FL - Terri Schiavo Court Case

alpharee

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I've been very moved by this story. Thank God Gov. Bush intervened!I can't believe a judge would order her to death by starvation! This judge needs to be removed!

Terri Schiavo is a brain-damaged woman whose husband has petitioned the courts to end her life by removal of her feeding tube. Her husband argues that she is in a persistent vegetative state, though her parents have been told by 12 doctors that she can improve with proper therapy. Mr. Schiavo, Terri's husband, began withholding nutrition and hydration shortly after winning $1.2 million on her behalf in a medical malpractice lawsuit. He has his OWN motives for this! SELFISH and I think this is MURDER! Bast%$#~ I'm outraged!

Today, October 21, 2003, the Florida Legislature and House passed bill 35E - Terri's Bill - into law.

This law allowed Florida's Governor, Jeb Bush, to issue an Executive Order allowing nutrition and hydration to be returned to the disabled Florida woman.

Terri had been without nutrition and hydration for more than 6 days.

She has been transported to Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater. And is to be receiving proper attention immediately.

The whole story can be read here.
The Terri Schiavo Story
 
I agree that starvation is a terrible way to end a life, but I have to agree with the husband that she would never wish to live like this. I've seen to many sad situations where the quality of live is so poor that no one would ever choose it. IMO most people have no idea what it would be like to survive like this for one year, much less thirteen.
One day there may be a kinder way to carry out a persons wishes when there's no hope for a real recovery.
 
Yes, it sounds horrible. My grandmother had terminal cancer and she died this way. The doctors removed food and water because she was never going to improve and keeping her alive was only prolonging her suffering. She was kept on morphine and slept most of the time. She never asked for anything - just wanted to rest. It is a terrible situation for a family to be in. Sadly though, there are times when the end is a blessing but it's hard to watch.
 
I agree this isn't a way to live but NOTHING has been done to try to improve Terri. NO therapy even after many doctors testified that she can improve. Her husband has made staements he wishes she was dead and some of the nurses have testified they think he has tried to kill her in the past by insulin. Lowering her blood sugar. He makes rude comments about wishing she would hurry up and die. He won't let her parents see her or try and get her help. He tends to get her trust fund if she is dead and I think thats what this man is after. How do we know it was her wish not to be on life support of any kind? It's his word. That's it. She had no will.

From personal experience, I know she could improve. My grandfather was in this same situation and with 3 years of therapy he now walks, talks and enjoys life. he's not the same as before his accident no but he's come a long ways. He can hold a conversation with you, play games, watch tv and understand anything you say. He can walk with assistance of a walker and has come a long way. They said he would always be a vegatable but he proved them all wrong. How do we know this couldn't happen with Terri unless she gets the treatments that she so deserves.
I still say the husband is after the $$$$$$. He doesn't care what Terri wants or he would have put her in some kind of therapy by now. It's been 10 years with nothing. He already has a new family with children. So why doesn't he just divorce Terri and let her family look after her? Because he wants that $$$$$!!
 
I am in agreement with Alpharee. I have been to Terri's website and read all the info both pro/cons. I saw her dad/sister on two cable news shows a couple of nights ago describing how the family thinks it is even possible Terri is in this horrible state because of abuse from her husband. Medical records show they think it is possible he attempted to strangle her. He wants her dead, period, as soon as possible so she can never recover and name him as the culprit. He collected all that money in the medical malpractice suit and never even attempted to put her into rehabilitation to try to get her some help. Many doctors have testified for her parents that they think Terri would benefit from intensive rehab. It is very obvious to me that he wants her dead so he can collect the remaining money and finally marry his long-standing girlfriend. The media fails to report most of these facts and just states that the husband says that his wife told him she never wanted to be kept alive artificially. With NO living will this is just his word and nothing to back it up. I wish her husband would turn over custody to the parents and let them get Terri the help she needs. Unfortunately, I think the legal wrangling is just beginning. I feel Jeb Bush did the right thing!
 
Originally posted by bluehawaii25
I am in agreement with Alpharee. I have been to Terri's website and read all the info both pro/cons. I saw her dad/sister on two cable news shows a couple of nights ago describing how the family thinks it is even possible Terri is in this horrible state because of abuse from her husband. Medical records show they think it is possible he attempted to strangle her. He wants her dead, period, as soon as possible so she can never recover and name him as the culprit. He collected all that money in the medical malpractice suit and never even attempted to put her into rehabilitation to try to get her some help. Many doctors have testified for her parents that they think Terri would benefit from intensive rehab. It is very obvious to me that he wants her dead so he can collect the remaining money and finally marry his long-standing girlfriend. The media fails to report most of these facts and just states that the husband says that his wife told him she never wanted to be kept alive artificially. With NO living will this is just his word and nothing to back it up. I wish her husband would turn over custody to the parents and let them get Terri the help she needs. Unfortunately, I think the legal wrangling is just beginning. I feel Jeb Bush did the right thing!
You're right on the money bluehawaii25! From what I've read the family has been fighting this for 10 years. The husband states he has no life with Terri alive, the family says then divorce Terri and move on. That's exactly what he should do. But why won't he? because if he does that, he'll lose the $$$$$. From all I've read he treats her like CRAP! This coming from testimony of nurses, etc. He doesn't care about her, he wants the money and I thank God for Gov. Bush for coming to her aid. I hope that after all is done the family gets guardianship so Terri can get the right treatments she deserves.
 
This story is absolutely tragic...this woman could perhaps have come on immensely had she been allowed therapy. Her 'husband', in my opinion, is the cause of the whole thing. She had issues with her weight and was bulimic (her heart stopped due to a lack of potassium through persistent vomiting) and he liked to criticize her appearance at every opportunity....I never thought I would hear myself praising a member of the Bush family....
 
