Artificial feeding-Terri Schiavo

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I posted this here becaue I think this subject is something that we as nurses deal with on a regular basis.....Many many people state that they have a big problem with the feeding being stopped "allowing her to starve to death" The Vatican says " To starve her to death is pitiless" Most everyone agrees that it is one's right to refuse to initiate artificial feeding but somehow this situation "is different" How? The patient "starves to death " in both cases-so why has this one galvanized the WORLD? My husband read me a quote from the Bible -forgive me because I can't remember it in detail-it was something along the lines that a woman marries and leaves her father's house and her husband becomes her family....My husband is my POA I hope no-one in my family questions his motives -He KNOWS exactly what I want....I can't question her husbands motives-I know that some suspect foul play and state the results of a bone scan support this...That bone scan was obtained 53 months after she went into her coma-after her body suffered the effects of her eating disorders for a number of years.... Her present level of responsiveness does not pertain to this matter IMHO-she CAN'T eat naturally--she did not ever want to "be kept alive like that " and she can't state otherwise at this point...So- #1 can someone PLEASE make me see why this case is" DIFFERENT" and #2 How do YOU support your patients and their loved ones when they are agonizing over this decision? ONe thing I always ask is "Did your loved one ever give you any idea of what they would want if something like this happened" and if they did then I advocate that stance for that pt as much possible.......I believe that death is the last great trip we'll go on and we should PLAN it as much as possible.The greatest GIFT we can give to our loved ones is an itinerary...........

Yes, excuse me, I meant Mr. Schindler.

Your neck injury example...there are plenty of ways to injure one's neck. I've had those same findings myself, and no one was harming me. Nowhere does the doc's statement say that the injuries were the result of an assault, let alone an assault by her husb. You're reading into it.

As far as the death threats, the local news out of Philly has had two spots on this. Terri's brother-in-law was just interviewed today and said that the phone has been ringing off the wall with people who ID themselves as supporters of the Schindlers.

Whatever...you're determined to demonize Michael Schaivo.

Perhaps Michael wanted Terri's last few moments to be a private matter between Terri and himself. He may not have wanted to risk the Schindlers dragging in the drum beaters, bagpipers and assorted wailers.

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and maybe he is a heartless bastard that wanted to take Terri's last few minutes on Earth to further torture her by forbidding her parents to be present. How can Terri rest in peace if Michael did abuse her and he walks away scott free?

Yes, excuse me, I meant Mr. Schindler.

Your neck injury example...there are plenty of ways to injure one's neck. I've had those same findings myself, and no one was harming me. Nowhere does the doc's statement say that the injuries were the result of an assault, let alone an assault by her husb. You're reading into it.

As far as the death threats, the local news out of Philly has had two spots on this. Terri's brother-in-law was just interviewed today and said that the phone has been ringing off the wall with people who ID themselves as supporters of the Schindlers.

Whatever...you're determined to demonize Michael Schindler.

Perhaps Michael wanted Terri's last few moments to be a private matter between Terri and himself. He may not have wanted to risk the Schindlers dragging in the drum beaters, bagpipers and assorted wailers.

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1. Perhaps putting Terri Schiavo in a hospice when she was not actively dying is part of what has "set hospice back." I presume further that when you say "Mr. Schiavo" you are meaning to say "Mr. Schindler." The only "Mr. Schiavo" in this situation is Michael Schiavo; Terri Schiavo's parents are Mr. and Mrs. Schindler. Those making accusations against these grieving parents would do well to at least get their names right.

2. "Direct evidence" includes, but is not limited to, eyewitness accounts. We have those. We also have the testimony of neurologist Dr. William Hammesfahr, who testified to the following, on Sept. 12, 2002, regarding his examination of Terri Schiavo, completed at the Second District Court of Appeal:

"The neck exam was abnormal. She had severe limitation of range of motion in the flexion, and to a lesser degree in extension. Indeed, I was able to pick up her entire torso and head and neck area with pressure on the back of her neck in the suboccipital region. These findings of cervical spasm and limitation of range of motion are consistent with a neck injury. No bruits were identified."

3. I think that there are a great many people who would welcome a slander lawsuit from Michael Schiavo. Such a suit, of course, will never be filed because it would, among other things, open him up to oath-bound testimony about what happened to his wife, which, of course, he has been so far free from.

4. Do you have evidence of "death threats" against Terri Schiavo's brother-in-law? What kind of evidence? Could you provide it to us?

5. Assuming you have such evidence, what evidence do you have that it is from "supporters of Terri"?

6. And further, what evidence do you have that it is from anyone in the pro-life community?

Jim Huffman, RN

Hopefully, the autopsy will answer at least some of the questions. My guess is...it will NEVER be settled. People still dispute the ending of Marilyn Monroe's life...who really killed Kennedy...did OJ really do it? I think, in the end, everyone will believe what he/she chooses.

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Yes, excuse me, I meant Mr. Schindler.

Your neck injury example...there are plenty of ways to injure one's neck. I've had those same findings myself, and no one was harming me. Nowhere does the doc's statement say that the injuries were the result of an assault, let alone an assault by her husb. You're reading into it.

