My humble opinion:
Spousal rights > than parental rights.
A parents rights and responsibilities legally end at the age of 18 as it should be. Marriage grants spouses rights to power of attorney and other legal measures long upheld by the judicial system.
Funny how those fighting to strip her husband of the right to choose to remove her feeding tube are the same one's who proclaim marriage is such a sacred covenant between a man and a woman that it cannot be granted to same sex couples.
I'd also like to know who's going to bear enormous legal and medical bills the endless spate of appeals has most certainly racked up?

What has become the biggest tragedy in the case is not the feud over Terri Schiavo's life, but the fact that both the federal and state government have made it a political issue. Shame on them for intruding into the Terri Schiavo case. What about seperation of state and religion that the Constitution emphasizes? Why does President Bush, one who has held record number of executions, not say the same for those on death row, that if there's any doubt, it is safe to "err on the side of life"?

For anyone who says that Terri Schiavo did not receive due process, the family has been fighting seven years in court over her fate.

The whole damn thing is a mess... I do how ever think Michael Shivo is a piece of shit. He is a murderer as far as I'm concerned... Why not just let the parents have custody and he can walk away with his new/old woman.. Oh yea he would not get the money.

I'll never understand why people insist on prolonging these kind of situations.

I agree that Michael Schiavo is a son of a biatch. That guy is way too suspicious.

Dont believe the hype.
The Shiavos got 1 mill from Medical Malpractice settlement.
700k Micheal Shiavo has spent on medical care for his wife, the rest he has spent on lawyers fees fighting the parents FREE legal team.
There is no money.
A couple weeks ago a Texas businessman offered him 1 million to give up custody to the parents. He refused.
The simple fact is that this man is going through this incredible ordeal, in what would normally be a very private matter, in full public, and the only reason is because he is simply upholding a responsibility he has to his wife. There is no other explaination. People like Hannity try to smoke screen this by floating around baseless speculation and innuendo that he has some nefarious desire to terminate his wifes life because he caused is. Sickening.

Sometimes a simple promise holds incredible responsibilty on a person. To keep your word you have to walk though fire and endure unimaginable hardships. Imagine being vilified like this. Imagine racking up massive legal fees like this. Imagine the pressure on him, the entire weight of the President, Congress and the Faux News Network and the ENTIRE right wing establishment, Daily threats on his life...
Put yourself in his situation, and your wife told you this was her wish. What would you do?

Walk a mile in another mans shoes before you judge him.

The whole ordeal is a mess and don't wish it on anyone. Take care of those living wills while you can. I know for a fact it wouldn't even be a question with my family and my wife. I would of hoped, if that was me, the wife would of pulled the feeding tube..YEARS ago. Thats no quality of life for anyone.

I had heard similar things L2. But, I am sure there are so many rumors and stories floating around from water coolers to kitchen tables that no one knows the whole story except those directly involved. In any case Congress, the president, and Jeb Bush need to get thier smelly politicians hands out of it. This has become a political hotbed that is tastier than Abortion. It's sick that such a tragedy is on every newspaper, nightly news, and office conversation. I feel for these people, I know I wouldn't want to be in their shoes.

Everyone needs to learn one thing from this. If you don't have a will, get one and make your wishes known. Don't put your family and loved ones through this misery.

What real harm is coming to her by keeping her alive? Why not let her parents have responsibility since they want it? If she is truly so brain-dead for her life is in the balance from external influences, then what does it matter if she's kept alive?

She's obviously wanted by her parents. Mr. Schiavo should just let her and her parents be. He's already got another woman and young children of his own. Doesn't STARVING someone to death seem a little inhumane to you? And if you say, "well she's too brain-dead to care," why is it so important that her life be ended?

Is Mr. Schiavo just trying to make a personal point that he alone should have control? Yes, well he's already done that and apparently is going to get his way. She's not in some endless coma; if she can look around, blink her eyes, whatever, there must be some sort of consciousness there.

If you don't believe in a god, a religion, or some sort of after life, then it doesn't really matter I.M.O. if she would have wanted to be kept alive or not.. especially since there's no solid or written proof to back up what Mr. Schiavo says (I admit I don't know what his beliefs are). That is to say unless you're acknowledging that she does have the ability to care.

