his right, but a fool's heart to his left." - Ecclesiastes 10)
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