Fla. Governor Seeks to Aid Woman in Coma

[Jolie Rouge]

http://cnn.netscape.cnn.com/news/sto...0&floc=NW_5-L1

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Gov. Jeb Bush asked a judge Tuesday to delay setting a date for removal of a brain-damaged woman's feeding tube so that a guardian for her can be appointed.

In a letter to state Circuit Judge George W. Greer, Bush asked that Terri Schiavo be kept alive until a court-appointed guardian can ``independently investigate the circumstances of this case and provide the court with an unbiased view that considers the best interests of Mrs. Schiavo.''
[
Bush said his office has received 27,000 e-mails from people asking him to intervene.

Schiavo has been in what doctors call a persistent vegetative state since collapsing in 1990. Her heart stopped from what doctors believe was a potassium imbalance.


The 39-year-old woman has been at the center of a long legal battle between her parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, and her husband and legal guardian, Michael Schiavo. The parents want her kept alive; her husband says she never wanted to be kept alive artificially.


On Friday, the Florida Supreme Court refused to intervene in the case, clearing the way for Greer to set a date for removal of the feeding tube keeping her alive.



08/26/03 11:37


Related Links

Pro-Life News on Terri Schiavo
LifeNews.com covers the case of Terri Schiavo more in-depth than any other media source. Join us for complete coverage of her amazing case.
www.lifenews.com/bio34.html


Terri Schindler Schiavo Foundation
terrisfight.org was established to protect the rights of a disabled woman, Terri Schiavo
www.terrisfight.org


BayNews9.com - News
... Dramatic new video of Terri Schiavo was released in a Pinellas County courtroom on Friday as the fight over her life ...
www.baynews9.com/NewsStory.cfm?storyid=6890

BayNews9.com - FrontPage
... Final chapter of Terri Schiavo case is underway ...
http://www.baynews9.com/Search.cfm?s...y&contentid=36


CNN.com - Judge allows comatose woman to die
- Nov. 22, 2002 ... The parents of Terri Schiavo, 38, who suffered heart failure and massive brain damage in 1990, had sought to keep her ...
www.cnn.com/2002/LAW/11/22/coma.woman/


Terri Schindler-Schiavo Update
... A judge again has ordered that Terri Schiavo's feeding tube be disconnected, thwarting her parents' desire to try new ...

Lawyers for parents of comatose woman allege abuse
The parents of a woman who has been in a coma-like state for 12 years allege that their son-in-law might have abused their daughter prior to her medical condition. Doctors say Schiavo is not in a persistent vegetative state - A doctor said Tuesday that Terry Schiavo is not in a persistent vegetative state and could recover with therapy, going against earlier testimony in the legal battle over whether the woman should be allowed to die.

www.glennbeck.com/news/10142002.shtml


TERRI SCHIAVO TO DIE IN ATTORNEY'S "DEATH FACTORY"? SUNCOAST HOSPICE BOSS WAS GEORGE FELOS...

Man "finds" Wife unconscious.
Man keeps Wife unconscious.
Man gets malpractice money for Wife.
Man wants Wife's money.
Man wants Wife dead so Man can have money.
Man gets Lawyer.
Lawyer is/was Hospice Board Member.
Lawyer promises Man that Wife will die at the Hospice...

Terri Schiavo, an incapacitated but warmly responsive young woman, is in the care of "The Hospice of the Florida Suncoast" ("Hospice House Woodside") at 300 East Bay Drive, Largo, Florida. But unknown to her advocates, all of Terri's medical care has been influenced by a Past Chairman of the Hospice's Board of Directors - George J. Felos, attorney for Michael Schiavo, and self-described "right-to-die" advocate.

Many of the Hospice nurses, volunteers, and doctors who are charged with the care, feeding, and unbiased medical evaluation of Terri Schiavo worked for George J. Felos, a man who has publically proclaimed that Terri must die.

http://becki-snow.blogspot.com/


Chronology of the case of Terri Schiavo
Timeline of the Terri Schiavo Case Adapted from the Associated Press, Dec 25, 2002 The following is the timeline in the case of Terri Schiavo, who first collapsed and fell into a coma in 1990.
www.worldrtd.org/SchiavoChronology.html

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[1busymomma]

I saw a special on this. I thought her parents were her gaurdians and I remember a fight going on about this. Hubby wanted to move on in life and re-marry but could not legally do so because she was not dead and could not sign a divorce decree.

Hubby tried on several occassions to let her die naturally (when she got infections and stuff to tell dr's not to treat her) and parents put their foot down and said no.