Just my opinion, take it or leave it.. don't bash me for it. I'm too conservative for my own good.

Thank jebus that I've made abundantly clear, in writing, and in conversation to my family and friends that my wishes are, when in doubt, unplug me.

To me, at the end, it comes down to the question, would you want to live like that?

Regardless if you are 'too brain dead to care' or very well aware of your situation.

Would you want to be trapped inside a piece of meat that can not be considered to be your 'own' body anymore?

Can someone else's (parents', spouse's) egoistic desires be more important than your own wish?

I won't even touch the religion part, by definition religion equals dogma thus not flexible enough to adapt to new situations like technological advancement.

Would you want to be trapped inside a piece of meat that can not be considered to be your 'own' body anymore?

That is a good point. It really is too bad that no solid or written wish was stated before her incident. I really just don't like how Mr. Schiavo has gone about this whole thing. Starvation has got to suck even in Terry Schiavo's condition.

Don't let this happen to you:

Free Living Wills for your State (http://www.doyourownwill.com/flw.asp)

Schiavo's chances of recovery are almost nonexistant. Given how long she has been in a PVS, the likelihood of her even recovering, much less living an enjoyable life, are entirely too slim to justify the length of her treatment. I'll probably get burned for saying it, but I would ask that those of you arguing on moral grounds to consider this: if you were to take the expenses of this treatment and apply it elsewhere, you could preserve a lot more life with a lot more certainty.

I can accept that, due to the possibility (however small it may be) of her recovery, it is potentially immoral to deprive her of life. However, I would imagine her chance of survival is about as probable as the innocence of any given person sentenced to death.

She lives in my city, so I've been hearing about this for years, I know more then I would like to know about it. I'm glad that she's finally going to get to die. The whole situation has been disgusting, how the polititians have used her, how religious fanatics have acted, and how it has been drawn out so long. I'm very glad to see the judges stand their ground, and jeb bush decide to finally stay out of it. Last time they took her tube out, the florida congress and jeb bush quickly pushed a bill through specifically so that the tube would be put back in. Surprise, it was later found to be unconstitutional.

Almost every time I hear someone talk about this, they always say something along these lines:

"They should just let that poor woman die."

What I don't understand is that if a person kills a bunch of peolle, they get lethal injection. This poor woman is being starved to death. Noon really knows for sure if she is feelign it or not, but damn let's not take that chance.
If they are gonna kill her, they should do it quick and painless.

Why does President Bush, one who has held record number of executions, not say the same for those on death row, that if there's any doubt, it is safe to "err on the side of life"?


This is such a great quote, I just had to single that one out. Hypocrisy at its finest.

What I don't understand is that if a person kills a bunch of peolle, they get lethal injection. This poor woman is being starved to death. Noon really knows for sure if she is feelign it or not, but damn let's not take that chance.
If they are gonna kill her, they should do it quick and painless.

Because apparently euthanasia is horrible! and only legal in oregan(I think). And even that is being challenged in the supreme court as we speak.

Because apparently euthanasia is horrible!

Slow starvation is not? It scores as high on the Fun-O-Meter as being burned alive or perhaps drowning. A quick lights out is much prefered to a slow wasting away in pain, reguardless if your body is a mindless husk.

As for it becoming politically charged, those envolved took their case to and pled their case to politicians! The president's own fellow Bible toteing brother! Considering that anything stamped with a Bush name is going to bring controversy, as there really any question at all that this will once again be another issue to further subdivide an already stratified public opinion? While everything in the U.S. world of politics seems to have religion wrapped all over it half the time, the Divine sanctioned Bush political dynasty seems to make it even more public and further strain where the line between Church and State is drawn.

What real harm is coming to her by keeping her alive?

Perhaps letting her die by whatever means will let the controversy die along with her, which is probably why noone seems to be making any action toward putting the feeding tube back in. Enough is enough already. Her existance as a person has long been over and perhaps her existance as a political rallying point is as well finally. A few months after this poor woman is laid to rest, the vultures will find something else to latch on to and in the process, put their own agendas before acknowledgment of what even was at the center of the controversy. AKA Business as usual.

You guys are all asumming she can "feel" hunger...I don't think anyone knows for sure.

