The Truth About Terri Schiavo

This is a story I had avoided for quite some time. I didn't want to know about it, didn't want to hear about it, because all I had heard, from a co-worker, was the arument that Terri had a signed written advance medical directive that she didn't want to be sustained on life-support. If I were in a coma, and the possibility was great that I would come out of it greatly brain damaged or vegitable in state, and I was on all sorts of life support, I would want them to pull the plug. And that someone was trying to keep that directive from being followed. The judge that was saying to end it, no detail were given on HOW they would end her life, was simply following her request. I thought hey, if my coworker said she had one, then she must have had one. I figured I could trust what I was hearing from him......boy was I ever wrong! The following is from Focus on the Family, and before any of you make some sort of snap judgement, the facts in the story are backed with the sources. Remember i had heard that there was a signed written advanced medical directive. This has never been produced, it was only mentioned by Michael Schiavo, Terri's husband who is living with his girlfriend, still being legally married to Terri, and has had two children with this girlfriend. Interesting how the story changes when all the fact are brought out, isn't it? Here's the story....By the way, keep in mind, Friday, March 17th 2005, by court order, Terei's feeding tube, her only source of food and water, will be removed and the painfully torturous, and in my opinion cruel, process of death by de-hydration will begin.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What You Need to Know about Terri Schiavo
March 7, 2005

by Carrie Gordon Earll

Terri Schiavo's fight for life has been widely publicized in the media but do you know the facts?

Terri Schindler Schiavo is a 41-year old disabled Florida woman at the center of an on-going legal despite between her estranged husband, Michael, and her parents.

In 1990 at 26-years of age, Terri collapsed in her home when her heart temporarily stopped, cutting off oxygen to her brain and leaving her severely brain damaged.

Terri is not dying or terminally ill; she is not brain-dead or in a coma. She is an otherwise healthy mentally disabled woman. The diagnosis that she is in a “vegetative state” is disputed by many medical experts, including neurologists. Some neurologists believe it’s possible that Terri is in a “minimally conscious state” (MCS)— a neurological diagnostic criteria first defined in 2002. ¹²

Terri breathes on her own without the aid of a ventilator. Her only dependency is on a feeding tube into her stomach for liquids and nourishment. ³ She swallows her own saliva, a fact that leads some experts in speech pathology to believe that with sufficient time and therapy, she could regain her ability to swallow fluids by mouth. ⁴ As recently as 1997, nursing staff who cared for Terri testified that she could swallow fluids and Jello-O, follow people with her eyes and even speak. ⁵

An attorney for Terri’s parents, Barbara Weller, has posted narratives on the Internet describing her recent visits with Terri. During these visits, Weller witnessed purposeful interaction between Terri, her parents and other visitors. ⁶

At the time of her collapse, Terri did not have a written advance medical directive. Since her disability, medical decisions have been made by her husband, Michael Schiavo.

Michael Schiavo won a medical malpractice case on Terri's behalf in 1992, pledging to use the money for Terri’s rehabilitation and care for the rest of her natural life. ⁷ The court awarded more than $1 million: $300,000 directly to Michael for his loss and additionally, more than $700,000 for Terri’s care. ⁸ Terri’s parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, claim that prior to the settlement a neurologist recommended progressive therapy for Terri and that Michael agreed to provide such therapy, only to deny it and confine Terri to a nursing home after receiving the jury award. ⁹

It was after the settlement that Michael first claimed that Terri had previously stated that she didn’t want to be kept alive by artificial means — a statement he never mentioned during the malpractice trial. ¹⁰

As guardian, Michael Schiavo controls the $700,000-plus trust fund awarded for Terri’s care. ¹¹¹² Meanwhile, Medicaid helps to pay Terri’s $5,000-a-month nursing costs at a hospice in Pinellas Park, Florida. ¹³

Since 1995, Michael Schiavo has lived with a girlfriend, Jodi Centonze, with whom he has two children. ¹⁴ Michael remains legally married to Terri, as well as her guardian.

In 1998, Michael Schiavo petitioned the court to have Terri’s feeding tube removed.

Terri’s parents have offered to take care of Terri at their own expense, allowing Michael to keep all money remaining in the trust fund. To date, Michael Schiavo has refused, insisting that Terri die from dehydration.

Florida Sixth Judicial Circuit Judge George Greer has set Friday, March 18 at 1:00 p.m. EST as “date and time” certain to remove Terri’s feeding tube — an act that will cause the painful death of an otherwise healthy disabled person whose body processes and benefits from the nutrients and fluids she receives daily.



TIMELINE: ¹⁵

On February 25, 1990, 26-year old Terri Schindler Schiavo collapsed in her home when her heart temporarily stopped, cutting off oxygen to her brain and leaving her severely brain damaged.

