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Doctor: Schiavo Autopsy Conclusions Flawed
NewsMax ^ | 6/19/05 | Carl Limbacher

Posted on 06/19/2005 6:04:50 PM PDT by wagglebee

Dr. William Hammesfahr, nominated for a Nobel Prize for his work in Medicine, has been recognized by agents for Medicare, the federal government, and others for new approaches to helping the brain injured.

Dr. Hammesfahr has been identified in helping patients with chronic brain injuries from many causes actually leave long term disability, and return to work.

Dr. Hammesfahr was identified the first physician to restore deficits caused by stroke.

Dr. Hammesfahr has released the following statement in response to the autopsy report on Terri Schindler Schiavo:

We have seen a lot on the autopsy of Terri Schindler Schiavo in recent days, that I feel needs to be addressed. To ignore these comments will allow future 'Terri Schiavo's' to die needlessly after the wishes of clinicians and family are ignored.

Considering that there were so many physicians and therapists who were willing to step forward to treat Terri Schiavo, from university based practitioners to those in private practice, it clearly shows that the mainstream medical community across the board, those involved in treating patients, knew that they could help Terri.

The record must be set straight. As we noted in the press, there was no heart attack, or evident reason for this to have happened (and certainly not of Terri's making).

Unlike the constant drumbeat from the husband, his attorneys, and his doctors, the brain tissue was not dissolved, with a head of just spinal fluid. In fact, large areas were "relatively preserved."

The purpose of the therapies offered by so many, from major universities, brain injury centers, and from private practice physicians, is to improve and restore quality of life, and function, which the mainstream medical community clearly tried to get to her.

I have had a chance to look at Dr. Nelson's analysis of the brain tissue, and essentially, as a clinician, these are my thoughts.

The autopsy results confirmed my opinion and Dr. Maxfield's opinions, that the frontal areas of the brains, the areas that deal with awareness and cognition were relatively intact. To use Dr. Nelson's words, "relatively preserved." In fact, the relay areas from the frontal and front temporal regions of the brain, to the spinal cord and the brain stem, by way of the basal ganglia, were preserved, thus the evident responses which she was able to express to her family and to the clinicians seeing her or viewing her videotape. The Spect scan confirmed these areas were functional and not scar tissue, and that was apparently also confirmed on Dr. Nelson's review of the slides. Dr. Maxfield's estimates of retained brain weight were apparently accurate, although there may have been some loss of brain weight due to the last two weeks of dehydration.

Dr. Maxfield and myself both emphasized that she was a woman trapped in her body, similar to a child with cerebral palsy, and that was born out by the autopsy, showing greater injury in the motor and visual centers of the brain. Obviously, the pathologists comments that she could not see were not borne out by reality, and thus his assessment must represent sampling error. The videotapes clearly showed her seeing, and even Dr. Cranfoed, for the husband, commented to her that, when she could see the balloon, she could follow it with her eyes as per his request.

That she could not swallow was obviously not borne out by the reality that she was swallowing her saliva, about 1.5 liters per day of liquid, and the clinical swallowing tests done by Dr. Young and Dr. Carpenter. Thus, there appears to be some limitations to the clinical accuracy of an autopsy in evaluating function.

With respect to the issue of trauma, that certainly does not appear to be answered adequately. Some of the types of trauma that are suspected were not adequately evaluated in this assessment. Interestingly, both myself and at least one neurologist for the husband testified to the presence of neck injuries. The issue of a forensic evaluation for trauma, is highly specialized. Hence the wish of the family to have observers which was refused by the examiner.

Ultimately, based on the clinical evidence and the autopsy results, an aware woman was killed.

s/Dr. W. Hammesfahr

[Dr. Hammesfahr was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology in 1999. The Nomination was for work started in 1994. In 2000, this work resulted in approval for the first patent in history granted for the treatment of neurological diseases including coma, stroke, brain injury, cerebral palsy, hypoxic injuries and other neurovascular disorders with medications that restore blood flow to the brain. It was extended to treat successfully disabilities including ADD, ADHD, Dyslexia, Tourette's and Autism as well as behaviorally and emotionally disturbed children, seizures and severe migraines.]


