R.I.P. Terri Shiavo

[The Other One]

For the first half a decade, before he had kids with another woman, he wasn't sure what her wishes were. Suddenly, in the middle of the night, he recalls, with perfect clarity, "she wants to die"?

For the first half of the decade he wanted to keep her alive, and in his malpractice lawsuit he said he needed the $$ to care for her "forever". He was asking for $20 million, but only won $1.2 mil.

I got the impression that they were sitting on the couch eating popcorn and watching a movie on Karen Ann Quinlan when Terri said: "Jeeze--if that ever happens to me then just pull the plug."

http://www.gammaworld.org/glennbeck/ConversationWithTerri.wmv

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=43594

At a news conference after Terri Schiavo's death today, the noted "right-to-die" attorney for her estranged husband spoke repeatedly of the severely brain-injured woman's "death process" by starvation and dehydration, describing it as "calm, peaceful and gentle."

Felos continued describing Terri's last hours: "She went through initial periods of rapid breathing ... she would go through periods of labored breathing," he said. "Progressively over the period of time we were there, you could see mottling of her extremities. ... That means the heart could not pump to the extremities, and her limbs became progessively colder.

"As time went on," Felos reiterated, "it became evident Terri was going through the final stages of the death process."

In sharp contrast to Felos' description of a "peaceful' death, a Schindler spokesman, Fr. Frank Pavone, who was in the room until about 10 or 15 minutes before Terri died, said she "was obviously in deep distress and suffering."

A reporter asked Felos how he could describe Terri's passing as a "death with dignity" when she was "starved to death."

"I'm sure you know that's an inaccurate question," Felos retorted. "Patients don't starve to death by removal of artificial nutrition and hydration ... ."

One explanation for Felos' comments is suggested in the attorney's own 2002 book, "Litigation As Spiritual Practice," in which the longtime volunteer hospice worker describes a psychic encounter in which he promised a vegetative patient he would "do everything in my power" to bring her life to an end.

The attorney said that when Terri died, "her husband was present by her bed, cradling her."

Afterward, Michael Schiavo left and the Schindlers were "free to spend as much time as they wanted with the body."

I wonder what departing words "her husband" had for her? "About time you died, bitch."?

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0503/26/cst.05.html
Aired March 26, 2005 - 15:00 ET

GEORGE FELOS, MICHAEL SCHIAVO'S ATTORNEY:
She is calm, she's peaceful, she's resting comfortably, her lips are not chapped, they're not bleeding, her skin is -- her skin's not peeling. Frankly, when I saw her, and it's the first time I've seen her since the artificial life support was removed eight days ago, she looked beautiful. In all the years I've seen Mrs. Schiavo, I've never seen such a look of peace and beauty upon her. So that's one thing that I wanted to mention.

Attorney: Michael Schiavo Looks 'Peaceful, Euphoric'
by Scott Ott http://www.scrappleface.com/MT/archives/002137.html

(2005-03-29) -- Attorney George Felos today said that his client, Michael Schiavo, entered the 11th day of depriving his wife of food and water looking peaceful and "as beautiful as I've seen him in years."

"Death by dehydration is not the awful specter that so-called 'pro-lifers' have portrayed it to be," said Mr. Felos as he stood outside of Terri Schiavo's Florida hospice. "I was actually in the room with the Schiavos. Michael looked very peaceful. He looked calm. I saw no evidence of any bodily discomfort whatsoever, even though he's not receiving morphine."

"As Terri gets closer to death," Mr. Felos added, "her husband's face has actually taken on an almost euphoric appearance."

Michael Shiavo is a control freak. I wouldn't be surprised to hear that a Schindler family member snapped and wiped that smirk off his face once and for all.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&e=1&u=/ap/brain_damaged_woman

Michael Schiavo's brother, Scott Schiavo, said the ashes will be buried in an undisclosed location near Philadelphia so that her immediate family does not attend and turn the moment into a media spectacle. A funeral Mass, sought by the Schindlers, was tentatively scheduled for Tuesday or Wednesday.

Asked about perhaps never knowing where his sister might be buried, Bobby Schindler said, "We've already said goodbye. ... He's been doing this kind of stuff for 15 years. What would make him stop now?"

 

[Gonz]

I got the impression that they were sitting on the couch eating popcorn and watching a movie on Karen Ann Quinlan when Terri said: "Jeeze--if that ever happens to me then just pull the plug."

