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'Exit protocol' for brain-disabled woman? (Breaking - Schiavo)
WorldNetDaily ^ | Aug. 29, 2003 | Sarah Foster

Posted on 08/29/2003 10:41:03 PM PDT by kimmie7

'Exit protocol' for brain-disabled woman? Husband orders wife removed from hospital despite severe illness

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Posted: August 29, 2003 6:15 p.m. Eastern

By Sarah Foster © 2003 WorldNetDaily.com

A five-year legal battle over whether a brain-disabled woman should be allowed to live or forced to die of starvation took another turn today when Michael Schiavo ordered his wife Terri removed from a hospital where she is being treated for a severe infection.

Terri Schindler-Schiavo before her disability.

The move back to a hospice where the Florida woman has lived for more than three years could lead to her death, a family spokeswoman told WorldNetDaily.

"The family is very concerned Terri won't be properly cared for at the hospice and won't make it through the weekend," said Pamela Hennessey.

Terri still is reported to be "extremely congested and at least a bit feverish," Hennessey said.

The Schindler family fears this move is intended as an "exit protocol," with the intention of hastening her death, Hennessey said in a just-issued statement.

"There can't be any way Terri was well enough to leave the hospital," Terri's sister Suzanne Schindler-Carr told Hennessey. "She's still such a very sick girl."

It was the second such crisis in less than two weeks and the most recent development in the on-going battle between Terri's parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, and their son-in-law that began with his efforts to remove the feeding tube Terri depends upon for sustenance.

Michael Schiavo (Photo: WFLA-TV)

According to documents filed with the court, Terri was transferred Sunday from the Hospice of the Florida Suncoast to the emergency room of Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater, Fla., because of vomiting, fever, coughing, and severe diarrhea. Tests revealed lung congestion and an elevated white blood cell count, indicating a "substantial infection."

The Schindler's attorney Patricia Anderson said a federal statute prohibits an institution from discharging a person before they've been stabilized medically. But a patient can always discharge himself against medical advice.

"Since Michael Schiavo is Terri's legal guardian, he can do that, and that's what he's doing," said Anderson.

By order of an appeals court, Judge George Greer of Florida's 6th Circuit Court will hold a hearing Sept. 11 to set a date for removing the feeding tube, which would lead to starvation within 10 to 14 days.

Schiavo's request to order Terri returned to the hospice was faxed to Greer yesterday by his legal representative, right-to-die attorney George Felos, and is the second attempt this week to ensure his wife receives no medical treatment.

The day following her readmission to Morton Plant, Felos filed papers asking the court to order all treatment for Terri stopped "other than comfort care" for her infection and any additional medical problems that might arise.

In an emergency motion faxed Monday afternoon to Greer, Felos argued that since the courts of Florida had approved the removal of her feeding tube, death by starvation was a foregone conclusion and there was no need to intervene.

"Given the imminence of the ward's death, further treatment (other than comfort care) for the ward's infection and other medical problems is unnecessary, unwarranted, inappropriate, and futile," he declared.

He also requested an "immediate hearing" to set the date for removal of Terri's feeding tube.

Judge Greer denied the motion Tuesday, stating such a determination would require a hearing, but endorsed Schiavo's request to return her to the hospice.

As WorldNetDaily reported, the Schindlers have been locked in a decade-long battle with their son-in-law over the care and custody of their daughter, who suffered massive brain damage when she collapsed at their home 13 years ago under unexplained circumstances at the age of 26.

The bitter dispute over Terri's quality of care erupted five years ago into a full-blown euthanasia battle when Schiavo petitioned the court for permission to have her feeding removed, claiming she is in a persistent vegetative state and would not want to be kept alive by "artificially." Although Terri breathes on her own and maintains her own blood pressure, she requires a tube for nourishment and hydration. The Schindlers and a number of doctors and therapists believe that with therapy she could be rehabilitated, but the courts have consistently sided with Schiavo and attorney George Felos.