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Extended News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: dailynutjob; emotionallydisabled; euthanasia; fraud; hammesfahr; nobellaureate; nominatedbyhismama; schiavoautopsy; swindlers; terrischiavo; williamhammesfahr; worldsgreatestdoctor; wppff
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To: T'wit
I was of course referring to sites concerned with hyperbaric medicine.

Oh yeah, that is a peer reviewed site in an area sanctioned by the American Medical Association. NOT

141 posted on 06/20/2005 7:35:28 AM PDT by Dave S
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To: Dave S

I have yet to see a valid explanation as to why MS perjured himself in court when he testified under oath he would care for her for her LIFE EXPECTANCY, and then discontinued her rehab and petitioned the court to kill her after he received his money.


142 posted on 06/20/2005 7:36:40 AM PDT by Voir Dire (I'm seeing and saying.)
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To: T'wit
That does not make sense. Are you seriously claiming that he's never helped anyone? I flatly do not believe it.

I believe he claimed he cured someone with attention deficit disorder. He has NEVER used his hyperbaric treatment on anyone in a persistant vegetative state. In fact, he has never treated anyone in a minimally conscious state with his new "cure". So if he has never treated them with his magic cure he certainly didnt cure them with it.

143 posted on 06/20/2005 7:40:19 AM PDT by Dave S
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To: T'wit
That's easy enough to check. Next time please check first before putting it out in public. If it's not true, it's libel and it could reflect badly on Free Republic.

I appreciate you looking out for my legal well being. Does this help?

http://www.doh.state.fl.us/mqa/FinalOrders/03-17-03/DOH-03-0182.pdf

It doesn't make the slightest difference to me whether he was nominated or not. That's argumentum ad hominem and a waste of time.

You may want to review your Latin. I wasn't attacking you or anyone, simply pointing out that your reference to his nomination probably had no bearing on his qualifications. After all, it seemed to make a difference to you in the post to which I responded. Since his qualifications are the essence of the credibility of his recent statements, questioning those qualifications is hardly argumentum ad hominem.

144 posted on 06/20/2005 7:40:20 AM PDT by MACVSOG68
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To: Dave S
The fellow from Australia -- gun to his head -- lied to save his life. His captors -- knives to his throat -- would have lied even more readily to gain the upper hand on a kaffir.

I doubt that the Shindlers lied, but I would understand that if they did shade a truth, they did so to save their daughter's life.

Michea Schiavo, however, his lies are so easy to his lips, and easier still when he lied and encouraged others to lie in order to kill the woman who once was his wife. That is my opinion.

The Australian fellow who lied. He's a hero. He's apologized to Mr. Bush and Mr. Blair -- though no apology was needed from a man in that situtation. His lying captors are hunted like the dogs they are.

145 posted on 06/20/2005 7:42:36 AM PDT by bvw
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To: Brimack34
This is why they would not let another Dr. in on the autopsy

You mean like Stephen J. Nelson, the neuropathologist?

Whoops, looks like they did let another doctor "in".

146 posted on 06/20/2005 7:43:29 AM PDT by cyncooper
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To: Future Useless Eater

You could be more wrong in your postings, but it's hard to see how.

Keep trying. I'm sure you'll top yourself in the lies you emit.

Behold, the type of person allowed to post at will here. What a sorry pass it's come to.


147 posted on 06/20/2005 7:48:01 AM PDT by cyncooper
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To: Diva Betsy Ross
Why is everyone always lying according to your group??

Why is everyone according to your side a mudering, conspratorial, euthanasist loving, Democrat shill from DU? I can admit that erring on the side of life is a defensible position but one with which I disagree. I can also admit that the Schindlers got due process in court. I can also accept facts as opposed to lies (Nobel nominee)Terri's heart attack (red herring, no one ever claimed heart attack, it was cardiac arrest but it Dr H who first brought it up in court proceeding where he attempted to confuse matters by saying it wasnt a heart attack when no one had ever said it was).

When given the choice between accepting court testimony under oath, the reports of the various Guardian Ad Litems, and the Medical Examiners autopsy versus the self promoting hype of a quack like Dr H, its damn easy.

148 posted on 06/20/2005 7:49:45 AM PDT by Dave S
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To: T'wit
If it's not true, it's libel and it could reflect badly on Free Republic.

You don't say!

Good grief...have you noticed the insane posts made on this topic? You are pretty selective when it comes to piping about about potential libel.

