Free Republic

"When I Woke Up..." by Rus Cooper-Dowda The following is a meditation by Rus Cooper-Dowda delivered at the St. Petersburg, FL. vigil held for Terri Schiavo. In February of 1985, I woke up in a hospital bed in Boston, MA. I couldn't see very well and I couldn't move much -- but boy could I ever hear! I heard a terrifying discussion then that I will never, ever forget. Around the end of my bed were a "school" of doctors in their white coats, planning when to disconnect my ventilator and feeding tube. I immediately started screaming, "I'm here!!" No...

(CNSNews.com) - A Pinellas County, Fla., teacher - who is disabled and works with disabled students - claims she is being fired because she voiced her support for another disabled Florida woman: Terri Schindler Schiavo. Rus Cooper-Dowda told CNSNews.com Tuesday that the Pinellas County School Board was set to fire her Tuesday night for sharing her opinion about the Schiavo case in response to a reporter's question. The school board responded that no reason was needed to fire the probationary teacher. Terri Schindler Schiavo is the 39-year-old woman who suffered a severe brain injury under questionable circumstances in 1990. Doctors...