Artificial feeding-Terri Schiavo

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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 Community Health Nurse.
Yes, they asked and he said no. I don't know that they forgave him, I would have to guess not. But again, this would have been for Terri, not for them. He claims to love this woman enough that he is burying her in his family plot (despite being in love with another woman). He should have made sure that in death, these people who raised her and that she loved, were there.

I totally agree with you mercyteapot! The LEAST he could do is let her be buried in her family's plot. How heartless of him! :angryfire

Terri never had anything in writing about her death. She was in her mid twenties when this happened to her. How many young adults actually sit down and make out a living will? Not many. They are still thinking that death is for the old people...they are going to live forever...they have forever to think about old age decisions..... So...Terri's husband said she wanted this or that...we will never know. I seriously doubt Terri made such a decision at that age. Since she couldn't speak for herself all those years since her accident, he became her mouth peice. Only God, Terri, and Terri's husband really know what transpired between the couple before her accident. He better hope he is telling the truth in the end. :stone

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Specializes in Med-Surg.
I think it's best they were separated as well, but:

1. Like I said, it's only as far as I'm aware, but he wasn't even with Terri during those last moments.

2. Also, from what I understood before I left for work, they knew it was coming. There was a statement this morning that they didn't expect her to last more than a few hours.

I understand where you're coming from, Tweety. You've made some great posts in this thread and made me re-think some things. However, ANY benefit of the doubt I had for Mr. Schiavo went out with his selfishness and grudge.

And to the poster who talked about it being selfish for him to cremate her and bury her in his plot; not only to her family, but his new fiance..I never thought of it that way..I wonder what she has to be thinking.

He was sleeping in a room at the hospice for days. So who was with her when she died.

I see what you're saying and I understand.

I also understand the grudge works both ways. It makes for a great media shot to see mom and dad hugging each other in grief every day.

But the grudge works both ways, and unfortunately it started over money, after the lawsuit. They loved him and supported him initially. But they had a part to play in the grudge and lack of forgiveness. I wonder if they can look back with a clear concsious and say they never did anything to antagonize the grudge and they are 100% innocent. I don't know.

I'm very sympathetic with the parents, don't get me wrong, they've through hell and back and love their daughter, without a doubt and I'm sure they would have taken very good care of her in their custody.

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He was sleeping in a room at the hospice for days. So who was with her when she died.

I see what you're saying and I understand.

I also understand the grudge works both ways. It makes for a great media shot to see mom and dad hugging each other in grief every day.

But the grudge works both ways, and unfortunately it started over money, after the lawsuit. They loved him and supported him initially. But they had a part to play in the grudge and lack of forgiveness. I wonder if they can look back with a clear concsious and say they never did anything to antagonize the grudge and they are 100% innocent. I don't know.

I'm very sympathetic with the parents, don't get me wrong, they've through hell and back and love their daughter, without a doubt and I'm sure they would have taken very good care of her in their custody.

Hi Tweety!!

You are completely right! I definitely agree the grudge works both ways.

Just wish they could have had the chance to be with Terri, for her sake as well as theirs'.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.
Hi Tweety!!

You are completely right! I definitely agree the grudge works both ways.

Just wish they could have had the chance to be with Terri, for her sake as well as theirs'.

I agree and I'm sorry they weren't with her. Michael was so keen on carrying out Terri's wishes. I don't for a moment believe she wouldn't have wanted her parents there, surely he knew that.

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Yikes, I'm about crying over here.

Listening to Terri's priest recount her last hours on Larry King.

He said that it was not a peaceful death. She was panting heavily, sweating, her face was flushed and he said "she looked terrified. I stared at her face for an hour."

Poor baby. :crying2: :crying2:

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Yikes, I'm about crying over here.

Listening to Terri's priest recount her last hours on Larry King.

He said that it was not a peaceful death. She was panting heavily, sweating, her face was flushed and he said "she looked terrified. I stared at her face for an hour."

Poor baby. :crying2: :crying2:

Wow, there is so many medications out there to make end of life peaceful. I am suprised with her being at a inpatient hospice that her symptoms weren't better controlled. If what the priest is saying is true.

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I have been following this case for quite some time as everyone else has. IMO both sides have done wrong in many ways but mostly the parents for putting that poor girl on public dispay and the husband for not allowing the parents to be with her when she died. What reason could he have for that but spite! If my child were dying and I was denied access to him, well it would be ugly. No matter the feelings the family's have for each other the girl was dying, she needed her mother with her and her mother needed to be with her. I have no idea what Terri's wishes were, I doubt at age 25 they had ever been discussed, but I have no doubt she would have wanted her mother to be with her. I am 45 years old and when I am sick, I still want my mom.

Peace be with you Terri

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Specializes in Med-Surg.
Yikes, I'm about crying over here.

Listening to Terri's priest recount her last hours on Larry King.

He said that it was not a peaceful death. She was panting heavily, sweating, her face was flushed and he said "she looked terrified. I stared at her face for an hour."

Poor baby. :crying2: :crying2:

Don't fall for it Peachy.

If it wasn't a peaceful death, they weren't medicating her properly. But heaven forbid she get medicated, lest Hospice nurses and doctors be accused of a murder plot. :(

And no sometimes, death isn't pretty, and yes when some people die they are gasping for air, diaphortetic, etc. They are dying for heaven's sake.

I'm not sure it was fear he was seeing. I think at that point, she wasn't really feeling any emotions, her brain was way too hypoxic to function at that capacity, and her body was physically responding.

This priest is deliberately playing with your heartstrings because his church objected to the method of death.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.
Wow, there is so many medications out there to make end of life peaceful. I am suprised with her being at a inpatient hospice that her symptoms weren't better controlled. If what the priest is saying is true.

I was posting at the same time, thinking the same thing.

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Don't fall for it Peachy.

If it wasn't a peaceful death, they weren't medicating her properly. But heaven forbid she get medicated, lest Hospice nurses and doctors be accused of a murder plot. :(

And no sometimes, death isn't pretty, and yes when some people die they are gasping for air, diaphortetic, etc. They are dying for heaven's sake.

I'm not sure it was fear he was seeing. I think at that point, she wasn't really feeling any emotions, her brain was way too hypoxic to function at that capacity, and her body was physically responding.

This priest is deliberately playing with your heartstrings because his church objected to the method of death.

I agree.

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Don't fall for it Peachy.

If it wasn't a peaceful death, they weren't medicating her properly. But heaven forbid she get medicated, lest Hospice nurses and doctors be accused of a murder plot. :(

And no sometimes, death isn't pretty, and yes when some people die they are gasping for air, diaphortetic, etc. They are dying for heaven's sake.

I'm not sure it was fear he was seeing. I think at that point, she wasn't really feeling any emotions, her brain was way too hypoxic to function at that capacity, and her body was physically responding.

This priest is deliberately playing with your heartstrings because his church objected to the method of death.

Thanks, Tweety!

I'm such a sucker for these kinda things..:mad:

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

Tanya, it's an emotional case. I've been all over the place emotionally myself.

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