149 posted on 06/20/2005 7:52:46 AM PDT by cyncooper
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To: T'wit
It doesn't make the slightest difference to me whether he was nominated or not. That's argumentum ad hominem and a waste of time.

You do this all the time. Point after point that you assert gets proven wrong and you simply shrug and say it's not important and you move on to the next faulty supposition.

It is important if he claimed something that was not so. It undermines his credibility and casts doubt (to say the least) on his pronouncements, especially this latest analysis of the autopsy.

150 posted on 06/20/2005 7:55:32 AM PDT by cyncooper
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To: Diva Betsy Ross

In this case, sad to say that yes, Jeb Bush is grandstanding.


151 posted on 06/20/2005 7:56:11 AM PDT by cyncooper
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To: T'wit
Are you seriously claiming that he's never helped anyone? I flatly do not believe it.

Then present the evidence that he has helped anyone. He was asked to do so and did (could?) not.

152 posted on 06/20/2005 7:58:29 AM PDT by cyncooper
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To: Howlin; Peach; cyncooper; EveningStar

"Now who was it the other day who was saying NewsMax was so dang reliable?"

WND? LOL

They went with story too.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1426338/posts?q=1&&page=51


153 posted on 06/20/2005 7:59:00 AM PDT by Smartaleck
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To: Diva Betsy Ross; Peach
I never said you said those things- I was summarizing the points your group has made.

There is no group. Best to address your argument to someone about things they have directly said.

154 posted on 06/20/2005 7:59:56 AM PDT by cyncooper
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To: Voir Dire
"I have yet to see a valid explanation as to why MS perjured himself in court when he testified under oath he would care for her for her LIFE EXPECTANCY, and then discontinued her rehab and petitioned the court to kill her after he received his money."

Deserves repeating...

By the way, I like your style mon ami.

155 posted on 06/20/2005 8:00:39 AM PDT by Earthdweller (US descendant of French Protestants_"Where there is life, there is hope"..Terri Schindler)
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To: bjs1779; sinkspur

"Our thread within the thread was if he ever did anything wrong or was convicted of it."

Is that the criteria BJS? For that matter Michael Jackson and OJ weren't convicted either.


156 posted on 06/20/2005 8:02:07 AM PDT by Smartaleck
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To: Just Kimberly
After over 10 years in the medical field, qualifications of a doctor would only be questioned when there is a case of this magnitude - otherwise, it is not the qualifications , rather simply the difference of opinion from one doctor to another. This is why a second opinion is so often recommended when a diagnosis is made. What one sees and thinks may not be the case with another. This happens frequently among doctors in different practices, and is also as common among those working within the same office.

No, the appropriate comparison is not asking for a second opinion, it is going to Mexico or Central American for cancer treatment when your doctor and every other qualified doctor has said there is NOTHING else that can be done.

Facts and direct science in front of your eyes do not lie. If the brain was found to be intact and not mush - then that is fact.

Read the autopsy report. The brain was NOT intact, it was NOT merely shrunken in size due to lack of food and water, chunks of it were missing and had been for more than ten years. There was more spinal fluid in her skull than brain.

If she were swallowing saliva - then clearly her swallowing was not impaired. I now question whether a feeding tube was needed in the first place - or was it perhaps a first step in the plan of her demise?

My mother had a feeding tube for more than five years before she died. She could swallow saliva but she couldnt swallow food. Swallowing saliva when your head is continuoulsy tilted back is no big deal.

157 posted on 06/20/2005 8:02:30 AM PDT by Dave S
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To: Lancey Howard

"The forensic doctor could pretty much say anything he wanted"

How could he do so and have it comport with the 247 pictures taken, the fluids lab tests and medical slide samples taken of the tissue much less with all the historical documentation of the patient?


158 posted on 06/20/2005 8:04:56 AM PDT by Smartaleck
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To: Smartaleck; EveningStar

Yep---NewsMax and WND ran with this nonsense.

I'll say that overall WND has the edge on kookery.

It's sad and as EveningStar's dream goes, they COULD rectify their habit of playing fast and loose with the facts but it's not looking promising.


159 posted on 06/20/2005 8:05:08 AM PDT by cyncooper
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To: Just mythoughts

"Ok, is breathing considered to be originated by the brain or is it considered a behavioral response?"

Both.


160 posted on 06/20/2005 8:06:16 AM PDT by Smartaleck
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