Why does President Bush, one who has held record number of executions, not say the same for those on death row, that if there's any doubt, it is safe to "err on the side of life"
It gets better. In discussing the Schiavo case, Bush claimed that in cases “where there are serious questions and substantial doubts, our society, our laws, and our courts should have a presumption in favor of life.” He then ended his statement by stating that he would “continue to stand on the side of those defending life for all Americans, including those with disabilities.”

But in 1999 Bush opposed a bill that would have banned execution of the mentally handicapped. A baby in Texas, Sun Hudson, had its breathing tube pulled against the parents' wishes due to a law signed in 1999 by then Gov. Bush. A man in a PVS has a case up for review next.

Michael Schiavo, despite being demonized, threatened and the target of infinite hate, is keeping to his wife's wishes. That's why he doesn't sell out, though it would be easy to do and would make his life much more comfortable. Shit, early on the hospital Terri's staying in almost filed a restraining order against him due to the demanding way he treated the staff in caring for his wife.

I hate how politicized this has become, how the media is saturated with the story, and the opportunism and hypocrisy taking place in the name of political posturing and faux religious grandstanding. Michael, the parents, and the country need to move on, and Terri does as well. I agree with Selwen, give her a quick, painless and dignified end.[/i]
Because apparently euthanasia is horrible! and only legal in oregan(I think). And even that is being challenged in the supreme court as we speak.
Yeah, the social conservatives who've been crying about activist judges subverting the will of the people are now trying to have a popular referendum overturned in the courts. They're doing the same thing in CA with stem cell research.

You guys are all asumming she can "feel" hunger...I don't think anyone knows for sure.

Why take the chance? I can't see any real practicallity to prolonging her death.

I say fair play to the guy. It takes rea guts to stick it out and hold true to the promise he made to his wife. I can however see the point of view of the family that wishes the tube be re-inserted. Without them being told by her in person it would be a hard thing to accept that your daughter/sister/relative would choose to die.

I personally beleive that in the given situation i would choose a similar path. I would not wish that my family and friends view me in a vegatated state, although i also know that were i in such a state even though i had no chance of recovery my parents and family would never want me to choose death.

It is a hard thing to choose and people are greatly divided on the subject either one way or another. But once again i say kudos to Michael Schiavo for having the integrity to provide his wifes "dying" wishes.

slow wasting away in pain, reguardless if your body is a mindless husk.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but after like the first 2 or 3 days? of starvation, your body starts canceling the feeling to the point where you don't feel it.
(Which is part of how anerexics(sp?) can bear to be so).
Since its counterproductive to be wracked with pain when the goal is to procure food.

Most death by starvation occurs during times of unconiousness.

(Feel free to correct me on this, going by memory).

When theres a ounce of doubt if she feels any sort of pain.. her life should be Ended Quick and Fast.

Where is the big indian guy from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's nest when you need him.

LOL--good reference to Cuckoo's Nest :) + rep

I think what I want to know is, is there a single person here who would want to be kept in a brain damaged state like that indefinitely? What possible motive could there be for putting yourself or your family through that prolonged agony?

If it were me, I'd hope they'd pull the plug quickly and get it over with.

Facts in case:

Courts ruled a while back, to both parties agreement, that Michael Shiavo has gone beyond resonable expectations to seek extended medical attention for his wife. This attention being for possible treatments to help her and to get a very good understanding of her condition.

He has Guardianship under the law to decide life support for her.

Feeding tubes sre consdiered life support under the law.

He stands to gain little or no financial gain from her death.


My only question is whether the death by starvation is cruel and unusal. I have heard testimony that it won't be because of her condition, but have a hard time beleiving it. that is my only reservation in an otherwise open and shut case. The husband has every right to make this decision under the law.

The husband does not get the money that is in trust for her medical expenses while she is alive. He can sign over guardianship to the parents or divorce her and the state would take care of her or the parents. However, if he was to do that, he would have to forfeit that money. If she dies, the husband would be granted the money that is left, somewhere in the millions. The reason she is in this state is questionable as is the husband's motives.
:devil

I don't think it would be that painful. Of course, none of us here have experienced death, so we wouldn't be able to say for sure, but like Sanchek said, people who are anorexic die overnight. I know people who were anorexic and never said a word about their pain, etc.

"somewhere in the millions."

