Terri Schiavo

eeboater

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Re: Terri Schiavo

Here is the general process of death for patients whose food and hydration tubes are withdrawn.<br /><br />_Day One: The percutaneous endoscopic gastrotomy tube, which is placed through the skin and into the stomach, is removed in a simple surgical procedure. Patients who do not have mental cognition to have a sense of thirst or hunger will not be uncomfortable.<br /><br />_ Days Three to Four: Urine output decreases and patients begin to lose normal body secretions. The mouth begins to look dry and the eyes appear sunken. Patients will look thinner because the body tissues have lost fluid. Their heart rate gradually goes up and their blood pressure goes down. In some patients, dehydration releases endorphins in the brain that create a state of euphoria.<br /><br />_ Days Five to 10: People who are alert have a marked decrease in their alertness. Respiration becomes irregular with periods of very fast and then very slow breathing. Some patients will become restless while others will be less active. For patients in a persistent vegetative state, there may be no discernible change in their movements.<br /><br />_ Days 10 to Death: Patients do not appear to respond to their environment at all and may appear to be in a coma. Length of death process is determined by how well-nourished patient was and how much body fat and fluid they had when procedure began. May be outward signs of dehydration, like extremely dry skin. Kidney function declines and toxins begin accumulating in the body. Toxins cause respiratory muscles to fail. Multiple organ systems begin to fail from lack of nutrition.<br /><br />Source: LifePath Hospice.<br /><br /> KAGEE -- I know this was pulled from your link, but I think it is more effective as a post.
 

wilkin250r

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Re: Terri Schiavo

I would have to side with the Husband. Even if the roles were reversed, and he were fighting to keep her alive, I would STILL side with the Husband.<br /><br />Although the law doesn't explicitely say the same, my belief is that when she married him, she gave him de facto medical power of attorney. <br /><br />Not focusing on money, but rather using money as an example of responsibility. Ever hear the saying, "Along with greater priviledges comes greater responsibility"? I think the inverse is also true. The law says that he (as the spouse) is solely responsible for the medical costs of his wife. Her parents are not responsible for the costs, the judge is not responsible for the costs. If he alone is responsible for the outcome, then why isn't he alone responsible for the decision?
 

SpinnerBait_Nut

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Re: Terri Schiavo

This just in.<br />Rebuffing Congress, judge lifts order blocking removal of Schiavo feeding tube.
 

rogerwa

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Re: Terri Schiavo

This man is not much of a husband anymore. He currenlty lives with his girlfriend and their two children.<br /><br />I cannot help but believe his motives are self serving.
 

wilkin250r

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Re: Terri Schiavo

That's ridiculous (in my opinion). In order to use the "new girlfriend" arguement, you need to put it onto proper perspective.<br /><br />While we're at it, let's try to put the WHOLE thing in perspective. If I'm terribly inaccurate, please feel free to correct me.<br /><br />-In 1990, she collapses, the beginning of her current condition.<br /><br />-For a few years, treatement, some therapy, experimental treatment, care, along with some lawsuits.<br /><br />-The Husband orders to stop therapy and resuscitation in 1993.<br /><br />-The Husband announces new engagement to his girlfriend in 1997.<br /><br />The Husband's fight to end Terri's life began three years after the onset of her condition. I can't say I blame him. Sure, according to a doctor, she was showing improvements, but she was still largely unresponsive after THREE YEARS! Sure, we've all heard amazing stories, but most likely if a person hasn't recovered after three years, they probably won't recover at all.<br /><br />His wife has been largely unresponsive, almost dead, for over SEVEN YEARS before he announced his engagement with his new girlfriend. Again, I can't say I find fault with that. After seven years, it's really not too far fetched that he may be moving on with his life.<br /><br />To me, the "new girlfriend, self-serving motives" arguement doesn't hold any water. How many of us have the strength to fight for more than three years? How long would it realisitically take any of us to decide that the humane thing to do may just be to throw in the towel?
 

eeboater

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Re: Terri Schiavo

If he is still married, why does he have a girlfriend? Last I checked Polygamy is illegal in the USA.<br /><br />Sean
 

wilkin250r

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Re: Terri Schiavo

The law only applies to legal marriage. However immoral, there is nothing illegal about having two girlfriends, or a wife and a girlfriend.
 

rogerwa

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Re: Terri Schiavo

After all this is not about him, is it. She we starve her for his weaknesses?<br /><br />The self serving motive thing does hold water. It speaks to motivation.<br /><br />If my wife were laying there while I was off fornucating with my girlfriend, I would definitely have morality issues.<br /><br />I should also mention that initially she was undergoing rehab and was improving. Shortly after the lawsuit he won, he stopped the rehab and started his persuit of letting her die.
 