This current emergency medical crisis was essentially a replay of events two weeks ago when Terri was taken to Morton Plant because she was coughing up blood and appeared to have aspiration pneumonia. She was returned to the hospice less than a week later, before she had fully recovered.

As before, the Schindlers have not been apprised their daughter's condition, despite a 1996 court order in which Schiavo agreed to inform the Schindlers of any changes in his wife's physical condition.

The Schindlers learned about Terri's emergency transfer from the hospice to the hospital Monday morning, hours after the fact. Not until their attorney Patricia Anderson received a fax from George Felos informing her of Terri's sudden crisis did they have any information.

Pamela Hennessey recalled last Monday's events for WorldNetDaily.

"As soon as they heard, her parents went immediately to the hospital and to the admissions section, and the first thing admissions said was there's no one here by that name," said Hennessey.

"Then they did confirm she was there, but did not tell them what room she was in, Hennessey continued. "So the Schindlers had to carry on for at least an hour before they found out where Terri even was. They never got any indication of her condition, diagnosis, prognosis, nothing. And they still haven't. All they know is Terri has a massive infection and fever."

Pat Anderson reports Mary Schindler has been with her daughter every day, all day until 8 p.m., when hospital rules dictate they must leave. Bob Schindler says she holds Terri in her arms, and when they started to leave, Terri's eyes fill with tears.

'Exit protocol'?

Terri's current medical crisis drew the attention of Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who said he was "disturbed" by rumors about Schiavo's actions related to Terri's current care. In his letter to Greer Tuesday requesting a delay in removal of Terri's feeding tube until certain issues are investigated, Bush called specific attention to Schiavo's request to disallow treatment.

"It has come to my attention that Mrs. Schiavo has contracted a life-threatening illness and that she may be denied appropriate treatment," the governor wrote. "If true, this indicates a decision by her caregivers to initiate an 'exit protocol' that may include withholding treatment from Mrs. Schiavo until her death, which would render this court's ultimate decision moot."

Bush urged Greer to ensure that "no act of omission or commission be allowed to adversely affect Mrs. Schiavo's health before the September 11th hearing you have set. No one involved should be permitted to circumvent due process or the court's authority in order to achieve personal objectives in this case."


TOPICS: Activism/Chapters; Breaking News; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; US: Florida
KEYWORDS: death; euthanasia; schiavo
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To: kimmie7
Thanks for the link to your post 469.

On this thread, I see that Terri was bulemic. Aside from her present physical disabilities, I would think that, with the artificial nutrition she has been receiving over these 13 years, she is now much healthier.

221 posted on 08/31/2003 9:15:27 PM PDT by lakey (It's the Constitution, stupid!)
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To: tessalu
Just what can be expected of Clinton appointees ... liberal and criminal and hell-bent on destroying the foundations of this nation
222 posted on 08/31/2003 9:15:50 PM PDT by MHGinTN (If you can read this, you've had life support from someone. Promote life support for others.)
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To: MHGinTN
Sorry about that. I remember now. My brain is so into Teri , that I was trying to recall that info in all that I read about her case.
223 posted on 08/31/2003 9:19:31 PM PDT by dixiegrrl
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To: kimmie7
Matthew 22: 1 - 14
224 posted on 08/31/2003 9:20:46 PM PDT by MHGinTN (If you can read this, you've had life support from someone. Promote life support for others.)
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To: annyokie
You certainly don't seem to know the story that you have injected your comment into. Her family isn't ALLOWED to see her or help her....her killer husband wants her dead....so does the judge.
225 posted on 08/31/2003 9:21:26 PM PDT by Ann Archy
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To: dixiegrrl; floriduh voter
My specialist told me that too much potassium will quickly kill a person.

Klor Kon, pills big enough to choke an elephant, do not rest easy on an empty stomach.

