Florida Woman Saved

5stringJeff

Senior Member
Sep 15, 2003
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Puyallup, WA
If you guys haven't heard of this case, this woman, Terry Schiavo, had an accident about 13 years ago which left her with significant brain damage. Her husband has refused to get her any kind of treatment, and her condition has deteriorated. Now, he is trying to starve her to death - but Jeb Bush signed a law to prevent it.

My personal thoughts are that this guy is the lowest form of scum on the earth. He is trying to kill off his wife to collect whatever is in her medical care fund - and oh, by the way, he's been f*cking some other chick, has an 8-year-old daughter with her, and another one on the way. What kind of a creep is this?!?

Sorry... I am really upset about how someone could be so callous towards the person he vowed to love, have, hold, and cherish.

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CLEARWATER, Fla. - The family of a disabled woman now under treatment by orders of Gov. Jeb Bush is barred from seeing her because her husband won't allow it, the family's attorney said Tuesday.

Michael Schiavo is Terri Schiavo's official guardian, and can designate who is allowed to see his wife. She had gone without food and water for six days under a court order that allowed her husband to remove the feeding tube that kept her alive for more than a decade.

Gov. Jeb Bush on Tuesday, acting under a hastily approved law by the Florida Legislature, ordered Terri Schiavo taken to a hospital where doctors could begin the process of rehydrating and eventually feeding her.

Attorneys for parents Bob and Mary Schindler said Terri Schiavo's brother, Bob Schindler Jr., was turned away Tuesday night when he attempted to see his sister. It was not clear what condition Terri Schiavo was in Wednesday morning, about 12 hours after she was moved from a Pinellas Park hospice where she was dying to Morton Plant Hospital in nearby Clearwater.

"They have been told Terri can have no visitors under Michael's order," said Tom Brodersen, a paralegal who is a member of the Schindler's legal team that has waged a years-long court battle to keep Terri Schiavo alive.

George Felos, the attorney for Michael Schiavo, did not immediately return a call for comment Wednesday morning.

The fight over Terri Schiavo's life took a dramatic twist Tuesday with Bush's intervention in the decade-long legal battle between the Schindlers and their son-in-law.

Michael Schiavo says his wife never wanted to be kept alive artificially and doctors have testified she is in a persistent vegetative state. The Schindlers dispute she had such wishes and say their daughter has enough functioning ability to laugh, cry and react to them.

Felos called the reinsertion of the tube "an absolute horrible tragedy for Terri Schiavo."

"The governor of the state of Florida does not have the right to trump a patient's personal choice," he said.

Felos said that on Tuesday, Terri was showing signs of massive organ failure and that the reinsertion of the tube is just prolonging her death. He said he did not know her condition Wednesday.

"She was literally absconded from her death bed in the middle of her dying process," he told ABC's "Good Morning America."

Observers wondered whether the Legislature and the governor overstepped constitutional boundaries by ramming through legislation that overruled the courts.

"It presents a new legal issue that I've never heard of," said former Florida Supreme Court (news - web sites) Justice Stephen Grimes.

The feeding tube was removed last Wednesday after a court refused to intervene. Doctors said the 39-year-old woman would die within a week to 10 days without nutrition and water.

On Tuesday, an ambulance took Schiavo from a Pinellas Park hospice to Morton Plant Hospital after Bush issued his order to resume feeding her. A crowd cheered outside as she left. A hospital spokeswoman on Wednesday said she could not release any information on Schiavo.

Hours earlier, the Senate voted 23-15 for legislation to save Schiavo. Within minutes, the House voted 73-24 to send the bill to Bush. The governor signed it into law and issued his order about an hour later.

"It's restored my belief in God," said Schiavo's father, Bob Schindler.

Michael Schiavo, meanwhile, was "deeply troubled, angry and saddened that his wife's wishes have become a political pingpong," Felos said. "He, as many others, is absolutely stunned at the course of events."

Suzanne Carr, the woman's sister, called the lawmakers' action "a miracle, an absolute miracle."

Felos scrambled to try to stop Bush's order. He filed a request for an injunction, but Pinellas Circuit Court Judge George Greer denied it on technical grounds. Felos refiled the request and State Circuit Judge W. Douglas Baird also refused to grant it.

"We won. Terri won," her father said after the ruling.

Felos said he believes the legislation is unconstitutional. It is Terri Schiavo's right under the Florida Constitution to not be kept alive artificially, and the courts have affirmed that, he said.