What kind of improvement could anyone expect from someone who has been brain dead for 13 years?
This case has made it's way through the legal system for the last 10 years. IMO if the husband was guilty of all these things he never would have been able to remain the person to be calling the shots. As much as the parents have tried to stop things, they would have gotten guardianship a long time ago.

Money or no money, I feel for this shell of a woman who now has to endure her vegetative life because her parents won't see she lost her life years ago.

I do think this will get more people talking and discussing with their family about what their wishes would be, but I doubt that many will actually do the paperwork, because everyone wants to think it won't ever happen in their family. Sad thing is, it happens in families every day.
 
She is NOT brain dead, I have seen videos of her behavior, and she is NOT brain dead for sure. I would like to recommend a book I think everyone should read called "the Diving Bell & The Butterfly"
which was written by a man who fluttered ot the entire book by fluttering his eyelash... the only muscle he could move.
 
Old Broad, I totally disagree w/you. She is NOT brain dead, she is NOT on life support she is ON food and water! She needs help to eat that is all! SO lets kill all the babies because they can't eat on their own! And yes she could LEARN but this crap of a husband she has won't let her have therapy. I KNOW she can improve. My grandfather 15 years ago was in accident. he was in exact same shape she is and he can walk, talk, eat, play games and have conversations, he's not 100% like he was but he enjoys life and we enjoy him
 
Her husband is on Larry King tonight 9:00pm EST

Cass...
 
I hope that everyone reading this considers signing a living will of their own - just in case something like this happens to you or yours!!
 
Watched Larry King tonight with Michael Schiavo and attorney. Everything seemed so "scripted" to me. Just looking at the man makes my skin crawl. I think he is lying through his teeth about Terri. He says he is not going to get anymore money out of the trust and he is just doing this because he loves his wife and this is what she wanted. I don't believe that for a second. He obviously has a hatred towards her father with whom he hasn't spoken to in 10 years. I don't believe him that it was the father who wanted all the money from the malpractice settlement. I think Michael is in this completely for the money. From anything I have read in this case it sure doesn't sound to me like Michael has been providing her with any of this therapy he was talking about tonight. From listening to his attorney it doesn't sound like any of this is going to be ending anytime soon!
 
I belive the husband. He has had to be in court so many times defending his actions so yes, what he said has been said over and over again.
I seriously doubt his lawyer would be on this show with him and saying things that are not true.
They had the things there to back up what was said such as the tests, exrays etc.

I particulary found it moving when he spoke of how the father said he would have limbs of her's cut off in order to keep her alive at all costs.

If what this husband was wanting to do was have her dead, I'm sure there could have been many many ways he could have done something to make that happen.
I was happy to see him also address so many of the false statements coming from the parents such as him choking her. There is no sign of this ever happening, there was no bruising on her throat etc.

I wish I knew how many people just in this country have made a living will
 
I cannot reconcile the image of the husband's lawyer and armed police stopping the priest from giving Terri a last communion with a loving husband.

This whole situation is sad and needs to stop. If Terri is really in a permanent vegetative state (a terrible label for a human!), she is not suffering. If she is not in that extreme state, then he could give reahb a try. If that goes against his principles, he could turn her guardianship (and the money) over to her parents. Since Terri had no living will, he is only guessing as to her wishes. He should let someone else who loves her guess for a while.
 
The reason he won't "turn her over" to her parents is because of the father telling him to what extremes he'd go to for her to stay "alive" such as cutting off all her limbs if needed.
He knew because she said that she would not want to stay like this, that to her being in this condition is not a life worth living.

They brought up the example of people who on their own when suffering from cancer etc, who just on their own stop eating. No one force feeds them! They are ready to let go and they do so.
I wish we had someone here with experience at a hospice.

As for her never having therapy, that is not true. She had therapy, she also had speach therapy. Why do people want to believe everything that comes from the parents camp? It's not what their daughter wanted, to exist like this, it's the parents wanting. Does this mean that no matter what our wishes, someone else can come along and change it?
 
My mother had hospice care when she was almost at the end of her life due to cancer. They were wonderful and I still to this day make sure that a very large donation goes there way from me. What this case is about is money. The court/state needs to step in here and remove anyone with access to her money to be refrained from making any decisions whatsoever with regard to this woman - now! About a million dollars was awarded due to neglectful medical care about her eating disorder that was the cause of this state and they both want it. If the husband and the parents would just say that they remove themselves from any portion of the proceeds from that money, then I'd feel better about both of them.
 
Originally posted by Old Broad
The reason he won't "turn her over" to her parents is because of the father telling him to what extremes he'd go to for her to stay "alive" such as cutting off all her limbs if needed.
He knew because she said that she would not want to stay like this, that to her being in this condition is not a life worth living.

They brought up the example of people who on their own when suffering from cancer etc, who just on their own stop eating. No one force feeds them! They are ready to let go and they do so.
I wish we had someone here with experience at a hospice.

As for her never having therapy, that is not true. She had therapy, she also had speach therapy. Why do people want to believe everything that comes from the parents camp? It's not what their daughter wanted, to exist like this, it's the parents wanting. Does this mean that no matter what our wishes, someone else can come along and change it?

How do you know she didn't wanna live like this? Did she tell you?
all you have is the WORD of as husband whom in my opinion don't give a crap about her........NO one really knows what she would have wanted because there was no will. It's his word only.
I agree with DP. I think this money should be stripped from both....the husband nor the parents should get it. Have it where a 3rd party is in control of it and when she dies.....donate it to a charity...a good cause
 

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