It's really sad. Maybe Jeb bush should get the parents appointed and figure out a loop hole for the hubby so that he can move on in life.

[schsa]

No one should be kept alive just because of a feeding tube. I am sorry but her parents need to let go and let her die. This person has no quality of life nor is there a chance for recovery. I think that her parents are being selfish at best. No one should be kept alive just because we have machines that will do so. Quite honestly, I think this is very sick.

[Jolie Rouge]

So my niece who is autistic should be allowed to starve to death (because she can't feed herself, has to wear a diaper, has no ability to communicate with us, is hard to care for therefore is holding her family back and is on the whole inconvient. "Quality of Life" is a slipperly slope for state sanctioned murder.

[Gia]

Originally posted by Jolie Rouge
So my niece who is autistic should be allowed to starve to death (because she can't feed herself, has to wear a diaper, has no ability to communicate with us, is hard to care for therefore is holding her family back and is on the whole inconvient. "Quality of Life" is a slipperly slope for state sanctioned murder.

~So very well put {{{{Jolie}}}}~

[stresseater]

This is a very sad case but if this woman did not sign a living will or DNR then she should be kept alive until a time comes that she can make her own decision. I don't understand about the divorce thing. I thought there were divorce by publication laws in all 50 states??? Maybe it is a case of not getting the $$ if he divorces her??? I understand he wants to move on(no matter how callouse I think that is) but +all he has to do is turn over gaurdianship to the parents and divorce her ,then he's free.

[justinenycole26]

Originally posted by schsa
No one should be kept alive just because of a feeding tube. I am sorry but her parents need to let go and let her die. This person has no quality of life nor is there a chance for recovery. I think that her parents are being selfish at best. No one should be kept alive just because we have machines that will do so. Quite honestly, I think this is very sick.

I agree. Jolie, I think your neice's case is a lot different.

[mlathroum]

THIS IS GOING TO BE LONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As someone who's family lived this for 13 years please listen to me.
On Dec 30, 1994 my cousin Brian was 20 years old and only 4 months away from being 21. He and 4 friends were on their way back from a bar in Baltimore, MD. The driver had been drinking as was everyone else in the car. Brian was sitting in the front passenger seat of the car next to a door that had never shut tightly. The other three friends were in the back seat.
As they headed up an exit ramp they hit a piece of wood or something in the roadway. This caused the car to go airborne. It flipped throwing Brian from the car. He landed on the back of his head and skidded across the highway on his back. He was life flighted to our Shock Trauma center. By the time my Aunt and Uncle were notified and got to the Trauma Center he had been brought back to life 3x.
2 weeks before around Christmas Brian and I were watching a movie about someone who had been in an accident and comatose. He stated then I don't want left like that. Since DNR were not available to everyone back in 84 he never had the chance to sign one.
After much testing and surgeries Brian was diagnosed with Brain Stem damage. A draining tube was inserted in his head to take the fluid off his brain. When he still hadn't woken up """A feeding tube was installed AGIANST MY AUNT'S wishes""". After a month in the Trauma center he was then sent to LIER the Lake Erie Institute of Rehabilitation. He spent 6 months there in intense therapy and still NO improvement.
Since it was about an 8 hour drive from home we brought him home to a Rehab program here. After 2 years in a coma the most he could do was shake his head NO, blink his eyes YES, wave good bye to me and give the middle finger. His Dad cut his hair and shaved him daily. His Mom and My Mom were there daily telling everything that happened in our lives. When our grandmother died he cried. When his Father died 6 months later suddenly he sat straight up in bed and screamed. But could do nothing else.
To some he was still living. To his family the once Adorable, Blond Hair, sweet young man that would do anything for anyone was gone. To Brian I was still 14 years old. When we told him I got married he was mad because he "thought" I was to young. When my Mom told him I had my son he just layed there and shook his head. 14 year old shouldn't get pregnant. I was 26 years old. He was 31.
At the age of 33 Brian contracted Pneaumonia and was to sick to even be there. We finally let him go at a Dr's suggestion and didn't treat him for it. They said he had sunk deeper into his coma and would never be well again.
Too some that what my family did through the years may be wrong. To his family it was to hard to even THINK at times. We didn't have a choice on the feeding tube but had we been given it we would have tried it anyway probably. Seeing my cousin, my "big brother", and best friend lay there like that day after day was heart wrenching. I still cry when I talk about it. Yes the tears are flowing now.