Same here

 

[Dave]

Dead is better than alive??? What business are you in again, because you may want to rethink it. Tis better to be dead than...fill in the blank.

better dead than alive. yes. want examples? go to any long term care facility. elderly. brain injury. whatever. spend some time with some of those patients, then come back and tell me if you still think i'm heartless.

 

[The Other One]

http://www.theempirejournal.com/0403051_michael_schiavo_in_hidin.htm

Michael Schiavo, one of the most controversial husbands in America, is reportedly in hiding and seeking police protection after the remains of his wife, Terri Schindler-Schiavo were cremated Saturday morning.

Friends of Schiavo said that he had been receiving death threats and that he, his fiancée Jodi Centonze and their two children, planned to move from Florida.

....Greer had denied the family’s request that their daughter’s remains be buried in Florida. Greer ruled that Michael Schiavo would control the burial decisions and Greer also denied a request by her parents for a lock of her hair and share of her ashes. Although the husband’s brother, Scott Schiavo said that the Schindlers wouldn’t be informed of the burial location which is said to be near Philadelphia because of concerns that it would become a media spectacle, Greer did order that Schiavo had to disclose the location of the burial site to the family and inform them of any memorial service planned.

It doesn't suprise me that Shiavo is getting death threats--I am suprised that Greer hasn't had a few yet, as he was the one that ultimately suported and enforced Mikey's agenda.

 

[chcr]

Friends of Schiavo said that he had been receiving death threats.

Ahh, how civilized, how consistent, how... typical.

 

[Winky]

Don't it make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside?

 

[habanero]

It doesn't suprise me that Shiavo is getting death threats--I am suprised that Greer hasn't had a few yet, as he was the one that ultimately suported and enforced Mikey's agenda.

Greer, a conservative Christian and longtime Republican known for an easy manner, has had death threats.

Death threats have been made against him for allowing Michael Schiavo to remove the feeding tube that has kept his 41-year-old wife alive for the past 15 years, and the Southern Baptist church that Greer belonged to for years has asked him to leave the congregation

A long time member of the congregation, does his job, and then gets kicked out of his church because of it.

Yeah, that's the christian thing to do.

 

[Winky]

What would Jesus do?

 

[habanero]

The same thing he has done for past 2000 years.

Nothing.

 

[Gonz]

does his job

That is debatable

 

[freako104]

Ahh, how civilized, how consistent, how... typical.

and yet they say its justified. I thought they were against killing? or is it selective?

 

[chcr]

and yet they say its justified. I thought they were against killing? or is it selective?

It always is, freako.

 

[K62]

I honestly am not sure what my opinion is on this subject.

I can understand both her parents, and her husband's point of view...

All I know is that if it was me on the bed, I would just want them to let me go like they did for her.

 

[freako104]

It always is, freako.

and naturally hypocrisy runs the world

 

[The Other One]

http://zogby.com/Soundbites/ReadClips.dbm?ID=11131
Zogby Poll: Americans Not in Favor of Starving Terri Schiavo
Polls leading up to the death of Terri Schiavo made it appear Americans had formed a consensus in favor of ending her life. However, a new Zogby poll with fairer questions shows the nation clearly supporting Terri and her parents and wanting to protect the lives of other disabled patients.

>>The Zogby poll found that, if a person becomes incapacitated and has not expressed their preference for medical treatment, as in Terri's case, 43 percent say "the law presume that the person wants to live, even if the person is receiving food and water through a tube" while just 30 percent disagree.

>>"If a disabled person is not terminally ill, not in a coma, and not being kept alive on life support, and they have no written directive, should or should they not be denied food and water," the poll asked.

>>A whopping 79 percent said the patient should not have food and water taken away while just 9 percent said yes.

>>"When there is conflicting evidence on whether or not a patient would want to be on a feeding tube, should elected officials order that a feeding tube be removed or should they order that it remain in place," respondents were asked.

>>Some 18 percent said the feeding tube should be removed and 42 percent said it should remain in place.

>>The poll found that 49 percent of Americans believe there should be exceptions to the right of a spouse to act as a guardian for an incapacitated spouse. Only 39 percent disagreed.

>>When asked directly about Terri's case and told the her estranged husband Michael "has had a girlfriend for 10 years and has two children with her" 56 percent of Americans believed guardianship should have been turned over to Terri's parents while 37 percent disagreed.