226 posted on 08/31/2003 9:26:05 PM PDT by lakey (It's the Constitution, stupid!)
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To: MHGinTN
gotcha. I was thinking you were saying something about Terri's wedding dress. ;-)
227 posted on 08/31/2003 9:38:54 PM PDT by kimmie7 (I need more time, more coffee, and more bandwidth.)
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To: lakey
The hatred Michael must have toward Terri, as he lives with another woman and tries to get the courts to kill Terri to free her estate for he and his new woman to enjoy ... it makes me shudder to think of this animal being left alone with Terri!
228 posted on 08/31/2003 9:51:10 PM PDT by MHGinTN (If you can read this, you've had life support from someone. Promote life support for others.)
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To: Theodore R.
That's the question...Why does Michael have so much influence with the hospice? I don't think it is Michael that has the influence, but the people controlling him. Where has all the money been going...to George Felos former member of the board of hospice. Michael and Terri may have been in the wrong place at the wrong time. That is not to say Michael is innocent of abusing or neglecting Terri's medical needs. The powers that be need to set a precedent. They may know about her broken bones and are threatening to have him arrested if he doesn't go along with them. Supposedly the money is almost gone, which is why Terri's feeding tube will be gone too. Go ahead and flame me, but a lot of things don't add up.
229 posted on 08/31/2003 10:08:03 PM PDT by RedRidingHood (...)
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To: MHGinTN
I shudder also. Reading the medical staff affidavits was bone-chilling.

Do you happen to know the common law marriage statutes in Florida? Adultry? I'm gonna go do some searching.

230 posted on 08/31/2003 10:13:25 PM PDT by lakey (It's the Constitution, stupid!)
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To: dixiegrrl
Aren't Nanas the smartest? They always know the real scoop!
231 posted on 08/31/2003 10:15:53 PM PDT by Ohioan from Florida
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To: Ohioan from Florida
I have found that my mother and two great grandma's were the smartest and kindest women that I was blessed to have known. Especially since I became a mother 11 years ago.
232 posted on 08/31/2003 10:24:49 PM PDT by dixiegrrl
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To: RedRidingHood
Felos has collected $400,000+ for legal fees.
233 posted on 08/31/2003 10:25:57 PM PDT by kimmie7 (I need more time, more coffee, and more bandwidth.)
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To: kimmie7
FROM THE FUND DESIGNATED FOR TERRI'S REHAB. Judge Greer approved it.
234 posted on 08/31/2003 10:27:51 PM PDT by kimmie7 (I need more time, more coffee, and more bandwidth.)
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To: MHGinTN; kimmie7
There are laws against cohabitation in Florida. Does Judge Greer know that?

Another thought for the Schindlers & their attorney: How has Michael been filing his tax returns? As a married man? Does his live-in file IRS returns separately, or is he claiming Terri AND the mother of his child as dependents?

This man has some weak spots.

235 posted on 08/31/2003 10:44:01 PM PDT by lakey (It's the Constitution, stupid!)
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To: kimmie7
Plus the other attorneys in his office. One was paid $80,000.00. What do you think? I don't think Michael has that kind of power over hospice employees.
236 posted on 08/31/2003 10:45:04 PM PDT by RedRidingHood (...)
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To: lakey
I never thought about that. My sister (who lives in Florida) said she thought that there was a law about adultry and that you can be arrested for it.
237 posted on 08/31/2003 10:45:49 PM PDT by dixiegrrl
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To: dixiegrrl
Good! Great! But I can't imagine why the Schindler's attorney hasn't thought of that, or the IRS.
238 posted on 08/31/2003 10:53:52 PM PDT by lakey (It's the Constitution, stupid!)
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To: dixiegrrl
Here is a link http://www.newsherald.com/FEATURES/SEX622.HTM
According to it is a crime you get fined and can be put in jail for commiting adultry in Florida.
239 posted on 08/31/2003 10:54:00 PM PDT by dixiegrrl
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To: lakey
I have no clue why they wouldn't have thought of it. I didn't even think of that until you said it.
240 posted on 08/31/2003 10:56:06 PM PDT by dixiegrrl
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