As far as the death threats, the local news out of Philly has had two spots on this. Terri's brother-in-law was just interviewed today and said that the phone has been ringing off the wall with people who ID themselves as supporters of the Schindlers.

Whatever...you're determined to demonize Michael Schindler.

Perhaps Michael wanted Terri's last few moments to be a private matter between Terri and himself. He may not have wanted to risk the Schindlers dragging in the drum beaters, bagpipers and assorted wailers.

1. Of course, it is not Dr. Hammesfahr's job to determine the cause of any such injuries. That would be the court's call, if there is a wrongful death suit.

2. Could you please provide links or other evidence as to the "local news out of Philly" making these statements?

3. What specific evidence do you have that I am "determined to demonize Michael Schindler"? [sic], I presume you mean "Michael Schiavo." You will note that I have not said that you are seeking to demonize Mr. and Mrs. Schindler. Provide evidence, or stop making unfounded accusations.

4. As far as demonizing, it is enlightening to note that supporters of Terri Schiavo are now characterized as "wailers."

Jim Huffman, RN

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There are actually people who disagreed with the method of Terri's death.

that's fine.

but don't legislate the rest of us to live on feeding tubes for 15 years please.

did anyone see terri's brother on cnn when he was asked about 'the polls?' he said even he would not want to live like that??!! hello??!!! then what if your parents insisted on it???? whose wishes do we regard???

and if, if he's ever is in bad shape someday in the future, i will call cnn myself and remind them of that tape!

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jim asked:

2. Could you please provide links or other evidence as to the "local news out of Philly" making these statements?

~~~

i saw michael's brother, brian, i believe, on local channel 3 out of philly, a cbs affiliate. he said that his phone has been ringing all day with death threats. he was interviewed in his house standing in his kitchen.

i checked the website, but that particular interview is not available.

it is www.kyw.com if you'd like to search further.

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Felos is Schiavo's attorney.

I am curious, however, what are the ethics involved, on either side, as far as lawyers writing books about their cases? Do any of our "legal experts" know anything about this? I know lawyers have written about their cases. I am just wondering...Do they have to get permission from their clients? At what point in their legal fight do they discuss this. I am just thinking how things could be construed, that this lawyer fought harder for so-and-so, because it had the makings of a great book?

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.
Yes, I believe with all my heart that Michael murdered Mrs. Schiavo. Hopefully, the parents will sue him for wrongful deal in a civil court.

That would be interesting.

With all the circumstancial evidence you quotes, which surely isn't recently discovered evidence, (other than recently discovered by the media) wonder why no charges were filed. Surely an insurance company before paying out a million dollar settlement would have made those charges. Or did all this "evidence" come about after he got the money?

I'm just wondering how this monster got away with no charges filed against him. How he won court case, after court case, after court case.

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Specializes in Community Health Nurse.
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and if, if he's ever is in bad shape someday in the future, i will call cnn myself and remind them of that tape!

If he is ever in bad shape someday in the future, I want to sit by his bedside and watch him starve to death until his last breath. :stone It's bad enough that he let her die a slow death that way, but now he is depriving her family of a decent burial for their loved one. He got his wish........she's gone now. Now let her family have her body to bury instead of him cremating Terri as he wishes to do to her body.

Did anyone see Patricia Heaton's interview today on Entertainment Tonight? I agree with Patricia's take on this. I also agree with Mel Gibson's take on this.

There are those who agree with Terri's husband, and there are those who agree with Terri's parents and other family members. This is why some people need a living will signed and copies given to all their close family members so their wishes will be known when their time of death draws near, or they become incapable of making their own decisions.

As for me and my family, we come from a culture that keeps their loved ones home until death. We do not place our loved ones in nursing homes. We are their caregivers, and we embrace death as an unpreventable journey we must all take. There's nothing to argue over. When God is ready for us...He will call us home without "human intervention, government intervention, or any other kind of intervention". To die is to be born again with God. That's my families take on life and death. :)

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1. Of course, it is not Dr. Hammesfahr's job to determine the cause of any such injuries. That would be the court's call, if there is a wrongful death suit.

2. Could you please provide links or other evidence as to the "local news out of Philly" making these statements?

3. What specific evidence do you have that I am "determined to demonize Michael Schindler"? [sic], I presume you mean "Michael Schiavo." You will note that I have not said that you are seeking to demonize Mr. and Mrs. Schindler. Provide evidence, or stop making unfounded accusations.

4. As far as demonizing, it is enlightening to note that supporters of Terri Schiavo are now characterized as "wailers."

Jim Huffman, RN

Since you have provided no links to prove your statements about Michael, then I am not going to bother to do so, either. Why should you demand of others what you fail to do yourself?

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

never mind. was crosstalking and butting in.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.
Since you have provided no links to prove your statements about Michael, then I am not going to bother to do so, either. Why should you demand of others what you fail to do yourself?

What evidence to you have to support this accusation. :rotfl:

(sorry James, I hope you have a sense of humor.)

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