let that poor woman go to her final resting place. how selfish are these parents they would rather have their daughter with this quality of life rather than let her go with the hope of seeing her again like she was before her accident.

Posted by: amy at March 18, 2005 2:51 PM

Amy - that's what I thought until I looked at the testimony. terrisfight.org.

Posted by: Teri J at March 18, 2005 2:54 PM

amy, how long have you ever gone without food or water? Have you ever refused to feed a child of yours? How dare you judge the Schindlers?

Posted by: corrie at March 18, 2005 2:56 PM

Terri wants to live she should be free to do so.

Posted by: Alnot at March 18, 2005 2:57 PM

corrie,

That's a two-way street. How dare you judge a judge or Michael Schiavo.

Let's try and not be too ridiculous with our coverage and commentary.

Posted by: Chris Short at March 18, 2005 2:59 PM

Wow...that's all I can say to the anonymous comment...

Posted by: Catherine at March 18, 2005 3:00 PM

I can't believe people trust anything the media will say. And trust a Judge just cause he's a judge. Hitler was also a well respected man and the Germans had no problem following him...

Posted by: Catherine at March 18, 2005 3:01 PM

Here's what you can expect from the media. Mark my words. She's hysterical right now. If they do remove the tube, they'll have to sedate her first. They'll report that the event was "peaceful".

Posted by: Teri J at March 18, 2005 3:05 PM

Just give her an injection and put her out of her misery. All this news coverage is annoying. Damn media always trying to draw attention to little stories.

Posted by: George at March 18, 2005 3:06 PM

Ignorance is bliss...until your dead. It seems we have some people who don't know the facts.

Must be liberals supporting more death in our culture.

Posted by: Hidden Nook at March 18, 2005 3:06 PM

Hidden Nook: "It seems we have some people who don't know the facts."

Please provide facts FOR and AGAINST the life of Terri and justify them. Then you will see whether you have ALL the facts and opinions.

Posted by: George at March 18, 2005 3:08 PM

Let the poor woman die?? Okay, so it's more humane to let her starve to death than to let her live when she's obviously responding to people and words and things... The cruel commentaries here I'm reading are heartbreaking. Human life means so little to people now... kill unborn babies, kill people who can't eat by themselves, kill anyone who isn't "perfect"... SAVE TERRI... She deserves to live as much as anyone.

Posted by: Amy F. at March 18, 2005 3:10 PM

Amy F.-
Are you supporting keeping alive the non-perfect people because you might think of yourself in those same shoes? Imperfect? I know the feeling. In this new society of perfectness, you've gotten lost and fell behind. Unless you catch up, life will be full of bitterness as it was for those who didn't get out of the 50s when the 60s came and those who stayed in the 80s era when the 90s came. Welcome to the future.. Leave your old fashioned theories/morals at the door and grab the new ones.

Posted by: George at March 18, 2005 3:14 PM

Michael is an adulterous vow-breaker. He vowed to remain faithful to her for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, until death. He didn't begin the fight to kill her until years after her accident - until after the malpractice money was in the bank.

The judge is disregarding evidence that could prove that Terri is not in a PVS, and that she has been neglected.

Posted by: corrie at March 18, 2005 3:19 PM

I'd really like to find out what happened to Terri.

The low potassium, stiff neck, brain damage, and
swallowing difficulties (which I assume is why she
has a feeding tube) are all things my mom has too.

Mom also hasn't been able to walk or talk since
some seizures she had a few years ago as presumably
part of the progression of Alzheimer's. Could Terri
have had one or more seizures?

If Terri's feeding tube is not an option, could
someone feed her by spoon? I hold/prop up Mom so
she's in a 90-degree sitting position. At first
she could only take 1/8 tsp at a time followed by
several empty spoons (dipped in thick liquid then
shaken to remove extra drops) to trigger her
swallowing mechanism. Each meal would take about
three hours.

Mom still needs thick/pureed food to eat, but her
bites have gotten bigger, and she doesn't seem to
choke as much on her saliva. I always wait until
she swallows, but she now takes less than an hour.

As an aside, I assume that Terri's dilantin levels
have been checked, but does she see lights or
sparkly things? Even if she can't say yes in
answer to the question, it might be obvious if
she seemed to be watching something.

Posted by: Sandy at March 18, 2005 3:25 PM

This is so horrible.

Posted by: Will Franklin at March 18, 2005 3:26 PM

Amy is grossly uninformed. Terri is NOT in a "vegetative" state. She interacts with her surrounds, reactions to stimuli, etc.

Let me be blunt: Terri Schiavo is being slowly starved to death thanks to Michael Schiavo.

If people in Terri's condition can be wilfully killed, it is a very slippery slope we're all sliding on.