What is my reason for telling you all of this??? I feel so sorry for that ladies family. YES Jeb Bush should step in!!!!!! Why do I say that?? What about that story over the summer where that guy had been in a coma for YEARS and wokeup!!!! What if his family had yanked his feeding tube??? Jeb Bush should step in a give her husband a LEGAL divorce! That way he can go on and live HIS life. I could never do that but I guess to each their own. Jeb Bush should give that poor womens parents custody. He should ignore the Dr's and let the family do what they feel is right. Okay so there is money involved. Split in half just like what would happen in a REAL divorce. Give the other half to her parents so they can do the REHAB and get her the care they feel she needs.
Each family will have to make their own decisions on this. BUT until you actually live it you won't understand how much it HURTS to make them.
If you don't read or agree with anything else I say PLEASE do this!!! Go to your family Dr or local hospital and ask for the DNR paperwork. WHY SHOULD YOU DO THIS?????????? You will let your wishes be known.
Do you WANT hooked up and saved? If so you fill all of that out and give someone that you KNOW will follow them the consent to follow YOUR rules.
Do you NOT WANT any of it???? You fill it out and put down who you KNOW will follow your wishes.
Do I have this????? YES My husband and family know my wishes and after what we have been through will follow them completly.
GIVE a copy to the person you give legal rights too, a copy to your DR, your mother, your father, your husband, your best friend. MAKE SURE everyone has it. SO YOUR WISHES WILL BE FOLLOWED!!!!!!

Sorry I will now step off my soapbox!

[hotwheelstx]

Originally posted by schsa
No one should be kept alive just because of a feeding tube. I am sorry but her parents need to let go and let her die. This person has no quality of life nor is there a chance for recovery. I think that her parents are being selfish at best. No one should be kept alive just because we have machines that will do so. Quite honestly, I think this is very sick.

I tend to agree. There's really "no quality" life. If it were me DNR....I wouldn't want to live like that knowing that my family has to endure the pain/suffering of seeing me that way.

I do not think it's "sick" but do feel that it's inhumane. What if they're in pain and we (as caregivers, family members) don't know it?

[Kelsey1224]

I want to add my additional two cents worth. A DNR order is great...but sometimes it isn't enough.

My mother died last year after a brief bout of pneumonia. She had been in a board/care facility because she had alzheimers. Her quality of life was completely non-existent. She couldn't do anything for herself...she didn't know anyone. Her only emotions were confusion and fear!

When she was lucid, she had made her desires known, although she never did sign a DNR order.

When she was admitted to the hospital, the doctors asked me what I wanted to do. I said I would sign a DNR order. They then told me that I also needed to decide about her treatment. They further explained that they could treat her with antibiotics, respiratory treatments, etc. and that she might recover.

Or, I could make a decision to withhold treatment (to include nourishment) and allow her to die "naturally".

That had never occurred to me!!! Signing a DNR order was rather passive, but withholding treatment seemed almost like assuring her death.

However, after being assured that she would have pain management and would not suffer, I did make that very difficult decision. I know that my mother would have hated to have her life extended if it meant continuing to live the way she was.

So...a DNR order is not the only thing that people should consider when they are going through this.

I don't feel guilty for my decision and I'm fairly certain that I made the decision my mother would have wanted if she had been able to make the decision for herself.

I miss her everyday!

[magenta]

mlathroum--

Your story really touched home with my family. My uncle was hit by a drunk driver almost a year ago. His daughter was just under 2 years old at the time, she was in her car seat in the middle of the back seat. The truck rear-ended them going about 70 mph. The were stopped getting ready to make a turn.

His daughter was air lifted to Children's and she too, was brought back three times. She has been diagnosed with brain stem damage, anoxia and streched spinal cord. (being hooked in her car seat, the force of the hit caused only her head to move forward causing this).

She was in the trauma center for 6 months and has been home for 5. She has a feeding tube and undergoes extreme theapy to keep her body from atrophy. She does have a trach though, cuz she cannot breath on her on but for a few minutes at a time and this is sparatic.

The family visits all the time and we talk to her and play her fav shows. Some days we wait for her to "wake up" other days we wish is would end.

I cried when I read your story. It is a hard life for her parents, and all the family and friends involved. I am sure the decision to keep her alive was not an easy one.

I agree with you that Jeb Bush should step in and give this guy a divorce and let her parents have custody.

I found her stories when I was searching for info about my neice (cousin really, buy she called me aunt). It touched my heart, the same as your story did.

Thank you for sharing, knowing that there are other people that have gone through and still go through these same emotions makes it easier. Sometimes we feel so alone.

I guess I should have PMed you this. I am going to look up the LEIRS place now, and see if it could at all help my Aunt and Uncle.

Thank you to the OP for posting this update on her. I always wandered what happened to her.