Can you find me a source that says he will gain millions? Everything I have read says that, at most, he might get $110,000, but there is speculation that has dired up due to legal costs.

This is crucial to me, it speaks volumes about his motivation. But the fact remains he did seek every possible alternative, agreed by both parties, to get her exceptional medical assessment and treatment.

The money is in trust. They got the money cause the dr diagnosed her incorrectly and they sued him. The money is already there, they were awarded 3 million. However he gets 0 because the money is for his wife. I'm leaving work now, I don't have time to google it.


(http://rds.yahoo.com/S=2766679/K=schiavo+malpractice+lawsuit+winnings/v=2/SID=e/l=WS1/R=7/IPC=us/SHE=0/H=1/SIG=127ffom6g/EXP=1112122729/*-http%3A//www.blogsforbush.com/mt/archives/003697.html)Blogs for Bush: The Argument Against Assisted Suicide (http://rds.yahoo.com/S=2766679/K=schiavo+malpractice+lawsuit+winnings/v=2/SID=e/l=WS1/R=7/IPC=us/SHE=0/H=1/SIG=127ffom6g/EXP=1112122729/*-http%3A//www.blogsforbush.com/mt/archives/003697.html) (http://rds.yahoo.com/S=2766679/K=schiavo+malpractice+lawsuit+winnings/v=2/SID=e/l=WS1/R=7/IPC=us/SHE=0/H=1/SIG=127ffom6g/EXP=1112122729/*-http%3A//www.blogsforbush.com/mt/archives/003697.html)http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sch/bn/nw2.gif (http://rds.yahoo.com/S=2766679/K=schiavo+malpractice+lawsuit+winnings/v=2/SID=e/l=WS1/R=7/IPC=us/SHE=0/H=1/NW=1/SIG=127ffom6g/EXP=1112122729/*-http%3A//www.blogsforbush.com/mt/archives/003697.html)
... Terri was awarded $250,000 and $1.4 million in malpractice lawsuits, while Michael Schiavo was awarded $600,000 ... a way to inherity the lawsuit winnings without having to spend the ...
(http://rds.yahoo.com/S=2766679/K=schiavo+malpractice+lawsuit+winnings/v=2/SID=e/l=WS1/R=7/IPC=us/SHE=0/H=1/SIG=127ffom6g/EXP=1112122729/*-http%3A//www.blogsforbush.com/mt/archives/003697.html)

Firewall prevents me from looking at any of these articles.

:devil

I believe it was 700k and the trust has paid her already existing medical expenses. The money was gone 3 years ago already. I am not buying into anyone who says this is over money.

There is no money to replace the wife he lost "15" years ago already. Her body will RIP soon.

If she dies, the husband would be granted the money that is left, somewhere in the millions.
Incorrect, Trikki. The Schiavos earned nearly 1 million dollars in a malpractice settlement; that money was earmarked for Terri's care. There is lest than $50k of that money left. A fair chunk of the settlement money has been spent (by judicial order) on the Schiavos' attorneys' fees. Michael Schiavo has also stated that he would donate the remaining funds to charity if Terri's parents would stop interfering with his decision making on behalf of his wife.

An interesting commentary on Ars (http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20050325-4737.html). But I have a question about this part:

They have also claimed that Michael Schaivo is only concerned with benefiting financially from Terri's death, although it must be noted that there is little money left from a malpractice settlement, he has repeatedly turned down offers of large amounts of money to walk away, and unlike the Schindlers, he has not signed any book or TV deals.
I dont recall hearing about any book or TV deals that the Schindlers signed, but it may not have been reported (I got a distinct impression that some major media sites were biasing towards the Schindlers). Anyone know anything about this?

This part got a chuckle. :)

Some claim that medical advances could repair her brain damage, although the irony of these claims from such vehement critics of stem cell research are not lost on your correspondent.

I have to agree with Ailwon, this single circumstance would reveal wether or not a motive exists. There has been lots of rumors but I have yet to see proof. If such proof exists he's a frigging scum bag and I say we lynch him.

On another note. How ironic is it that this woman is going to die of starvation when in fact her eating disorder is what caused her situation in the first place?

And to answer ********....well not to answer him but to use it as an excuse throw in an interesting story I heard today.