Posted by: Mark at March 18, 2005 3:31 PM

Michael Schiavo intends to cremate Terri immediately upon her death. Please see http://www.co.pinellas.fl.us/forensics/policy/policystatement.htm#CA . The Medical Examiner must approve all such requests. If Terri is killed by Michael and "Judge" [and Jury] Greer, then everyone must contact the Medical Examiner and demand an autopsy to discover not only the immediate cause of death, but the proximate cause of death.

Even Forensic Pathologist Michael Baden publicly stated that he believes that her original injuries were consitent with strangulation.

The Medical Examiner can (and should) be subject to adverse license action by the Medical Board should he fail to exercise appropriate judgement in accordance with the state medical practice act. If the Terri dies, we must all contact him immediately and demand justice for Terri. If a crime was committed, then several people need to go to jail including those who conspired to kill her (and cover it up)... Michael Schiavo, his live-in girlfriend, "Judge" Greer, the hospice staff, the physicians and those politicians and judges who failed to act on her behalf.

Contact information:
Jon R. Thogmartin, M.D., District Chief Medical Examiner
10900 Ulmerton Rd., Largo FL 33778
Telephone #. (727) 582-6800
Fax # (727) 582-6820
mailto:wpellan@co.pinellas.fl.us

I hope we never have to use this information, but please keep it available in case the evil forces win.

Robert W. Smith MD

Posted by: Robert W. Smith MD at March 18, 2005 3:39 PM

Stop your censorship of my posts. This is an open blog and you must be afraid of the truth to censor my comments.

Posted by: anonymous at March 18, 2005 3:47 PM

If you are free to say what you want, we are free to ignore you.

Posted by: maddox at March 18, 2005 4:01 PM

You are free to ignore me. Just not to delete my posts as is being done. Or I'll get a judge to protect my rights.

Posted by: anonymous at March 18, 2005 4:04 PM

Uhm...I'm thinking you have your identity a little confused... jl - the Taliban kill people - so do people like you - the Taliban kill innocent children... just like people with your mentality...
we freaks who try to protect the innocent must appear really frightening to those of you who are blood thirsty for the vulnerable innocents.

Posted by: Julie at March 18, 2005 4:07 PM

If this is a moderated forum - they should whip out the troll-be-gone, and you should go back to your spot under the rock from which you've crawled.

Posted by: Julie at March 18, 2005 4:20 PM

Persistent Vegetative State as described on the Penn State College of Medicine Faculty Research Expertise Database webpage " refers to the neurocognitive status of individuals with severe brain damage, in which physiologic functions(sleep-wake cycles, autonomic control and breathing)persist, but awareness(cognitive function and emotion)is abolished."

Terri cries after Attorney Weller explains to her what is about to happen(deprivation of food and fluids). In a previous experience,after 50 days of being denied rights to visit their daughter, Mary Schindler, Terri's Mom tells how Terri cried for 10 minutes when they were reunited. Do you know that Terri laughs? Have you seen the joy on her face when she interacts with her family? These are all very,very appropriate emotions based on her cognitive awareness.

Terri is not in PVS!!!! Terri is very aware.
Have you read the testimony from a professional nurse who cared for Terri for over a year at the nursing home? Read her affidavit on www.terrisfight.org . She fed Terri Jello which she swallowed without difficulty and appeared to enjoy! Later, in an interview with David Allen the same nurse, Carla Sauer Iyer, tells of witnessing Terri consuming pudding and milkshakes every night(See BlogsforTerri on March 15th). These nurses treated Terri like a human being with dignity and compassion; they all loved her and brought Terri out of her room to the nurses station to interact with her and give her the necessary stimulation that all brain injured persons need to recover cognitive losses.

Terri has been treated with unbelievable neglect and disregard for her basic human rights. She has been cruelly confined to her small hospice room for four years. (where she does not belong because she is not dying and hospice is for dying patients). She has not been outside for several years to feel the sunshine or gentle breezes. She could be allowed to go to Mass as she is a Catholic but she is not allowed even the smallest comforts of her Faith as religious pictures placed by her family in her room are turned against the wall!!!! It is an outrage beyond belief.

She has not had the simpliest range of motion exercises to keep her arms from contractures. She could and should have had Rehabilitation all these years so that she could get better.

Medicine is about healing and restoration not about killing through lethal deprivation of the most basic things we all need, that is, food and fluids. Food and Fluids are not medical treatments or life supports!! Under that definition we are all on "life supports". Which one of us could live without them?

I have worked several years as a neurosurgical nurse and a rehab nurse and have taken care of patients like Terri and have seen them get better. Perhaps all do not recover fully to a pre-injury level of functioning but is this the truest standard of "quality of life"? What about loving relationships with family and friends who love you and just being able to enjoy life in a different way? Who are we to define quality of life for a disabled individual?

