About 2o years ago, my grandmother suffered a stroke that left her comatose and completely dependent on respirator and feeding tubes in order to live. She never regained conciousness and except from random jerking of her hands and feet, there was no sign of life on her. My aunt, seeing the escalating medical bills, wanted to pull everything out, and bring her home. The doctor said, if they do that, she will die on her way home. So my mother fought with her sister, and so she remained on respirators and feeding tube for weeks, until she eventually passed away.

My point is, my grandma had no sign of life and yet my mother decided to keep her respirator and feeding tube on. I saw Terry's videos, and cognitive or not of what is going on around her, SHE IS VERY MUCH ALIVE. She may have lost all the qualities of life that we think are essential, but the FACT IS, SHE IS ALIVE. And I think nobody has the right to decide whether she should die or not. When it is her time to go, despite of having feeding tubes on, believe me she will go on her own.

She had bulimia, meaning she only wanted to lose weight, but not starve herself to death, which is what her husband wants to happen. If her husband really loves her, I think HE should starve himself too, as he starves her to death. He should not eat anything till she dies, or whoever among them die first. So he can really prove the phrase till death do us part. Let him suffer the way he wants her to suffer till she dies. Then maybe, after a day, he will put the feeding tube back on Terry himself.

Posted by: Nenette at March 18, 2005 8:11 AM

I think and i beleive that the only thing that is going to save Terri is God and i beleive that her husband should let God take her home as he sees fit her husband does not have the right to play God I say leave her alone and let her live until God comes to take her home he has a plan for all of ours live and he knows when she is going to die just as he know when we all will and how starving this women to death is wrong

Posted by: June at March 18, 2005 8:20 AM

I have no words for the sad behavior of Michael Schiavo towards his once beloved wife... I sincerely hope that Terri Schindler will be saved from the murderous instinct of this animal-like human being. I'm always disgusted to observe how money can lead people to commit the most dispicable atrocities...

All my thoughts are with Terri and her familly.
------
Robert Rheault,
Trois-Rivieres,
Quebec, Canada

Posted by: Robert Rheault at March 18, 2005 9:20 AM

I do thank God for His Grace. There are times when we think we have problems and that's when our God of Revelation, allows us to get out of the way and see the important issues of His Way, His Truth and His Life.
Truly what God has blessed no man may curse. It seems in trying to play gods ourselves, we loose the concept of that.
My prayers are with all the warriors in prayers, vigils, writing and marching. Praised be Jesus!

Posted by: Luis Monteagudo at March 18, 2005 9:37 AM

I don't want this to be taken out of context, so I'll say what I should have, I'm praying for Terri, her immediate family of support and those other members who have stood in the gap.
I also pray for those who don't see God's will in this, as a precious life being thrown out to the side. I pray for her husband most of all, his spirit, soul, conscience, mind and heart.
In Jesus Holy Name, Amen! May His Grace always be abundant and Peace bring us His Joy, to make it complete. Alleluia!

Posted by: Luis Monteagudo at March 18, 2005 9:41 AM

I have followed Terri's story for the last several years and nothing I have seen makes me feel that she is in a persistent vegatative state. Working as an RN in hospitals and nursing homes in the past I have seen those who were "Vegetables" and Terri is definitely not in the same category.

If Terri were connected to true "life support", this would mean to me that once they "pulled the plug" she could not sustain herself more than a few minutes, possibly struggling along for an hour or so before she passed away. What Michael Schiavo wants to do to his spouse is inhumane. A baby cannot feed itself, so do we just throw it in the corner and let it die????

Terri's parents love her and want to care for her. They want to provide rehabilitation for their child that will help her to have more control over her life. These are the same feelings any parent would have for a child. If Michael Schiavo truly loved her he would give them control and let them care for her. If one of his children by his "girlfriend" had broken both arms, would he withhold food and rehabilitation for the child? I would love to see how this man thinks.

I do not want any life support measures taken when I have reached the end of my life, but I do not consider Terri at the end of her life. Terri has a story to tell and lessons to teach all of us. I am taking steps now to define just what I mean by life support and feel that everyone should do the same so that our families do not have to suffer through the agonies that the Schindler family has been living.

My thoughts and prayers are with Terri and her true family. May the best come of all this! Anne Boan

Posted by: Anne Boan at March 18, 2005 1:38 PM

Someone Please tell me why and how michael Shiavo has been able to use the funds awarded for Terri's health care on legal bills? Not to mention himself?

Posted by: Linda at March 18, 2005 3:20 PM

This is the "line" I have feared. When it is legal to take the life of somebody who is unable to contribute financially, or who is a "burden" or an "irritant" to a spouse, parent or special interest group. We have seen these lines pushed in abortion (not to save the life of the mother but as birth control.). Will the future bring the the mass elimination of the elderly, disabled, lazy or troublesome teens? God be with Terri.

Posted by: Joyce at March 18, 2005 7:35 PM

I'm deeply disappointed that Senator Ron Wyden has taken this position. This issue should not be an issue of Democrats vs. Republicans. It is an issue of someone severely injured, but not in apparent pain or in possible death from their injuries being murdered by a highly suspect story by her husband claiming it's her wishes although she never signed any statement indicating such.

Her husband should be man enough to divorce her and allow the parents the right to her daughter. The husband is living with a "common law" wife currently, and continues to promote his highly suspect tale of Terri's wishes", yet despite these details which seem to weaken the credibility of his witness, he seems to have gotten his wish to disconnect the feeding tube.

I'm consistently prolife: antiabortion, for animal rights and a vegan, antiwar, and for court protections for the handicapped. This handicapped woman deserves protection from the state.

