I keep hearing the words of Don McLean's song, American Pie:

"...I saw Satan laughing with delight, the day Miss Terri died..."

Posted by: Tress at March 29, 2005 4:55 PM

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7328639/

As much as some people would like it to be, its really not the truth that Terri is cognitive and aware...or has been for 15 years. Now's the time to probably let it go.

Posted by: jason at March 29, 2005 5:08 PM

No one died in the Scopes trial. I can't think of a case in the history of the United States where a judge issued a death warrant for an indisputably innocent human being.

Posted by: extremecatholic at March 29, 2005 5:09 PM

Sorry Jason, you don't know the truth because you refuse to get your "facts" from anywhere but mainstream media. If you've really looked at the website you'd find out what the real facts are.

I can assume you're a troll...

Posted by: Sirena at March 29, 2005 5:14 PM

Jason, a CT scan cannot diagnose what has been diagnosed. Unfortunately there's a lot you're missing in this case. I hope you'll do some research.

Posted by: Foug at March 29, 2005 5:18 PM

Hey Terri Supporters:

Don't waste your energy on responding to the "kill Terri" bloggers. They aren't worth it.

Posted by: Tress at March 29, 2005 5:19 PM

Tress,

In regard to your first post, I too have been thinking of Don McLean's song. To paraphrase the title: "The Day America Died".

Posted by: Tom Spence at March 29, 2005 5:36 PM

Do not give up yet! Keep praying, keep calling and sending faxes.

Pray for Terri, and also for her husband and the judges (yes, I know this is hard, but we have to do it anyway), and for the legislators and officers of the law.

Posted by: Mary in LA at March 29, 2005 5:41 PM

I just follow the Golden Rule and I thank God that my all family loves me enough to let me go when the time comes and not try to burden the world with their inability to accept my death.
God bless Micheal Schiavo for caring enough about his wife's wishes to continue to fight for them long after a lesser person would have taken the easy path and just walked away, letting her parents sustain her in spite of what Terri would have wanted. If it were me in his position I can't say that I could fight so long or so hard. His love for her is exceptional.

Posted by: Tom at March 29, 2005 5:43 PM

Tom, I trust and hope that you have written your wishes down. Not just a living will, either -- get yourself a durable power of attorney for health care. As I've said before elsewhere, if there is one lesson that people on all sides of this issue should draw from the discussion, it is to make sure to put their wishes in clear, unambiguous writing.

Posted by: Mary in LA at March 29, 2005 6:35 PM

I wonder if Terri might have executed an advance directive for organ donation in connection with her drivers license. Has anyone considered this approach?

A diligent search of drivers license records is necessary to preserve her rights. Food and fluids should be immediately reinstituted to preserve her rights during the search process.

If organ transplants are ordered, perhaps even based on an oral representation, then that would trigger a much-needed medical evaluation.

A physician is planning on filing a pro se motion for a TRO in the matter of Schiavo etc:

The Florida Department of Motor Vehicles maintains an organ donor registry. Every licensed driver in the State of Florida has the ability to designate him/her as an organ donor.

This designation is accepted in the State of Florida as an advance directive, which provides consent to organ donation.

Appellant, Terri Schiavo, is or was a licensed driver in the State of Florida.

A determination is thus required to find whether such an advance directive in the form of a Florida Driver’s License exists. This could be performed by production of appellant’s driver’s license by the appellant, the appellant’s guardian or family.


Failure of production of this driver’s license would mandate an exhaustive search of DMV records.
Pending such determination, immediate fluid resuscitation should be provided to the appellant in the interest of preservation of any advance wishes regarding organ transplantation by preserving such organs.

If such an advance directive exists, extensive medical evaluation by a surgical transplantation team is required. This would include testing to determine if appellant satisfies established criteria for brain death.

Posted by: AndyS at March 29, 2005 6:39 PM

AndyS, that's an interesting idea -- how do we get it to David Gibbs or Barbara Weller, the Schindlers' lawyers?

Posted by: Mary in LA at March 29, 2005 7:09 PM

Mary,

Thanks for your feedback. Have you heard of this approach ever being considered in this case?

I don't know how to get it to Gibbs or Weller. Perhaps someone else does.

Certainly no one should oppose preservation of the organs, and a stay should be required to search for an advance directive.

Andy

Posted by: AndyS at March 29, 2005 7:37 PM

Andy, this is a new one on me. Maybe our wonderful site admins know, or maybe there's contact info on terrisfight.org?

Posted by: Mary in LA at March 29, 2005 7:52 PM

I fail to see how you can equate this with the Scopes Trial. The Scopes trial simply established that you couldn't punish someone for teaching science to children and ultimately decided the course of scientific teaching in schools. It was, ultimately, the right decision. I don't think anyone would want to have American school children not knowing the basic and almost universally accepted tenants (at least scientifically speaking) of evolution. America is certainly better off for the final results of the Scopes trial.

If you're calling this the Scopes trial of the 21st century it's like you're deeming Michael Schivo's case to be the ultimately correct and worthy one. I don't think anyone here wants to say that.

Posted by: Dean A. Smith at March 29, 2005 9:26 PM

Actually, I'd say that this is more like the Dred Scott decision.

Posted by: Mary in LA at March 30, 2005 11:31 AM

The Carter Center has been quiet. Why? They support "human rights". Jimmy Carter is a Christian! Where is his voice? Why is he silent?

I've tried to email them, but not even the courtesy of a response. "A voice crying in the wilderness" ???

Even Jesse Jackson has defended the right to life!

Please email the Carter Center and have them weigh in as friend or foe.

carterweb@emory.edu

If anyone knows former President Carter's email, please post it.

Posted by: Robert W. Smith MD at March 30, 2005 8:41 PM