My co-worker and I were discussing this, what we would do etc. She told me of how her best friend was diagnosed with lung cancer. It wasn't found until the very late stages of lung cancer. The doctors told her she had maybe 6-8months to live...well the lady was determined to find a way to prolong her life. She went to many doctors, did holistic remedies, you name it, anything to cheat death.

This carried on for about 6months. During this time she had told her husband that she did not want to live like a vegitable or with tubes hanging out of her. That she wanted to die with dignity and not be a burden to anyone. Sometime in that 6 months she had surgery to try to remove some of the cancer (the doctors thought it would help). Well b/c of all the chemo and other treatments and her body not being healthy enough her lungs collapsed and she slipped into a coma but did come back out of it the next day. She had tubes in her throat to help her breath and therefore she couldn't talk, but she was aware and could nod or blink. As she lay in the ICU her husband came to her bedside in tears and asked her if she wanted him to follow her wishes and have the tubes removed and let her die in peace. Guess what she did? She flipped out, she started shaking her head no, crying, and in general writhing all over the bed tying to mouth the words don't kill me. Her husband tried to calm her down and said of course not, that he was just asking if her if she still wanted to die with no tubes. She died 3 days later.

So now the question is...

Right now we are all for the most part healthy, aware, able bodied and minded. We can say how we feel at this moment. So we say yank the plug, but 5, 10, 15 years from now will you still feel the same way? My suggestion is to make absolutely clear on your will your wishes. If you are alive, aware, but have to have medical aide do you want to be taken of the machines? Or, only if you are brain dead with no hope of recovery. Tough choices, but ultimately it is your choice.

Anyway I thought that was an interesting story, to be honest I still am not sure how I feel about it all.

On another note. How ironic is it that this woman is going to die of starvation when in fact her eating disorder is what caused her situation in the first place?
Good point, and the irony doesn't end there. The FBI have arrested one of the "pro-lifers" for putting a $250,000 bounty on Michael Schiavo's head and a $50,000 bounty on the head of Judge Greer. Greer, it's worth noting, is a conservative Republican and devout Southern Baptist who's now been asked to leave his church because the other members don't agree with his decision. This threat isn't an isolated occurence, either; both Schiavo and Greer need to be guarded against "pro-life" extremists.

The horrible thing here, that I am finding, is trying to findout facts regarding this case they aren't slanted to make you believe one side or the other. Just about every article regarding the facts of this case have slanted one way or the other and directly contradict each other. Some paint Michael Shiavo as a hardened murder just out for cash trying everything he can to kill his awake and alert wife....and the Federal (right wing) judges that ruled in his favor as corrupt (I would love to know hwta they gain by ruling in the husband's favor).

Other say he's a saint looking out valiantly for his beloved wiife's wish not to be kept alive by machines. That Terry is completely devoid of any real human though or contact beyond basic involuntary repsones. That Michael stands to gain no money, he is sacrificing his personal well-being (all the bad press) to do what's right.

The truth is somewhere in between, I'm betting.

Here's what puzzles me, from a moral POV:

If he's a heartless bastich, why would he care? Why doesn't he just divorce her, givve the rights to the parents and move on? Is it now a personal vandetta or what? Does he indeed stand to gain money? Are the Malpratice funds gone? Was there a life insurance policy that he would inherit?

What is the truth of her condition? Doctors have claimed different things on both sides (quite a few that have never even examined her). I saw an image of her brain on TV showing the extent of brain damage, yet I just read an article claiming an MRI has never been done....what was the image I saw...fake, a different type of image other than an MRI? Did Michael try to get her as much care as possible, or are the parents assertions now, that he hasn't, true? If so, is this recently because of the bad blood between them.

Will her death be painless...or is it cruel? Have heard doctors claiming both.


I can't seem to be able to get any semblance of good straight unbiased facts.

From a law POV, one fact is above all others.....Moral or not, the courts have ruled, several times, with due consideration, that Michael Shiavo has been acting in Terry Shiavo's best interests, and has the legal right to decide this course of action (the removal of the feeding tube). Whether you believe he has been acting in her best interests doesn't matter...a fedral court has ruled he has. They ruled that there are no grounds to remove him as guardian...it is his decision...and his alone.

I still don't know if I agree with his decision.