I believe life is sacred and God's gift to each of us and we do not have a right to cause death by the intentional denial of the basic necessities. This is euthanasia and a very dangerous and immoral direction for our country.

Another consideration in this tragic case: There is very credible conflicting testimony regarding what Terri's wishes really were but this evidence would not be admitted to the court by Greer. He would sentence her to death by dening her both enteral and oral nutrition. The injustice is very evident to all who can see.

Tomorrow is March 19th the feast of St. Joseph, the protector of the Holy Family and the Universal Church. May St Joseph who acted obediently to protect the life of the infant Jesus from those who would destroy it be a powerful intercessor to save Terri now.

Posted by: Betsy at March 18, 2005 6:12 PM

JL>>The Government has no place to decide what medical care is given.

Good, then I can stop paying for Medicare and Social Security.

Posted by: Jordan at March 18, 2005 7:14 PM

It is simply beyond comprehention that we have laws against torture and murder and yet the courts have ruled to commit those very crimes that they have convicted others for!!! Terri is not some animal to be put out of it's misery! She is a human being with life still in her! What most of the world needs to hear {from a reputable doctor} is that the doctors who are responsible for Terri's care have not pulled any plugs, they are starving her to death! That is not dying with any form of dignity! God help anyone who says it is!

Posted by: Tina at March 18, 2005 7:26 PM

Providing the necessities of life being determined as artificially keeping someone alive as long as they function below a specific level and are dependent on others is just about the most disgusting twist of the law to date! Someone becomes dependent upon us for their care and we decide one day when and how they should die? What gives anyone the idea that they have that right? Then for some to look down their noses, stating this is a sign of progress in our society? Check the history books. This is far from progress in fact this is history repeating itself and that is not a good thing!

Teri is not unconscious and she has some level of response to her environment. This does not meet the requirements for a persistent vegetative state. So it would be great if the media, press and Michael Schiavo would quit referring to Teri as PVS. The fact that she is shown repeatedly on TV moving her head and smiling occasionally is enough to end the PVS label. Teri is not terminally ill with medical treatment prolonging a torturous death (the necessities of life should not be considered medical treatment). If it would be illegal to smother her or shoot her, then why should any other form of killing her be legal? (Being smothered or shot would be less painful and much quicker than starving to death.)

Society becomes alarmed when a child dies due to neglect. Hey that's the parents business! If they don't feel like feeding him, who are we to say anything? Live and let live right? If I drive by a pasture or backyard and see some animal starving to death, big deal! What that owner does is none of my concern! Why do we even run nursing homes? Just quit feeding those old folks, they’re dying anyway and it would be much cheaper than nursing home care! (Sarcasm! I will label it for those brilliant souls who might think I’m really on to something with those ideas.)

Teri’s parents and siblings love her, let them care for her. What would that hurt? Michael is well aware that his wife is not PVS as he would like the world to believe. Good grief you don’t need a medical degree to see that! He can get a divorce and get on with his life if that is what he wants. He really needs to quit with, it would be her wishes and he only has Teri’s best interests at heart bunk!

If Michael wants to have Teri "put down" like he would the family pet, and a judge wants to say he has that right as though Teri was property and not a human being. At least have the decency to kill her in a humane way, like lethal injection! Even serial killers and pit bulls warrant that type of death instead of starving for two weeks until the body shuts down. How can Teri have fewer rights than a serial killer or pit bull?

Why don't we stop feeding the inmates on death row? I'm sure it would be substantially cheaper than lethal injection. Quit feeding people with Alzheimer’s, dementia and cerebral palsy and numerous others unable to take of themselves. I'm sure that the relief on the health and judicial systems would be enormous! I only have the best interests of our society in mind! (More sarcasm.)

For Michael to argue that this is Teri’s wish. Bunk! She is obviously close to her family. If she would even tend to feel that way people who have known her for her entire life would know. Those who know me know how I feel on all kinds of subjects. Not just one person. Michael can not possible know that Teri isn’t looking at him and wanting to scream please don’t kill me!

While this controversy has centered on Teri Shiavo, the fact is many people are killed in like manner. Teri’s family stood up, brought this issue to the awareness of the general public and gave it a face. It is time we stop accepting this form of murder as socially acceptable!

I just saw Michael’s lawyer on CNN saying that any guardian of Teri’s would not be able to stop the feeding tube from being removed because the courts have decided. What a bunch of garbage! When the courts get to decide if you live or die we are all in terrible trouble!

Posted by: imdll at March 18, 2005 8:45 PM

Holy cow. Man, some people's kids.

My prayers are for Terri and her family, her REAL family. May they be comforted by the fact that if she does pass away, she'll be at home in Heaven with her risen Lord and Savior. That will be the only good thing to come of this, should she pass away.