In November 1992, her husband, Michael, won a medical malpractice lawsuit after claiming that doctors failed to diagnose the chemical imbalance that caused the heart attack. The court awarded approximately $1 million in damages with $300,000 to Michael for his loss and another $700,000 to Michael for Terri’s guardianship and care.

In July 1993, Terri’s parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, petition the court to have Michael removed as Terri’s guardian — a request that is denied in August 2001.

In May 1998, Michael Schiavo petitions the court to have Terri’s feeding tube removed, claiming that Terri told him that she did not want life-sustaining intervention in the event of her incapacitation.

In February 2000, Florida Circuit Judge George W. Greer rules that the feeding tube can be removed.

After several court appeals, it is removed on April 24, 2001. Two days later, Florida Circuit Judge Frank Quesada orders doctors to reinsert Terri’s feeding tube.

In October, 2001, the Florida 2nd District Court of Appeals indefinitely delays the removal of Terri’s feeding tube pending the examination of Terri by five physicians: two selected by Michael, two by the Schindler’s and one by the court. The two doctors selected by Terri’s parents tell the court that she can recover; the remaining three stated that she is in a vegetative state with no hope of recovery. The following month, Judge Greer again orders the feeding tube to be removed again. More court appeals follow.

On October 15, 2003, Terri’s feeding tube is removed for a second time.

October 20-21, 2003: the Florida State Legislature passed legislation (dubbed “Terri’s Law”) allowing Governor Jeb Bush to intervene, ordering the reinsertion of Terri’s feeding tube — six days after it was removed.

May 6, 2004 — January 24, 2005: Various courts, including the Florida Supreme Court, strike down “Terri’s Law” as unconstitutional; the U.S. Supreme Court refuses to hear the case.

March 2005: Members of the U.S. Congress and the Florida State Legislature introduce legislation to intervene on behalf of Terri and other medically vulnerable patients.

Researchers are beginning to test this criteria against that of “persistent vegetative state” (PVS) with other patients. As of fall of 2003, Michael Schiavo’s attorneys reported that the trust fund was down to $50,000, with more than $430,000 going to “pay for court costs associated with her husband’s legal battle to remove his wife’s feeding tube.”

---

¹ Affidavit of Neurologist Beatrice C. Engstrand, M.D., March 3, 2005; Affidavit of Neurologist Jacob Green, M.D., February 22, 2005; Affidavit of Neurologist Lawrence Huntoon, M.D., March 3, 2005. Affidavits may be accessed on-line at www.terrisfight.org
² J.T. Giacino, et al., “The minimally conscious state: Definition and diagnostic criteria,” Neurology, February 2002; 58: 349-353; Melanie Boly, et al., “Auditory Processing in Severely Brain Injured Patients,” Archives of Neurology, February 2004, 61:233-238.
³Abby Goodnough, “Governor of Florida orders woman fed in right-to-die case,” The New York Times, October 22, 2003.
⁴Affidavit of Speech Language Pathologist Sarah Green Mele, July 25, 2003; Affidavit of Carolyn Heron, M.D., March 3, 2005; Affidavit of Neurologist Beatrice C. Engstrand, M.D., March 3, 2005; Affidavit of Speech and Language Pathologist Jill Joyce, PhD, March 3, 2005. Some affidavits may be accessed on-line at www.terrisfight.org
⁵Affidavits of Certified Nursing Assistant Heidi Law, September 1, 2003; Registered Nurse Carla Sauer Iyer, September 1, 2003.
⁶Narrative by Barbara Weller on visit with Terri December 24, 2004, accessed on March 1, 2005 at www.terrisfight.org/press/BJWnarrative.html; Narrative by Barbara Weller on visit with Terri February 24, 2005, accessed on February 25, 2005 at www.alliancealert.org/2005/20050225.htm
⁷Vickie Chachere, “Michael Schiavo says money, activists motivate in-laws,” Associated Press,
⁸Patrick Kampert, “Parents or husband: Who decides?; Courts to choose victor in battle over woman’s life,” Chicago Tribune, October 12, 2003.
⁹Interview with Robert and Mary Schindler, Larry King Live, September 27, 2004.
¹⁰Kampert, Associated Press.
¹¹Hugo Kugiya, “Decision for Death; Florida woman’s feeding tube pulled after court okays action, Newsday, October 16, 2003.
¹²William R. Levesque, “Schiavo’s husband says he’ll fight back,” St. Petersburg Times, October 24, 2003; Chris Gray, “Both sides in Schiavo fight point to control of money,” Philadelphia Inquirer, October 29, 2003.
¹³Mary McFachlin, “Schiavo case a growing legal, moral morass,” Palm Beach Post, October 26, 2003; Levesque, St. Petersburg Times.
¹⁴Rich McKay and Maya Bell, “How to deal with Terri Schiavo’s tragedy splits family,” Orlando Sentinel, October 26, 2003; Warren Richey, “Can state intervene in medical decisions?” Christian Science Monitor, August 3, 2004.
¹⁵With assistance from “Key Dates in the life of Terri Schiavo,” Associated Press, January 24, 2005. October 28, 2003.