Thier not "pro-life", they are "pro-ouropionsaretheonlyvalidonesandwewillkillyouifyoud isagreewithus life"

Holy wars and idiotic crusades didnt end in the middle ages.

"The FBI have arrested one of the "pro-lifers" for putting a $250,000 bounty on Michael Schiavo's head and a $50,000 bounty on the head of Judge Greer. Greer, it's worth noting, is a conservative Republican and devout Southern Baptist who's now been asked to leave his church because the other members don't agree with his decision."

Small minded idiots. Greer has to rule on law...not on his personal, religious beliefs. The minute he rules on something other than the point of law, however he interprets it, is the moment he ceases being an effective judge. I am sure he exausted every possible thread of law he could to rule differently, based on his personal beliefs. He must have had no choice to rule as he did....but again, I don't know the facts completely and unbiased.

Don't forget Judge James Whittemore and the Federal appeals court upheld Greers decision...and not because they are evil corrupt murderers. They must not have had much of a choice under the law.

I find it hard to believe these well respected, experienced judges are ruling this way because they revel in the idea of killing this women. IMO, anyone who believes they are, is niave...at best.

Doctors have claimed different things on both sides (quite a few that have never even examined her).
The consensus of neurologists that have medically examined her is that she's in a PVS. You might be thinking of a couple doctors trotted out by the pro-tubers of late. One was "Nobel Prize nominee" William Hammesfahr, who showed up on Hannity, 700 Club and elsewhere. However, he was "nominated" by his congressman for a "Nobel Peace Prize in Medicine" (an award that doesn't exist, and actual Nobel nominees remain unknown until 50 years after the award is given). He's also had his license suspended for ethical violations.

Another physician is William Cheshire who performed no medical tests on Terri, but observed her, stating, "Although Terri did not demonstrate during our 90-minute visit compelling evidence of verbalization, conscious awareness or volitional behavior," he wrote, "yet the visitor has the distinct sense of the presence of a living human being who seems at some level to be aware of some things around her."

That kind of testimony isn't much better than "medium" John Edwards' appearance on Fox News.
I saw an image of her brain on TV showing the extent of brain damage, yet I just read an article claiming an MRI has never been done....what was the image I saw...fake, a different type of image other than an MRI?
You probably saw her CAT scan. I've seen it myself, it's not pretty.

I was looking for some of the court testimony I'd read last week but cannot find it. One poignant exerpt discusses video wherein over 100 attempts are made to elicit a physical response from Terri, with but a handful of positive results (and, as the judge notes, these are actions -- such as "open your eyes" -- that could reasonably expected by chance of someone in a PVS).

What I find particularly foul is how some are treating Terri's condition as a gift from God sent to bolster their social movement. Rev. Lou Sheldon, for example, has exhorted donations to his Traditional Values Coalition (a group primarily known for lobbying against gay rights), saying, "What this issue has done is it has galvanized people the way nothing could have done in an off-election year..."That is what I see as the blessing that dear Terri's life is offering to the conservative Christian movement in America."

And then there's Tom DeLay: "One thing that God has brought to us is Terri Schiavo, to help elevate the visibility of what is going on in America...This is exactly the issue that is going on in America, of attacks against the conservative movement, against me and against many others."

Most foul.

I was trying to avoid the "whole fanatical right agenda" thing...it disgusts me as well that they are using this to bolster their mis-guided agenda.

I am a Christian, and yet I understand as a thinking, rational person, that you cannot bring religion into government. Especially to the degree that some of these types would like. As soon as you do....our constitution is no longer valid...we are no longer free.

Truthfully with the amount of morphine they are giving her to ease the pain and make her comforatable I bet she is not feeling a thing. If she is able to have thought I am sure from past experiences she is some where with lucy in a sky of diamonds. I think that this is a terrible situation for the family I have seen first hand what this can do to a family I have had to tell a family member look he did not want to live like this you know it and it is in writing let him go.



cerrio

This seems to be a fairly unbiased synopsis...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terri_Schiavo

The man is simply trying to provide his wifes dying wishes.. let him do it i say. I know i would want someone to pull my plug. There is no quality of life in being bed ridden all day, i know, i have watched 3 of my grandparents slowly fade into nothin from Cancer and my uncle do the same from Emphaseima. It is one of the hardest things for you to watch someone you love, living a life of nothing...