Harvard law professor Laurence Tribe said the action by Bush and the Legislature "violates the core principles" of a 1990 U.S. Supreme Court (news - web sites) decision.

The court ruled in a Missouri case that Nancy Cruzan, who had been fed through a tube for seven years, could be permitted to die if "clear and convincing evidence" proved that was what she wanted. Her parents had fought for the right to remove the tube.

Schiavo never signed a living will, which lets people exercise their right to die should they become comatose. But her husband says she told him she would never want to be kept alive artificially; her parents said she never told them of the wish.

"I've never seen a case in which the state legislature treats someone's life as a political football in quite the way this is being done," said Tribe.

Felos will have five days to file additional arguments with the judge and the state will have five days after that to respond. The judge will then hold another hearing.

"It is simply inhumane and barbaric to interrupt her death process," Felos said. "Just because Terri Schiavo is not conscious doesn't mean she doesn't have dignity."

Court-appointed doctors have described Schiavo as being in a vegetative state, caused when her heart stopped in 1990 from a suspected chemical imbalance.
 
Jeff, Im in total agreement with you. Not to mention the circumstances surrounding how this happened to her are a little fishy. Notice the husband ordered her body cremated as soon as she passed away. Hmm, makes you wonder. I don't know if you guys heard, but the women was not even able to receive last rites because the communion wafer is considered food. How absurd!

Thank god there are people still out there who stand up for what is right. You can thank Jeb Bush as well as the Florida speaker of the house for stopping this insane act.

It would be another matter if there was a healthcare proxy or something in writing, it would heartbreaking, but at least we would know for sure her wishes.

Look I'm no doctor, but that women seems to respond and it does not look like a reflex. Her husband never gave the doctors who said they could help a chance to try. I just think she should be given this chance before making further judgements.

It is better to err on the side of caution than to make a fatal mistake. One final comment, it is about time the legislative branch intervened and stopped these courts from setting public policies based on their personal views. The courts were meant to interpret the law not set it.
 
Originally posted by eric
It is better to err on the side of caution than to make a fatal mistake. One final comment, it is about time the legislative branch intervened and stopped these courts from setting public policies based on their personal views. The courts were meant to interpret the law not set it.

Well said Eric! :clap: :clap1:
 
Yeah, I've read much on this case and I must admitt the circumstances surrounding this case are fishy at best and I believe that the right decisions were made regardless of politics.

I do, however, respect people's right to die in voluntary cases. This case however is not a matter of voluntary euthenasia and the moral issues are not black and white. I say best to err on the side of caution.
 
Wow, this could be the beginning of a thread that everyone agrees on!

I think first and foremost comes the woman in question. Is she suffering while being kept alive? Did she have a living will that asked not to be kept alive by machines? Is there a chance at all for recovery?

She didn't have a will, all they have is her husbands word. The fact that he won't allow doctors to give certain care speaks volumes. Until they are certain their is no possibility for recovery, I'm all for extending her the life she has.

They say she can smile and cry and is aware when people are in her presence. That shows me that something is still working in her and I think they need to exaust all efforts.
 
I think the husband is hiding something too! maybe not, but now he won't let anyone go near her. Her Brother went to see her and was turned away, orders by her husband to not allow her family to see her. I am sure this is now going to be a legal fight now too. I don't care what kind of state she is in, as long as her heart is beating, she is alive and deserves to stay that way. If the feeding tube didn't work and she died on her own, where her heart stopped, that's a different story, she died with no help from anyone, but let the girl LIVE.
 
Please tell me you people are joking! Yes, some of you are right...you have no medical background. So what the heck are you talking about?

Dehydration is actually an easy way to go. Alot easier then some illnesses. You all have internet access...read about the topic. Keep in mind, I mean dehydration; I certainly wouldn't want this poor woman to be in pain (and that can be prevented).

Let this husband get on with his life. Her parents/family are ridiculous. They are only torturing this poor woman. And for what? So she can be kept "alive" for how many years, being turned once in a while when staff *is* available to prevent bedsores.

And that doesn't sound like TORTURE??? Get real people. Oh, and btw, I'm a hospice RN. Before you all blast me, I'm NOT saying the woman shouldn't be kept medicated and pain free. That is an absolute must.

Just my humble opinion. OK, all you medical geniuses, go ahead and slam me. BTW...have a nice day.
 