A CNN/USA Today poll done by Gallup showed a clear majority in favor of removing the feeding tube.

A CBS News poll showed an overwhelming 82 percent believe Congress and the president should have stayed out of it and 74 percent say it is all about politics.

An ABC News poll asked if it was right to pull Schiavo's feeding tube, noting that she's been "on life support for 15 years" with a condition that is "irreversible."

Will 'progressive' politicians who believed that supporting Terri Shiavo's dehydration to death was safe politically and it would not result in a voter backlash after she died be in for a shock? Come election time the voters will remember: Sympathetic to handicapped dying woman and her family=Conservatives. Unsympathetic to handicapped dying woman and her family=Liberals.

 

[MrBishop]

Hubby got to keep the money...so, what did the parents get?


...


to keep the money, of course

List of Schiavo Donors Will Be Sold by Direct-Marketing Firm

WASHINGTON, March 28 - The parents of Terri Schiavo have authorized a conservative direct-mailing firm to sell a list of their financial supporters, making it likely that thousands of strangers moved by her plight will receive a steady stream of solicitations from anti-abortion and conservative groups.​

"These compassionate pro-lifers donated toward Bob Schindler's legal battle to keep Terri's estranged husband from removing the feeding tube from Terri," says a description of the list on the Web site of the firm, Response Unlimited, which is asking $150 a month for 6,000 names and $500 a month for 4,000 e-mail addresses of people who responded last month to an e-mail plea from Ms. Schiavo's father. "These individuals are passionate about the way they value human life, adamantly oppose euthanasia and are pro-life in every sense of the word!"​

​

Privacy experts said the sale of the list was legal and even predictable, if ghoulish.​

Source​

 

[The Other One]

Wasn't the Shindler's list sold before Terri died?

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/29/p...=f1312f1b5ae170ad&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland

WASHINGTON, March 28 -

....Executives of Response Unlimited declined to comment. Gary McCullough, director of the Christian Communication Network and a spokesman for Ms. Schiavo's parents, confirmed that Mr. Schindler had agreed to let Response Unlimited rent out the list as part of a deal for the firm to send an e-mail solicitation raising money on the family's behalf.

The Schindlers have waged a lengthy legal battle against their son-in-law Michael Schiavo to prevent the removal of the feeding tube from their daughter, who doctors say is in a persistent vegetative state.

I don't think they were trying to profit from it--just trying to save their daughter's life.

 

[chcr]

How can polls be so accurate when you only ask such a small number of people?

JZ: "It's pure probability and statistics. The same theory is involved as when you take a blood test and the clinician draws only a small sample rather than draining all the blood out of your body."

Just like it.

 

[Gato_Solo]

 

[Mare]

Autopsy of Terri Schiavo Completed

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - The autopsy of Terri Schiavo has been completed, and the body is ready for release to her husband, who plans to cremate her remains and bury the ashes without telling his in-laws when or where. Results from the autopsy, which was completed Friday, were not be released for several weeks, according to the medical examiner's office.

Michael Schiavo has said he hopes the autopsy will settle questions about his wife's medical condition, but experts differ on whether that will happen. He declined to comment Friday.

Terri Schiavo's parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, and Michael Schiavo spent Friday planning separate funerals for the 41-year-old woman, who died Thursday - 13 days after her feeding tube was removed.

The Schindlers have scheduled a funeral Mass for Tuesday in Gulfport. The Mass will be preceded by a gathering for people to express their condolences.

Michael Schiavo's family has said he plans to take the cremated remains to Pennsylvania, where Terri Schiavo grew up, but her parents and siblings want to bury her body in Florida so they can visit her grave.

Terri Schiavo had been the center of a long legal battle over whether she would have wanted to be kept alive with the feeding tube for 15 years after suffering a devastating brain injury.

David Gibbs, the Schindlers' attorney, said there have been no further discussions between Michael Schiavo and the Schindlers about their daughter's remains. The Schindlers do not plan to press the issue in court, he said.

"The court has already determined that (Michael Schiavo) will control the burial decisions," Gibbs said.

Outside the Pinellas Park hospice where Terri Schiavo lived for five years, just a few protesters returned Friday for a brief mass as city workers took down barricades used to control the crowd. Media crews from around the country packed up their gear.

So when are they going to let us know the findings???