Death by Starvation/Dehydration...Save a life!

[Turtle TR]

http://www.friendsofterri.org/

As you read this Terri Schindler-Schiavo is being slowly murdered by starvation and dehydration under order of her husband who is fully supported by the Florida “justice” system.

Terri suffered a collapse when she was 26 years old, which resulted in brain damage. Officially the cause of the collapse is unknown even though many speculate the her husband Michael Shiavo, who is now in control of her $1.2 million trust may have been involved.

Once the cheque(check) cleared, Michael began petitioning the courts to remove Terri’s feeding tube on the basis of her being in a “vegetative state using doctors on his payroll to support his claim.

Terri’s family have also petitioned the courts to gain custody of their daughter as it is plain as day that she is NOT in the vegetative state that her husband claims and fully capable of the rehabilitation she has been denied for over TEN YEARS despite the fact that the court awarded her money for that specific purpose.

Her family lost.

Terri smiles, laughs, breathes, moves, goes to the bathroom normally and communicates with those she loves. She has also displayed alarm when the thought of her death has been mentioned and there are countless experts who disagree with Michael’s doctors’ claims of Terri being incapable of ever being rehabilitated. How would they know? No one’s tried. When members of Terri’s family attempted to try spoon-feeding, he banned them from seeing her for several months. Now they’re only allowed to visit her with supervision to prevent any further attempts at rehabilitation.

In September, Michael’s prayers were answered when a Florida judge ruled in favour of removing Terri’s feeding tube. Yesterday, it was removed, much to the heartbreak to those who love her and it will take up to two weeks for her to die of dehydration and starvation, a very painful and inhumane process.

After Terri dies, Michael, his fiancé and new baby will inherit what’s left of her trust fund, approximately $700,000. He has been noted as saying in front of healthcare workers that he wishes she would “die already” and that when he does, he’ll be a rich man.

Gov. Jeb Bush has attempted intervention once in this case but his current stance on the issue is that he’s “not sure” if legally he’s allowed to intervene in putting her feeding tube back in and making her a ward of the state, taking her out of the hands of the person who would benefit the most from her cruel death.

Countless lawyers have been contacting Gov. Bush’s office citing examples in Florida law and the constitution as to how he can legally intervene but he’s still sitting on the fence as Terri is now on day two of her death sentence.

Terri is a person in need of your help. Some say that signing cyber petitions are a waste of time, but if that’s all you can do then do it. It’s not a petition really, when you click the link an e-mail is sent to Gov. Bush in support of his intervention in the matter. You can also call his office and are encouraged to do so, especially if you’re a Florida resident and potential voter (or feel like saying you are).

Something needs to be done to make this situation right, to give Terri the chance she’s been denied for over ten years - the chance to live.

The Internet is all about giving people a voice; speak up for someone who’s not been given the same chance.

Help save her life and sign the petition.

[ghall]

I signed it!

I sure hope there is more to this story than is being reported here.If these are the actuall facts of this case----it is very very sad and i hope the husband lives a miserable existance with his new wife.

Geoff

[zam70]

Sorry man but, not EVERY life needs to be saved. Quality of life should have some bearing on the decision...IMO, she's suffering and if I was in her position, I wouldn't want to be saved.

There is more to the story, do a search or watch the news. It's all there. The parents want to keep her alive for THEM (can't handle the death od their daughter) not for her. To me, this is truely selfish...if they loved and cared for her, they would let her go.

the starvation of her is wrong, but what else can be done...no such thing as legal suicide, but there should be.

[1987 GN]

I think the problem is that she has not had the opportunity to improve the quality of her life. If she had the rehabilitation the specialists and her family desire she may very well improve the quality of her life. Sounds to me like the husband has a motive for not trying to help her get better. He has already moved on by having a fiancee and a newborn child. Terri or someone on her behalf ought to sue for divorce since he has proven not to be faithful to the marriage committment. There has to be a loophole somewhere to help her. NO ONE deserves to endure 2 weeks of a suffering and painful death. I will certainly pray for her and for a resolution in her favor.

[bruce]

Life ain't always fair.
I find it hard to draw much of a desicion based on one person's slanted story telling. If there was evidence of a crime he'd be prosecuted. Obviously there isn't and he isn't. Remember it's beyond reasonable doubt, not just doubt.

There is no way of knowing, but she might be in incredible pain, and if not that, then just being in solitude for 10 years should hold for something.

It's a terrible situation no doubt, and there aren't any good answers.

Voting on something like this with only partial info., is just playing to one's sympathies, IMO. Like the politicians and the Save the Children statements of late.

[BLACK6PACK]

That story is completely different then the one they are writing down here. They must have got most of that info from the parents. My understanding is that she is in a complete vegitative state and has no idea whats going on around her. Only the parents have seen her show any signs that "someone is home." Sounds like the parents are trying to use the media to sway things in their favor and not telling the truth.