wilkin250r

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Re: Terri Schiavo

It's a romantic idea, but I just can't subscribe to it. A full year is a LONG time to wait by a hospital bed hoping for the best. Two years is even longer, and more painful. Three years is even worse. <br /><br />I don't know the exact facts, but let's assume that he wasn't off fornicating until three years later when he ordered cessation of therapy and recuscitation. If it was three months, I point my finger, but I really can't find moral fault with a guy moving on after three years without any sign of real hope.<br /><br />Girlfriend or not, his wife collapsed in 1990, and hasn't recovered consciousness since. At what point do you finally let her go?
 

wilkin250r

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Re: Terri Schiavo

What is engaged? There's no legal paperwork involved in an engagement, it's just a guy giving a ring to a girl. He can't get legally married until he is divorced, or his wife dies, but that doesn't stop him from giving his girlfriend a ring and promising marriage as soon as he is legally able to.<br /><br />Nothing at all illegal about an engagement.
 

wilkin250r

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Re: Terri Schiavo

Originally posted by rogerwa:<br />I should also mention that initially she was undergoing rehab and was improving. Shortly after the lawsuit he won, he stopped the rehab and started his persuit of letting her die.
I'm not a doctor, but I don't put as much stock into this aspect as some people do. She was improving? What does that mean, she wiggled her fingers a little more? She was undergoing therapy for three years, and never regained consciousness. I don't really call that improvement. <br /><br />Again, I'm not a doctor, but 15 years later, she still hasn't regained consciousness. I find it doubtful that continued therapy would have made a significant difference.
 

mrbscott19

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Re: Terri Schiavo

Originally posted by SoulWinner:<br /> mrbscott,<br /><br />If you look up to my last post you see that Terry CAN EAT just like you and me, but like a baby, she can't feed herself. Sheesh dude :rolleyes: <br /><br />Here's a novel idea, why don't you try reading the posts in a thread before responding? :eek:
Is that tube keeping her alive? What will happen when it is removed? She will die...if it's as easy as you say, why don't the parents let him remove the tube and just hand feed her all the time???<br /><br />Here's a novel idea.....try to comprehend what I'm saying before typing your response. Without the tube, she will die. This is a fact.
 

Link

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Re: Terri Schiavo

mrbscott19 <br />
Is that tube keeping her alive? What will happen when it is removed? She will die...if it's as easy as you say, why don't the parents let him remove the tube and just hand feed her all the time???
Yes Except the husband has blocked her parents from doing just that for years. They are more than willing to take care of her. <br />But he won't let them!<br />Ive been following this for years and I think he is afraid to let her recover.
 

SoulWinner

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Re: Terri Schiavo

Thanks Link. Yes mrbsmart, the husband has an injunction against the parents from rendering ANY aid to their daughter. <br /><br />Here's a novel idea, why don't you stop being intellectually lazy and educate your self on this subject if wish to opine. Otherwise.....oh never mind. It's probably easier to reason with Terry Schivo........
 

rogerwa

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Re: Terri Schiavo

I heard a quadrapalgic on the radio this evening that needs someone to feed her. Maybe she needs life support as well.
 

hayhauler

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Re: Terri Schiavo

Link said:<br />
Yes Except the husband has blocked her parents from doing just that for years. They are more than willing to take care of her. <br />But he won't let them!<br />Ive been following this for years and I think he is afraid to let her recover.
Here is the thing, she has been on a feeding tube all these years and she hasn't recovered. I'm not sure what the right thing to do would be in this instance. What Link says the parents have been blocked from doing is hand feeding her, the reality is that hand feeding her wouldn't work, she can't chew and swallow. <br /><br />I've made the decision, and told my wife and family, if I can't feed myself, I don't want to live. I consider a feeding tube an artificial means of life support. If it's a short term thing, fine, otherwise I do not want my life sustained by any artificial means, including a feeding tube, for any length of time.<br /><br />I'm not speaking for Terry Schiavo, that's a hard case, and I don't know the answer. I'm just stating what I've decided I want for myself.
 

demsvmejm

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Re: Terri Schiavo

Originally posted by SBN:<br /> All I will say is that the wife's and my living will states, "No means of recessitation to be administered"<br /><br />We made a pledge to each other not to have one another in a state like this girl is.<br /><br />I don't think she knows who's in the room, I think she is noticing noises.<br /><br />What kinda life is this? Not one that I would or anyone else would if they would really stop to think about it.<br /><br />Yea, I'm sure the parents are thinking for the best for their daughter, but come on people, would you really want to see your loved one that way? Not me, sorry. I do not believe in suffering if it can be helped and this one can.<br />Just MHO.
The key here is "Resuscitation". Terry is NOT being resuscitated. She is being sustained. I would not want to live the life she is living, but I would not want ot die the death she is posed to suffer,
 
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