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...........

Specializes in Neuro, NICU.

It can be argued, however, that since he does have a common law wife (which does require a divorce decree in some states) that he is not her husband. He is a bigamist and both marriages are invalid.

Actually, he's still legally married to Terri. Florida does not recognize common law marriage. According to the following website (and a couple of others)

http://usmarriagelaws.com/search/alternative_lifestyles/common_law_marriages/index.shtml, there are only 11 states that do. It doesn't matter that he's started another relationship/family, he's still legally entitled to be Terri's representative.

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Artificial feeding can be a heroic measure under some circumstances - unfortunately in too many cases. If Terri is being tube fed can we not assume that she has no or an insufficient gag reflex. Being able to swallow a sip of water and being fed by mouth are not the same thing. How much are the taxpayers paying for her care? If her parents want to control her prolonged death, they should take her home. There are so many other patients that could use the money that is spent on her care - including prevention.

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Uh...that is what they are asking the courts. To take her home and care for her.

The husband wont let them.

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Can you show me evidence to support those statements? Some law? We continue to let our emotions decide this woman's fate-and our feelings towards the husband. Not the law...and THAT is the "slippery slope" The law must take precedence here-not her husbands "morality" or her parents "faith" or numerous other factors mentioned including our own histories and choices regarding our own advance directives.....You can "argue" all you wish-but you can't stand up in a court of law and argue anything but the facts as they pertain to the law...

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You are right. We are on a slippery slope. A very deadly one.

Common marriage laws will stand up in a court of law. Just not in Florida.

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Actually, he's still legally married to Terri. Florida does not recognize common law marriage. According to the following website (and a couple of others)

http://usmarriagelaws.com/search/alternative_lifestyles/common_law_marriages/index.shtml, there are only 11 states that do. It doesn't matter that he's started another relationship/family, he's still legally entitled to be Terri's representative.

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FL does not recognize common law marriage if after 1968, but they do recognize common law up to that time. So to say they dont accept ANY common law is not accurate. However, you are right that it does not deal with the Schiavo case unless they were married in a state which accept common law and then moved to FL.

***After January 1, 1968, common law marriages entered into the State of Florida are void. Florida Statutes Annotated, provide in pertinent part:

741.211 Common law marriages void

No common law marriage entered into after January 1, 1968, shall be valid except that nothing contained in this section shall affect any marriage which, though otherwise defective, was entered into by the party asserting such marriage in good faith and in substantial compliance with this chapter. Laws 1967, c.67-571, 1 eff. Aug. 3, 1967.

The elements required for a common law marriage entered into in Florida prior to January 2, 1968, were: (1) legal capacity to contract marriage, (2) mutual agreement of the parties to presently become husband and wife and (3) consummation of the agreement by cohabitation. Dandy v. Dandy, 234 So. 2d 728 (Fla. App. 1970)l; Williams v. Dade County, 237 So. 2d 776 (Fla. App. 1970). Prior to the 1968 Florida statute abolishing common law marriages, such a marriage (where otherwise valid) could arise on the basis of continued cohabitation after the removal of the impediment to the prior ceremonial marriage. Jones v. Jones, supra, 161 So. at p. 839.

**This brings up another legal question. Let's say Michael Schiavo dies in a car accident today. His estate is worth lets say $2 Million in life insurance. Does Terri get the money for her care or does his girlfriend and Michaels illegit kids?

Now, Michael says that his loyalty is to Terri, not his girlfriend (she is obviously a ding bat) but I bet he wants the money to go to his kids, not Terri.

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

Strange, that if he wanted the money, why did he wait all these years? Maybe his new girlfriend is really the one in control now, not the man. Just a thought.

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Strange, that if he wanted the money, why did he wait all these years? Maybe his new girlfriend is really the one in control now, not the man. Just a thought.

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That is a thought. But the loser is still Terri.

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Here is how I feel about it.....The husband has no motives other than seeing that his wife's wishes are honored....period!