Are they giving her morphine, 'cerri? I haven't read about her treatment regimen at all.

Morphine use disputed
“I have a great concern that they will expedite the process to kill her with an overdose of morphine because that’s the procedure that happens,” he said.



http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7293186/

This is the first I've read about Morphine usage.

good old Tom Delay!

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGB02JH1U6E.html

a bastion of hypocrisy

The deal with Morphine is that it depresses respiration.... now that may sound like not a big deal but what happens is it makes her more prone to a respiratory infection (due to not being about to fully expand lungs and clear secretions)..... so basically if the lack of food an water don't do her in she will get septic and die from a form of shock....

I don't know how much Morphine they are giving her though.

It is a common practice as stated in the MSN article to give morphine to someone in this case to ease the pain. It was on cnn back when they gave the first doses saying that they were going to keep her on it till she expired to make it more comfortable. I have always thought that it is Dr. assisted suicide to give a terminally ill patient a morphine pump and allow them to pump till they OD but then I think hell if i was in that situation to stop the pain I prolly would do the same thing. I would not be surprised if the doctors were hoping to give her enough Morphine that she would either slip into a coma or that it would kill her to end this. After all like they said in Mission Impossible "Well Mr. Hunt you know Dying slow in america is very costly ......."


cerrio

From the article Pharrah linked:
Felos [Michael's attorney] disputed that, saying that hospice records show Schiavo was given two low doses of morphine — one on March 19 and another on March 26 — and that she was not on a morphine drip. Hospice spokesman Mike Bell said federal rules kept him from discussing Schiavo specifically, but said “a fundamental part of hospice is that we would do nothing to either hasten or postpone natural death.”
At this point, while morphine overdose would be humane, it's unnecessary. The Schiavos have won the case, so have no reason (aside from mercy) to push for some sort of overdose.

Oh, did anyone notice last week that Jeb Bush sent state law enforcement agents to the hospice to seize Terri Schiavo? The plan was called off when local law enforcement announced that they would enforce the judge's order that she remain there. I caught it in the online media but don't know if it got any play on TV.

EDIT: On another note, the Schindlers have given permission to a conservative direct-marketing firm (Response Unlimited) to sell a list of their financial supporters in return for the firm's using e-mail to send solicitations for more funds to support the family.

Also, Michael Schiavo plans for Terri to be autopsied.

And the big suprise. Reverend Jesse surely could'nt miss an opportunity to get his self serving face in the media again. even if its siding with the racist,minority repressing right he so often rails against.

Saw a picture of a late middle aged African American man on TV with an epitath.


Too bad it was Jonnie Cochran and not Jessie Jackson.

She died this morning
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7293186/?GT1=6305

hopefully the media will let the story die to.

finally.

We will be hearing about this case for many years to come and I predict the next "right to life" case that comes up will be another media frenzy. This has become a rallying cause for the ultra-right fanatics.

This has become a rallying cause for the ultra-right fanatics.
To a point. While the ultra-right (and probably others, but you see and hear from the extremists most) were quite vocal in their desire to keep Terri's heart beating -- whatever medical and judicial opinions may be -- they were split on the congressional and presidential interference in the matter. Pres. Bush saw the polls and retreated, but Congress became embroiled in the affair -- if briefly -- to the dismay of many conservatives. The message DeLay and company gave in this was, "Conservatism and limited governmental interference is good unless we can score political points off of it." Polls repeatedly and overwhelmingly showed how disagreeable the nation found their behavior.

So the big question is: Will the Schiavo affair significantly impact midterm elections in 2006 and the big time in 2008?

I think there's plenty of time for memories of the mess to fade, at least outside the religious right, so whether Republicans suffer electorally will depend on a) how Democrats phrase the issue and b) how many more instances of overreaching government the Repubs engage in from now til then.

She died this morning
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7293186/?GT1=6305

hopefully the media will let the story die to.

The media will try. But the Hard-Core Pro-Lifers just got themselves
a Martyr. Introducing: Saint Terri the Starved. . .

We won't be hearing the end of this for a LONG time, I bet...

But at least it drops the Fake News Cycle down to Michael Jackson and Martha Stewart. . . assuming Britney Spears doesn't do anything SPECTACULARLY stupid for a while. . .

