Terri Shiavo Case

fergus51 · Sep 24, 2004

I don't know what would be best for her. I think this is such an individual thing. My heart goes out to everyone in this story.

I know for myself, I would not want a feeding tube and have already filled out the paperwork on that whole issue. I picked a friend to be my decision maker in such an event and left very specific instructions.

SmilingBluEyes · Sep 24, 2004

we discussed this before.... here is the thread, I believe:

https://allnurses.com/forums/showthread.php?t=47119&highlight=terry+schiavo

Roland · Sep 24, 2004

It's been discussed before, but there is a new "wrinkle" in the story since the Florida Supreme Court just threw out the law which made it illegal to remove her feeding tube. Personally, I think her husband is responsible for her injuries and should be tried for manslaughter. However, I doubt that evidence sufficient to make a sucessful prosecution exists at this late date. Hopefully, at the very least if she dies they can make certain an autopsy is done which might show evidence of previous trauma.

jschut, BSN, RN · Sep 24, 2004

I simply don't get why the husband is so adamant about not allowing her family to take over care. He seems to be pushing for her death. Poor gal....I wish that therapy could be started and it would help her.

NurseyBaby'05, BSN, RN · Sep 24, 2004

Besause he has a new family. He and gf of a few years have kids todether. He's still married, so he can't marry the new one. No insurance money if they divorce. Sorry, I know I'm cynical, but I'm not sure it these are her wishes or not. No one will ever truly know. They may very well be, but why did he allow her to have a feeding tube in the first place? I'm sure he had to consent to her surgery. She surely was in no better shape then than she is now. Why didn't he consider her wishes then? I just find it funny that he "remembered" her "wishes" around the same time he moved on to another realtionship. :angryfire

LadyMadonna · Sep 24, 2004

Besause he has a new family. He and gf of a few years have kids todether. He's still married, so he can't marry the new one. No insurance money if they divorce. Sorry, I know I'm cynical, but I'm not sure it these are her wishes or not. No one will ever truly know. They may very well be, but why did he allow her to have a feeding tube in the first place? I'm sure he had to consent to her surgery. She surely was in no better shape then than she is now. Why didn't he consider her wishes then? I just find it funny that he "remembered" her "wishes" around the same time he moved on to another realtionship. :angryfire

Terribly sorry to have drug this topic up again.

I think her husband is probably a creep. I saw a commercial for the Oprah Winfrey Show and he was on there, it looked like pretty somber meeting but I so wanted to see it but didn't get to.

I watched the video of Terri smiling at her mother so I just can't imagine how they say she is in a permanent vegetative state. I feel so bad for her mother, you know it tears her heart out that some idiot who calls himself her husband can choose to pull the plug and take her daughter away from her like that.

I don't care. He would have the plug pulled out over my dead body.

Roland · Sep 24, 2004

Being cynical and more than slightly paranoid (which I think is healthy) I believe he wants her dead to remove any possibility that she will ever be able to communicate what happened to her. Orginally, when this story broke I think people had difficulty imagining that any husband could be so cold and cruel. However, since then we've had the Mark Hacking and Scott Peterson cases (in the case of Peterson even if he is somehow innocent he's still a cold hearted individual). My contention is that not only is such behavior possible, but it is almost common (although it obviously doesn't usually lead to murder).

jad2 · Sep 24, 2004

I heard the husband say in an interview that he had sued her docs because they misdiagnosed her? She had a severe electrolyte deficiency which caused her to have the MI. Something along the lines of the medical team not ordering a K level????

Anyway, if anything can be learned from this is the importance of having a Living Will/Power of Attorney.

missmercy · Sep 24, 2004

Had to review a number of difficult cases with similarities to this one for a paper in grad school. Life and the quality thereof is such a precious and individual thing!! WOW! It is frightening to see how often a person's prior wishes can be overturned if they are not addressed in a legal and specific manner.

It's a difficult conversation to have with folks -- the whole end of life issue is often so emotionally charged. I had to sit down with my parents -- who aren't getting any younger -- but are still in good health and mentally sound -- and discuss it with them. They have strong opinions -- which differ slightly from those that my sibling holds -- (I figure it should be their call) Needless to say it was a long emotional and trying day... but they have advanced directives -- very clearly defined and big brother is willing to go along with their wishes ( at this point).

Next step is to get the hubby to discuss it. He seems to think we will both live forever and thus we do not need to make arrangements for any other possibilities. This case certainly gives us all cause to consider wehre we stand on end of life issues and forces us to see the misery that family members go through trying to wrestle with the decisions without KNOWING what the patient's wishes are --

It's tough to address -- but toughter to deal with while in the midst of the crisis! Have strong feelings?! Let someone know what your wishes are and get it in a legal document!!

shyne · Sep 25, 2004

Very sad situaton for her and the family. I personally would not want myself or my family living in that kind of condition.

Roland · Sep 25, 2004

There are two issues that make this particular case especially contentious:

1. The fact that many have at least a "well defined suspicion" that her husband was involved in placing her in her present condition.

2. The fact that he seems to have acted in a manner which suggests he is more concerned about his on welfare than his wife's.

3. The fact that Ms Schiavo is not on artificial respiration. Since euthanasia with drugs is not allowed in Florida (or anywhere in the United States with the possible exception of Oregon) the way she would be killed would be dehydration, and or starvation.

Thus, in many ways this specific case is a horrible template for discussing the more general issue of euthanasia or even Living Wills. Consider, that while someone has a Living Will, they may not intend for it to apply to circumstances such as the one's that Terri S. has experience.