I'll save my euthanasia comments for a different thread.

Blessings,
Beckie

Posted by: Rebecca at March 18, 2005 9:08 PM

I can't help but voice that this matter has nothing to do with your political beliefs. This is a human rights issue, and should be viewed as such. As Americans we all believe in the equality that is supposedly afforded to all of us. Terri has the right to proper care that she has been denied. She should be with her parents. Her husband hasn't had her best interests in mind for years.

Posted by: Vicky at March 18, 2005 10:45 PM

they say michael did not say anything in the lawsuits about terris wish to not be on life support. This is the whole crux of this ordeal.
Yes I think that it needs to be investigated. Is Michael Schiavo guilty of premeditated murder. You know they say what goes around comes around. Michael may someday have to pull the plug on one of his children or his new wife. I bet ya he wont do it.
The media is not telling the whole story about this they are not letting the people know that michael won money to rehabilitate terri and then refused to rehabilitate her. What has been his motive from the beginning? For all you people out there who thinks that felos and michael and greer are doing the right thing you need to get the whole story and facts. You cant believe a man who says he wants money to rehabilitate hois wife and then refuses to rehabilitate her!!!!!
He is a liar and a murderer!!! I pray that God raises up a defense for her...everyone read and pray Psalmes 35. justice for terri on monday and the coming year. And may the angels of heaven feed her manna from on high and keep her hydrated and fed ,on the water and bread from on high.

Posted by: pattie at March 18, 2005 11:10 PM

Apparently J.L. now wishes to use this forum to launch a vitriolic and offensive attack against the Pope,the Catholic Church and religion in general. I don't think this is appreciated by the readers and I say we ask him politely to sign off as his remarks continue to get more offensive and ridiculous.

"Terri has been dead for 15 years" Watch out for this line of thought! Now I know why I dislike this term persistent vegetative state. It has lead to such absurd statements as "She's a vegetable" and then further " She's been dead for 15 years!" So now someone whose heart is beating and breathes on there own and responds appropriately but in limited ways because they are cognitively disabled can be called "dead" ?

A very dangerous line of thought and dishonest.

The final thing to be said about his (J.L.) views:
"no thought process"

Posted by: Betsy at March 18, 2005 11:58 PM

I have been reading some of these posts with shock and dismay at the hardness of people's hearts.

Michael Schiavo has a monetary motive to ensure Terri's death. That fact alone should cause any thinking person to question his claim that this is what she wanted.

Michael is not being asked to stop his own life - he is free to go own with his life - all he has to do is relinquish control of Terri. Divorce her. A thinking person would question why he is intent on removing her feeding tube. The family is willing to take care of her.

Clearly he has something to hide, and something to gain.

When our society allows this kind of behavior, then no one is safe.

My prayers are with her family. My prayers go out to those hard hearted people do not see that we are judged not by how we treat the healthy, but the infirm, the sick, the needy.

Posted by: Jim at March 19, 2005 12:37 AM

It's so obvious that JL is having a good patty-cake time trying to get everyone's goat, and, indeed, it has worked with some. JL is just trying to get attention hiding under the cloak of anonymity (or so JL thinks!). Consider this person a distraction to more important things. My advice is not to waste any more energy on this person's posts or those who are not honestly debating and asking questions. Part of this blog, I would imagine, is to help inform people and change hearts. Please galvanize your determination in saving Terri, pray, share info, pray some more, console one another, call your reps, call the media and correct them and direct them to the facts, and then pray some more. This is not a game. All those who believe in all life MUST take a big stand on this one. We, those who value life...particularly innocent life, have to win this battle as society has already taken such a huge blow from Rowe v. Wade. We will all benefit from good changes in law as a result of all this. Certainly, these changes are long overdue. Terri just happens to be the Rosa Parks for this issue. She represents all those disabled in similar situations, present and future.

Oh, and, while you're at it, say a prayer for JL too.

Posted by: Thomas Time at March 19, 2005 2:21 PM

Are there laws against bigamy in Florida? If so, isn’t Michael Schiavo committing bigamy by continuing to be married to Terri and having a common law wife and children?

How can the courts allowed someone who is in the process of committing a crime continue to be the guardian of Terri and make the decision he has made?

Posted by: calo at March 23, 2005 9:59 AM

Pray to the only one who can Save -to the only one that can Heal,Jesus may you be high & lifted up thorugh Terri's life. We choose to forgive those that don't have a clue what they are doing
& ask in the Mighty Name of Jesus that you raise Terri up!May you be Glorified ,Lord Jesus

Posted by: carol at March 23, 2005 11:17 AM

I am still praying for the family and Terri that god will provide a mircle. God have mercy on us. Robert

Posted by: Robert J Kime at March 23, 2005 1:37 PM