Well on the Spears front sources say she is prego...... and that she is letting her self go after getting married... oh ya paris got a new dog and it seems drinking as much water as I have been latly some people at work think I have Over-Active Bladder Syndrome. I also saved money by switching my car insurance to the one that the school uses and and doing direct deposit. cerrio

After working many years in a nursing home/hospice environment...I can say pulling a feeding tube is one of the most peaceful deaths I have been witness to.

If they are even remotely alert, they feel no hunger after a couple days, they just get tired, as their body slowly goes to sleep. Hospice nurses come in to make their passing more comfortable, and they just slowly fade away.

These things happen everyday, and should remain private within a family, as this is the hardest thing a person must do. I am saddened to see all the attention this is getting, and how people thrust their own opinions into the fray, as if they have any knowledge of the people involved. There were many other people in the facility Terri was in...why were they not protesting those deaths, threatening those families, etc? And why for the love of pete, do these nasty Bush people keep getting involved in what everyone knows is not their business?

Oh well, it is too late now...Peace to you Terri

Following her death, Delay immediately held a press conferrence and lashed out at the judicial branch for not following the wishes of Bush and Congress.
It was apparently unthinkable to him that the judges would follow the constitution and rules of law, rather than bow down to the arrogance of the minority.

This circus has shown us that the conservative idea of shrinking government does not mean having less intrusion of government into our lives; rather, it now appears that it will shrink by having only two branches if the Delay posse is successful in demonizing and trivializing the Judicial branch.


At least this has raised people's awareness of the need to get their wishes down on paper before it is too late.

Rest in peace, Terri.

At least this has raised people's awareness of the need to get their wishes down on paper before it is too late.
It's also raised awareness of what a corrupt POS DeLay is. After Terri passed, he stated, "The time will come for the men responsible for this to answer for their behavior, but not today." One doesn't need to guess at just what he's advocating between the lines, but hopefully he's the one who receives the comeupence for which he is long overdue.

Delay is a 1st class ass and hypocrit, much like the rest of his political buddies.

Don't worry, there are plenty of liberal ones to match/surpass your description of him.

(Of course even this thread had to fall prey to petty political arguments.)

Don't worry, there are plenty of liberal ones to match/surpass your description of him.

(Of course even this thread had to fall prey to petty political arguments.)

I really don't care what political party someone belongs to, but I do care when a leader in Congress threatens to "repay" judges for not siding with him. His exact words of "an arrogant, out-of-control judiciary that thumbed its nose at congress" show Delay to be the one who is arrogant and out-of-control.

A judge is appointed and/or elected for the purpose of serving the people by faithfully upholding the laws, both state and federal; and, to interpret the consitution, state and/or federal, with regard to legal disputes that come before said judges. The judges did their jobs as they were supposed to, without allowing personal opinion and emotion to interfere with the legal obligation.

This country was founded on a rule of law based in judeo-christian practices and rules, and from everything we have seen these judges kept faith with that. If you don't like the law, work to change it; do not demonize those whose job is to to uphold it.

Don't worry, there are plenty of liberal ones to match/surpass your description of him.

Totally worthless comment....we are discussing Terry Shiavo's case. BTW, a judge being threatened by a moronic member of congress is not petty. Nor is the ultra moronic right using this as a rallying cry against freedom.

I use the word freedom because that's what you lose the second you let Delay et. al. base secular law on religious law....the minute a judge has to fear for his job, his reputation and even his life because he ruled based on law and not on the side of some self righteous ass who claims to be religious.

At this stage of the game, you'd be hard pressed to find a "liberal" member of Congress more thoroughly corrupted by power than DeLay. And none of those liberal members had the power to replace two Republican members of the House Ethics committee with two other Republicans who had donated to your own legal defense fund. Hopefully, his current loss of support (http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/front/3115205#) translates into electoral defeat in 2006. From the link:
Nearly 40 percent of the 501 voters questioned Wednesday through Friday said their opinion of the powerful Sugar Land Republican is less favorable than last year, compared with 11 percent who said their view of him has improved.

Half of the respondents gave DeLay a somewhat or very favorable rating.

Yet 45 percent said they would vote for someone other than DeLay if a congressional election in the 22nd District were at hand; 38 percent said they would stick with him.