Now having said that, I place myself in the shoes of her parent. If I was her mom ( or dad), I can see how they will fight for their dgt to continue living. Any film I see on her she appears to be in no pain, and seems to respond to verbal and tactile stimuli. That must be huge for a parent, to see their child smile or respond to them.

So since we are living in the real world, and few people that age would have a living wiil, I feel the parents of the child should always have the last say-so.

GOD BLESS HER AND ALL HER FAMILY

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Specializes in LTC,Hospice/palliative care,acute care.
Here is how I feel about it.....The husband has no motives other than seeing that his wife's wishes are honored....period!

Now having said that, I place myself in the shoes of her parent. If I was her mom ( or dad), I can see how they will fight for their dgt to continue living. Any film I see on her she appears to be in no pain, and seems to respond to verbal and tactile stimuli. That must be huge for a parent, to see their child smile or respond to them.

So since we are living in the real world, and few people that age would have a living wiil, I feel the parents of the child should always have the last say-so.

GOD BLESS HER AND ALL HER FAMILY

Let's look at her situation from another POV-imagine you are Terri....You can't move your body if you are uncomfortable,can't scratch your nose if it itches.You can't eat and drink.....You can't ask for another blanket or a fan if you are cold...You can't see a clock or even tell time if you could.You are aware that time does pass very slowly...Sometimes you are happy and comforted by the presence of people-but they don't stay long and you never know when or if they will come back....You can't verbalize that you DO have pain sometimes-you have a leg cramp or a headache...can't even ask for tylenol...You are washed,your basic bodily functions are tended to by others.You are cleaned when you are having your period and after you have a bowel movement on yourself..................Can you honestly say you would sentence your child to living year after year in a prison of a body like this? SOMETIMES death is a release---not a game to loose but a gift-a ticket to a better place.....
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No no no

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Let's look at her situation from another POV-imagine you are Terri....You can't move your body if you are uncomfortable,can't scratch your nose if it itches.You can't eat and drink.....You can't ask for another blanket or a fan if you are cold...You can't see a clock or even tell time if you could.You are aware that time does pass very slowly...Sometimes you are happy and comforted by the presence of people-but they don't stay long and you never know when or if they will come back....You can't verbalize that you DO have pain sometimes-you have a leg cramp or a headache...can't even ask for tylenol...You are washed,your basic bodily functions are tended to by others.You are cleaned when you are having your period and after you have a bowel movement on yourself..................Can you honestly say you would sentence your child to living year after year in a prison of a body like this? SOMETIMES death is a release---not a game to loose but a gift-a ticket to a better place.....

I could not agree more.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

I think it is terrible how the government and news media have made a circus out of this, let her husband decide, if it were me I would not want to live like that, she may have expressed that very wish to her husband. I wish him peace with his decision and for Teri a painless death. For the rest of us, let us mind our own business and if any of us think it terrible then make a living will so your own family won't languish over such details.

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Let's look at her situation from another POV-imagine you are Terri....You can't move your body if you are uncomfortable,can't scratch your nose if it itches.You can't eat and drink.....You can't ask for another blanket or a fan if you are cold...You can't see a clock or even tell time if you could.You are aware that time does pass very slowly...Sometimes you are happy and comforted by the presence of people-but they don't stay long and you never know when or if they will come back....You can't verbalize that you DO have pain sometimes-you have a leg cramp or a headache...can't even ask for tylenol...You are washed,your basic bodily functions are tended to by others.You are cleaned when you are having your period and after you have a bowel movement on yourself..................Can you honestly say you would sentence your child to living year after year in a prison of a body like this? SOMETIMES death is a release---not a game to loose but a gift-a ticket to a better place.....

I agree. How many out there would want to stay alive in that state? Take everything else out of the equation. I can't imagine anyone knowing that this would be the state in which they existed would say that they would rather live that way than to die.

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