Ron Wyden has had a good record on issues that protect the powerless, the elderly, consumers and more. How he could side with this position to disconnect the feeding tube is way beyond me. Hopefully other responsible Democrats will respond to efforts to save this woman's life.

Posted by: Paul Hooson at March 18, 2005 11:49 PM

I believe that Michael Schiavo and Scott Peterson have a lot in common...instead of divorce they opt to KILL their wives...can you spell sociopath?

This is the unholy trinity: Schiavo-Felos-Greer
they will surely answer to God and His Holy trinity.

Posted by: phyllis at March 19, 2005 12:59 AM

I have been following this story now for a few years. I am appalled that her husband who has apparently gone on with his life still has the right to make such decisions. He needs to grant guardianship to her parents and allow them to make those decisions for her. I don’t understand why he insists on fighting them when he has already started another family with another woman. Removing that tube from Terri is murder in my eyes. Her husband needs to be a man and give her back to her parents who love her and want to see her get well.

I hope that our government system intervenes in this killing of a helpless human being. To the judge who agreed with the decision to remove her tube: Shame on you!!! That was a cruel, heartless decision.

Posted by: Diana at March 19, 2005 7:26 AM

This should be called a "Right to Life" case not a
Right to DIE!! if FELOS and his ilk have their way...all the mentally/physically handicapped people in this world will be EUTHANIZED!!
PEOPLE!! WAKE UP AND SMELL THE FORMALDAHYDE!! remember how HITLER started!!
this case is based on HERESAY!! are we to believe
a man who CHEATS on his innocent wife, who REFUSED
to show up for a deposition for Gov. Jeb's lawyers
and who also has lots of money waiting for him IF Terri dies...GOD FORBID!! I cannot believe how GULLIBLE this world is!! Listening to his story thru the liberal media and swallowing it hook, line and sinker!! Try getting informed by going to terrisfight.org

Posted by: phyllis b at March 19, 2005 11:30 PM

U.S. District Judge James Whittemore, a Clinton appointee, should not be trusted to do what is right concerning Terri Schindler-Schiavo. I believe that a pardon from President Bush is the only thing that will save her life. This is a rather urgent matter. This is also a historic matter, and President Bush can make history on a more grand and righteous scale than was achieved by President Lincoln when he first pardoned a Thanksgiving turkey.

Either Gov. Bush or President Bush can make history here by pardoning Terri Schindler-Schiavo, and everyone who reads this can call, write, and e-mail our leaders and urge them to act.

Posted by: Burtis D. Walker at March 22, 2005 7:33 AM

URGENT! A Presidential pardon or a pardon by Gov. Jeb Bush is urgently needed NOW for Terri Schindler-Schiavo. Call and write President Bush and Governor Bush. They were elected for such a time as this.

Posted by: Burtis D. Walker at March 22, 2005 7:40 AM

I can't believe this is happing
why cant Terri have a laywer one to go in and fight for her...her xhusband should have no sayso...he committed adultry and should be out of her life he has a new live in so called wife and father two children with her...many of us agree that he should not be any part of what happens to Terri...he is only in it for the money and wants her dead so he and his family can get on with there life.
her parents gave her life and want to keep her alive and take care of her...i hope and prat that Terris xhusband and all the judges and other who signed her death warrent,they are no different than all the people on death row or in the jails the only difference is that the judges and others who are going to kill terri is that they can committ murder and get away with it...i hope and pray they all will pay for it the rest of their life..i hope they suffer twice as much as they have made terri and her parents suffer
i really believe that terri xhusband had something to do with why she is this way now but only she and he knows the real truth and after he won all the money to help take care of her but never used it for her...but now he wants her dead and out of the way i think he is running scared because she is doing alittle better hes afraid that maybe she will recover and tell the whole truth so he must make sure she never does...thats why she needs protection from him her xhusband...

my daughter care for people just like terri and with therapy and care they do get better...this morning on the news not only a nurse of terris who cared for her till she was fired said she can speak she was holding a rag till her x came in and stoped it saying it was a form of therapy and he dont want that...also a lady who was just like terri recovered and is now her self agin she heard people talking about doing what they are doing to terri but she couldnt speak but thank god they didnt do it or that lady would be dead as well...what will it hurt to give terri a chance after all they dont have nothing to lose...give her therapy...give her treatment...get her so called husband away from her so she has a chance...
GOD BLESS YOU TERRI AND HER FAMILY
MARY
IN
PA

Posted by: Mary at March 22, 2005 5:07 PM

a pardon for Terri? that's interesting but she's NOT a murderer!! does that still hold for someone in her condition? It's very strange that she is NOT receiving her FULL Constitutional rights~~like a killer on death row would!! i can't BELIEVE that the courts are taking sooo long again!! Curses to Whitemore the fed.'judge' for acting so nice to the family to get their hopes up...i heard someone say that his 'body language' seemed to be sympathetic towards her parents...SHAME on him!!
Mary, you ask what harm would it do to give Terri a chance to live? THe HARM would be to Michael as he has an evil SECRET he's trying to hide!! check out www.terrisfight.org to find out what that is!!

Posted by: phyllis b at March 22, 2005 11:20 PM

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

For having the email addresses of the Florida US Senate in own handy list--so that I could plead via email with the one who voted AGAINST keeping Terri alive, and thank via email those who voted FOR--and encourage them on.

I was able to refer this link to my friends--so that they would not have to search and search, as I did early this morning.

Posted by: Galya Campano at March 23, 2005 6:48 AM