Restless

Do you ever get a feeling that your heart is being tugged on by God, but you have no idea what it is He wants you to do, think about, feel, remember, or whatever? I'm feeling that today. It's almost an axious feeling that I need to pray for a friend of mine. I have, but I still feel it. I don't know.

God whatever it is that you need me to be doing, I think interceding, please give me the wisdom to do so. Lord, whoever it is that needs help, strength, wisdom, security, hope, whatever it is, God I pray you will grant it to them. Lord I know you love them and always want what's best for us, which means it's not always what we want. God grant this person the grace to accept it and the strength to conintue in you.

God, if it's a tugging on my heart and attention you want from me, God I give it. Guide me Lord, speak to me God. You are my saviour and king. You are the everlasting Lord of all, the one with no beginning and no end. The one that confounds explaination. Yours is the highest kingdom of all.

Bless this day Lord. Be with us throughout it. Be here for us Lord, strengthen us, give us your wisdom. Help me to hear your voice and obey. Relieve the stress, make me bold where I should be and humble where it is needed. Give me the heart of discernment so that I can do your will. Thank you Lord.

Bless every person who reads this. God be with them all day long. And if they truely don't know you, show them your glory, your grace, your forgiveness and power. Give them the prick of love on thier heart that you give your children every day. Help them, and me, to feel your presence.

Thank you Lord.
I love you.
So-Be-It (Amen)

This Just Doesn't Make Any Sense!!

I just don't get it! If I were to have a bunch of people come to me and ask me a question about Christianity. . . let's say they ask if there is anything that can seperate us from the love of God, and I were to go to the Mormon Bible, the Koran, the sayings of Buddah or any other resouce besides the Bible, I would be looked at as a fool! Plus, I don't think God would look lightly on the fact that I would be misleading people, possibly His people, by using anyone's words but His to answer a question about Him!

I know, you say this would be stupid. No one would accept the answer I would give, simply based upon the SOURCES I was using, right? If they did, they're more misinformed that I would be to do this, or they are downright ignorant! Do you consider yourself one of these ignorant, uninformed people who doesn't care where the source of the information comes from, only that the information is given?

What is I were making a decision about car care? Instead of using a manual for the Ford car that's in question I was using one from a Totyota. how accurate of a decision would I be able to make? Toyota has no background in how Ford makes thier cars, why the very functions of the engine are vastly different. They run on the same gas, can go the same speed, can get one from here to there, but really, ask any mechanic, it would be foolish to use a Toyota manual to make a decision about a Ford car, much less try to fix it!

So why then are we, as Americans, allowing the Supreme Court to use "international" law to decide cases for us, Americans? Why would Justice Anthony Kennedy, Supreme Court Justice, be allowed to use international law on several occasions to make decisions for Americans?! What is the deal? Why is there not more outcry about this? Has the Constitution of the United States become so impudant that we must go outside the country for guidance on internal affairs? I'm sorry, I thought we were a sovriegn nation, not an internationally directed community!

It bothers me greatly when I look around and see the corruption of the court system. I fear it has gotten more than out of hand, it has gotten, in my opinion, treasonous! I see it as treason to ask a Russian to tell me what I should do for my country! I see it as treason to look to France to tell me how I should conduct myself in my own country! I see it as downright evil to look to any other country, that has no knowledge of my freedoms or the cost thereof, that has no concern for my coutry's welfare, to be used to make decisions about MY FUTURE, MY CHILDREN, MY AFFAIRS! Good night people! This was the whle point about seperating from England in the first place!! Freedom! Will the courts put us back under another country's rule? Technically they are already heading in that direction, and most people are applauding them for it!

Folks, don't let this continue. There has got to be something we can do. I feel either the law needs to be changed as far as Supreme Court Justices tenure, or the Congress need to get off thier hind quarters and get involved with stopping this Judicial Tyranny! Will we stay asleep to the far reaching ramifications of the court's decisions? Or will we stand up and say, "That's Enough!".

Here's one way to take some action. The American Family Association Online has a petition that they are putting together to compel the Senate Judiciary Comittee to question all those up for the Supreme Court on the issue of looking to the laws of other countries and international law to make thier decisions. At least then we will have the information BEFORE they get into thier seat, if they make it if this comes out. Please, take the time to get involved. You would be suprised at how little effort it really takes to make a difference.

Here's the link to the American Family Association Online petition for the Senate Jusdiciary Comittee. You can also look up your congreeman and senators and write them as well. It's not that hard to do!