Well, you could be right, but she is still Alive and breathing, and could you make that choice if it were your Daughter, to all her to STARVE, you say dehydration, to me it's starve her, isn't this what the feeding tube was for, FEEDING? whether liquid or not, it's a way of feeding her - and if you stop, you don't think there is no torture to that? Once they put it back in, the Husband then decides NOT to allow her family to see her, how is that right? Who said he can't go on with his life? Divorce her then, I am sure it would be granted, let him move on and let her family care for her.
 
Dehydration is actually an easy way to go.

I disagree, I've read many stories on the suffering that occurs from dehydration. Read what this doctor has to say:

http://www.crosswalk.com/news/1225682.html

Pay special attention to the lower portion of the article.

Let this husband get on with his life. Her parents/family are ridiculous.

They sure are, thats totally absurd of them to want to exhaust every available option before putting their daughter to sleep like a dog at the kennel.

And that doesn't sound like TORTURE??? Get real people. Oh, and btw, I'm a hospice RN. Before you all blast me, I'm NOT saying the woman shouldn't be kept medicated and pain free. That is an absolute must.

Tell us about your qualifications in the world of proper euthanasia. Until we see the actual credentials, you are stating an opinion exactly as we are.

It's obvious you are passionate about this subject, but you'll probably receive a better welcome if you don't make your first post ridiculing those who posted in the thread previously.
 
Let this husband get on with his life.

Funny thing available to people today... its called

D-I-V-O-R-C-E

OH.. whoops... I guess if he does that, he wouldnt be entitled to any insurance, etc. Silly me... its MUCH easier to just starve her to death....
 
Oops - didn't I hear this lousy bastard already has a kid and another on the way with his girlfriend of 10 years or more?? Could he maybe use her life insurance money?
 
Didn't hear that one, but all makes more sense now! he should shack up with Scott Peterson!!!!
 
Originally posted by gop_jeff

Michael Schiavo says his wife never wanted to be kept alive artificially and doctors have testified she is in a persistent vegetative state.

I think I have to agree with Lissa on this one guys, although I wont take her ridiculing tone. If she is is a persistent vegative state...what kind of life does she have to look foward to?

The Schindlers dispute she had such wishes and say their daughter has enough functioning ability to laugh, cry and react to them.
How do they know if they arent allowed to visit?

Felos said that on Tuesday, Terri was showing signs of massive organ failure and that the reinsertion of the tube is just prolonging her death.

What good is it to keep her alive if she has organ failure??



I havent read much on the subject..but I know if I were on this..especially after 10 yrs...PLEASE pull the tube!!!

It is harder when it is your child..but that is only for your greed..not the good of your child.
 
As far as her family not being able to see her, it's in the news. Yes, it might be greed and selfish of a parent to want their child to live, but you know that's not an easy thing, but she is alive, her heart beating, breathing and her Dad took a video of her smiling, and looking at them! there was no where that it was stated that 100% without a doubt she could never come out of this! maybe it is selfish, but it's bad enough when we have to play God to put down an animal, how do you do that to your child??? If she were on a feeding tube and she died naturally on here own, that's one thing, but who is anybody to make the choice to let her STARVE! Sorry, I find it wrong and inhumane - but that's just my opinion.
 
Just to clear up some of the stuff misunderstood... (and if someone heard different in the news, please correct me if I'm wrong... those closer to Florida would have more facts, I'm sure)

How do they know if they arent allowed to visit?

They were permitted to visit her up until her feeding tube was ordered by Gov. Bush to be reinserted, which was rather recent. It was AFTER they reinserted her feeding tube this last time that the husband refused to allow her family to visit.

What good is it to keep her alive if she has organ failure??

Her organ failure was due to the feeding tube being removed. She was slowly starving to death, and her organs had begun to shut down due to starvation, not from the vegetative state.


One of the reports I've read showed a "good prognosis" from the doctors (this diagnosis was years ago) showing that some doctors believed that she, someday, could come out of this vegetative state.

On any "normal" given day, she can show reactions/emotions. She responds to people who visit, she shows signs of laughing, crying. She gets excited to see her parents. She is in there "somewhere". "Complete vegetative state" makes me think of someone comatose with a breathing machine and an artificial machine helping pump the heart, etc. I dont believe this to be that case.

As a mother, I can understand her parents wanting to do ANYTHING to prolong her life.

Anything is possible with this case....


Examples of other similar instances
 
Thanks for that bit of info.

Some could sit and say it's selfish, but I truly wonder if in that position as a Parent that they can without a doubt say it's selfish then, or be willing to stop the feeding.
 

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