Schiavo Autopsy Finds No Sign of Trauma

Washingtonpost.com ^ | June 13, 2005 | MITCH STACY

[blogblogginaway]

LARGO, Fla. -- An autopsy on Terri Schiavo backed her husband's contention that she was in a persistent vegetative state, finding that she had massive and irreversible brain damage and was blind, the medical examiner's office said Wednesday. It also found no evidence that she was strangled or otherwise abused.

But what caused her collapse 15 years remained a mystery. The autopsy and post-mortem investigation found no proof that she had an eating disorder, as was suspected at the time, Pinellas-Pasco Medical Examiner Jon Thogmartin said.

Autopsy results on the 41-year-old brain-damaged woman were made public Wednesday, more than two months after Schiavo's death March 31 ended an internationally watched right-to-die battle between her husband and parents that engulfed the courts, Congress and the White House and divided the country.

Thogmartin also said she did not appear to have suffered a heart attack and there was no evidence that she was given harmful drugs or other substances prior to her death.

She died from dehydration, Thogmartin said.

He said she would not have been able to eat or drink if she had been given food by mouth as her parents' requested.

"Removal of her feeding tube would have resulted in her death whether she was fed or hydrated by mouth or not," Thogmartin told reporters.

He also said she was blind, because the "vision centers of her brain were dead."

[camas]

those pictures were old. they were taken about 10 years ago, i think i read some where.

[linn37]

I think you are right sarge. Time to let the woman be at peace with the Lord and stop all the bitter accusations.

I see family's struggling with these same issues and my heart goes out to them. Should they hold on and hope? Or just let nature take its course.

[RedRover]

Well, only if you waved it to the rhythm of "You Are the Sunshine of My Life". The balloon waving in the Schiavo video didn't seem particularly rhythmic but then again, I'm just a skeptic. :)

[highball]

Sometimes what appears to be a conspiracy is nothing more than a set of circumstances that result in an outcome that appears to be the consequence of concerted thought and action. The left-wing bias of the mainstream media is one example of this. It's not a conspiracy, but it practice it looks very much like one.

So Hillary was RIGHT?!

[beyond the sea]

Very cute G.

You know I have always respected your words .......... but from what I've seen of the husband speaking...... he is a guilty rat.

It's just one of those feelings that I have been right about on an animal level all of my 58 years. It's never been wrong. The guy is a bad guy.

You've heard of radar and gaydar. Well, I haven't a name for this, but it's REAL!

[bjs1779]

Then the nurses that fed her just had to be lying. I really didn't expect this report by the medical examiner to read any different.

Yes, that is strange. She could swallow her saliva from all accounts. Judge Greer ordered that she must not be given any nutrition orally, too. Then they killed her so they could tell us she could not swallow. I think this report will probably be found in the novel section someday.

It will be interesting what other M.E.'s say about it.

[greccogirl]

But, but, HOW did she collapse? No bulimia, no heart attack. But yet, you would jump on "no trauma" even though the radiologist thought different.

Explain to me what happened to Terri Schavio - you just don't "lose" oxygen to your brain for no reason at all.

[greccogirl]

The date of her death was 2005. She was a living person previous to then.

[greccogirl]

My mother was on a feeding tube for TWO YEARS and I can assure you, she experienced thirst. She was constantly asking for water.

[greccogirl]

From what?

[pnz1]

Two questions I have, would the weeks of starving/dehydration have any affect on the weight of her brain?

Second, if she in fact did not have an eating disorder as this report says, then what caused her initial collapse?

[veronica]

Autopsy Findings Ultimately Irrelevant; Schiavo's Death Morally Unacceptable

6/15/2005 2:35:00 PM

---

To: National Desk

Contact: Amber Dolle of American Life League, 540-903-9572, adolle@all.org

WASHINGTON, June 15 /U.S. Newswire/ -- "The results of Terri Schiavo's autopsy provide some answers concerning her physical condition," said American Life League President Judie Brown, "but in no way do these findings justify the cruel death by dehydration that was imposed on a living human being."

The medical examiner reported that Terri Schiavo had suffered extensive, irreversible brain damage and would not have been able to recover from the injury that left her disabled. However, the report did not indicate that Terri's injuries would have killed her. "The fact remains," said Brown, "that Terri was not dying, did not have a terminal condition, and could have continued to survive with proper nutrition and hydration."

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that "whatever its motives and means, direct euthanasia consists in putting an end to the lives of handicapped, sick, or dying persons. It is morally unacceptable."

"There are those who will use this autopsy report to claim that the death by dehydration imposed on Terri Schiavo was compassionate or merciful," said Brown. "Others would say such a life is not worth living. Such thinking is misguided and absolutely wrong. Those decisions are not ours to make."

Brown urges anyone concerned with Terri's plight to ensure that they have a morally acceptable healthcare directive in place, such as American Life League's Loving Will ( http://www.all.org/lovingwill/ ), so the tragedy Terri's family experienced is not repeated. "The bottom line is, Terri died an excruciatingly cruel death which simply cannot be justified."

http://www.usnewswire.com/

[teenyelliott]

slowly backing away . . . .

[bjs1779]

Autopsy report: Could not of swallowed.

Autopsy report: No sign of strangulation.

Autopsey report: Cased closed.

[G.Mason]

I make no presumptions other than many here will have their own conspiracy theories, that the ME and autopsy will mean nothing and this will result in nothing good for anyone.

The ravings of some here are pathetic. The wording by some posters is blatently absurd and the general demeanor here seems to resemble the "what, me worry?" malady.

Just when I thought we were all safe from the blood atonement views of Brigham Young along come these little Terribots to save us by their terrible swift sword.

I, for one, won't go to the meadow.

[Dave S]

But, I ask again, are you advocating euthanasia?

And I ask you, would you be okay with removing the feeding tube if there was a written legal document signed by Terri prior to her collapse saying that would be her wish. There are a lot of people that dont think she should have that right, the Pope for example. Randall Terry for another.

[Finger Monkey]

Good idea.