[GN One Day...]

To let her starve to death is cruel. If they are going to allow her to die, it should be done humanely. It's BS that the courts are ruling to just remove the tube, they know what the end result will be. If they are ruling to allow her to die, they should have the doctors to do in quickly and painlessly. Worry over setting precedents and potential liability issues are all this is about.

[FlyinGN]

Thats the story I read too in our paper. She is in a total vegatation state... Wonder which story is right?? Its sad anyway..

Originally posted by BLACK6PACK
That story is completely different then the one they are writing down here. They must have got most of that info from the parents. My understanding is that she is in a complete vegitative state and has no idea whats going on around her. Only the parents have seen her show any signs that "someone is home." Sounds like the parents are trying to use the media to sway things in their favor and not telling the truth.

[BLACK6PACK]

Thats the screwy part. Someone that is of sound mind, but in terrible pain can't have doctor assisted suicide that is painless, but someone that can't speak for themselves can be removed from a feeding tube and over the course of 2 weeks are allowed to starve to death.

A lot of people have a "do not resecitate" (sp?) clause in their will, but I don't think this starvation thing is the way it should be done.

[2quiktocare]

It's so hard to say much here other than the woman cannot and has not been able to sustain her own systems for more than 12 years. After that amount of time, anything other than Devine intervention will not help her get any better. That is her doctors own words. The press will play this both ways to gain circulation, the doctors and lawyers will do anything they can to bill hours. I fully understand the parents. They seem very bitter at this son-in-law and are seemingly doing this more from spite toward him than anything else. They, so wanting to have their daughter back are grasping at straws. If they truly love her, they will let her go. If they are concerned about her pain, euthanasia her and give her peace. I don't believe in euthanasia or abortion except in the most extreme of cases. This is one of those cases. Mark

[Drew L]

The one element missing here is what SHE would want no matter what her current condition is. many of us have talked to our spouses or family members about this exact senario. We express our wishes and they are followed through with based on our wishes. If this poor womens wishes were known this would barley make the obituaries of the local paper assuming she would want the plug pulled. If she wanted to stay alive under any circumstances we wouldn't know a thing about her as we know nothing about the other thousands just like her across the country. That family is trying to make decissions based on emotions and it doesn't work. I can tell you this, what a mess. Drew

[BLACK6PACK]

The husband says that it was her wish not to be kept alive if something like this happened. Thats where the stink between the parents and the husband comes from.

[Drew L]

That's what is so peculiar. He says that's what she wanted but there is no legal document to back it up. Peculiar because as 26 year olds that's not something we talk about. 26 years old being her age at the time of "stroke". A "Do Not Resuscitate" order is a binding legal contract between the state, spouse, patient and the patients doctor. If I'm reading this story right this document is missing so all of the procedures are based on the husbands say so. Right, wrong or indifferent it's still a mess. Drew

[BLACK6PACK]

Yep, no legal contract. I'm only 32, and I've told my family to pull the plug on me if that happens, I'm also an organ donor, so I don't want to hold up somebody elses life for my vegitative life.

[gn1220]

After reading that story, it must be a different woman they show on TV because the woman on TV in no way "goes to the bathroom normally and communicates with those she loves" I understand the family not wanting to let go. I was in the same position with my Grandmother and I had to be the one to give the order to stop nutrition. Talk about a very hard decision, mentally as well as morally But in the end, you have to do what is best for your loved one. I know my Grandmother would rather be "set free" than to have me be selfish and hold on. Also, from the doctors I've talked with and heard from on TV, they say drugs are given to make it as painless as possible.
And the husband has been without his wife for 13 years. Maybe he has moved on in a effort to better deal with his loss. Don't be so quick to judge and I wouldn't believe the left-wing media as far as I could throw them.
BTW, isn't it ironic that we put our pets "to sleep" because it is the humane thing to do and we don't want them to suffer, but we try every drug and machine known to man to keep a loved one alive, even though they are suffering and have no chance, just because we don't want to let go?

[BOOSTD]

Sad story. Youd think her family would be the first ones to suggest pulling the plug. To truely love someone is to know when its time to let them go. Unfortunatly, I know this first hand. Sounds like the family are the selfish ones here. Kind of hard to believe that the husband would wait 13 years just to inharit (sp?) $700,000.

couldn't sign it.

BOOSTD

[2quiktocare]

Well spoken gn1220. It's all about selfishness. The media is so good at spinning a story out of anything, and it is none of any of our business really. Makes me wonder just who is trying to get to the money. The parents are the ones so interested in gaining control of her custodial keep.

[Turtle TR]

http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/sto...LATE=DE FAULT

[Drew L]

How long will it be before he's charged with attempted murder? Drew