Her life is non-existent outside of heroic measures,

Since when did giving someone food and water become heroic measures? By that measure we should be erecting statues of the meals on wheels people.

meaning machines are keeping her alive.

And which machines would that be? Her heart beats on its own, she breathes on her own, no machine is helping her.

Have any of you stopped worrying about what Bush thinks or what her husband says or what the latest talking head idiot on the squawkbox has said and thought about the reality of *her*?

Have you? If she’s a vegtable, then that means she can’t suffer, and dignity is the least of her concerns, so what does it matter if she’s kept alive? And if she’s not, if she can feel even the smallest bit of pain, then why put her through the torture of starvation and dehydration?

Someone needs to let her go humanely and with dignity.

There’s nothing humane or dignified about what her husband’s doing to her.

I’m disgusted at the thought of people using her to try to push an agenda.

You mean like your ‘death with dignity’ agenda? It must suck to be disgusted with yourself.

So fucking clueless.

So fucking clueless.

Well, you’ve convinced me, JimK. Thanks for taking the time to list all the machines that are keeping her alive, I had no idea. I wish the MSM made the effort you did.

Oh, and that essay on the morality of letting people starve was inspired. But really, you shouldn’t have made such a strenuous effort. I wouldn’t want you to hurt yourself on my behalf.

But if you did, I promise you I’d make sure you wouldn’t have to suffer a day more than you had to… Well, maybe a few weeks, but what does that matter?

The part of her brain that makes Terri uniquely Terri is GONE. As in missing. Simply feeding her (because she is incapable of doing so on her own) is providing medical care that she did not want. That is also something you do not cure with rehabilitation.

Every judge ever involved in hearing the evidence has come to the same conclusion - that Terri’s would never be able to recover, and that she did not want these kinds of efforts to be made in the first place. Every single one.

Yet people who disagree are claiming the right and authority to override the wishes of the individual and her next-of-kin, despite the hundreds of precedents and millenia of common law that says that the spouse has more authority in making medical decisions than parents (or random strangers from far away) do.

Some fuckwad actually offered a bribe for him to walk away, as though he was just in it for the money or something…

Talk about cynical…

Jim’s right, you’re clueless.

See, that’s my point, I NEVER SAID I WANTED HER TO STARVE.  You’re just being an asshole, Twain.

You’re using her as a symbol and not thinking about her as a suffering human being.

The part of her brain that makes Terri uniquely Terri is GONE. As in missing. Simply feeding her (because she is incapable of doing so on her own) is providing medical care that she did not want.

If her desire was so clear, then why didn’t her husband mention that fact during the eight years between her collapse and the medical malpractice suit? You know, the one where he swore to take care of her for the rest of her life.

Every judge ever involved in hearing the evidence has come to the same conclusion - that Terri’s would never be able to recover, and that she did not want these kinds of efforts to be made in the first place. Every single one.

Every judge? I admit that sounds impressive, but how many is that, exactly? Besides Judge Greer, who has studied her intent? The Florida Supreme Court didn’t, they didn’t even allow discovery, they were only concerned about the seperation of power.

Besides which, since when were judges infalliable?

See, that’s my point, I NEVER SAID I WANTED HER TO STARVE.  You’re just being an asshole, Twain.

You may not want it, but that is what happens when a feeding tube is removed - the ‘machines’ that were ‘heroically’ keeping her alive.

You’re using her as a symbol and not thinking about her as a suffering human being.

I know she’s a suffering human being. And I know that if she can feel even the slightest bit of pain then the next two weeks are going to be a living hell.

You may not want it, but that is what happens when a feeding tube is removed - the ‘machines’ that were ‘heroically’ keeping her alive.

That’s because “OMG MUST KEEP TEHM ALIVE!!1!” advocates like you have made it almost impossible for terminal patients with no hope of recovery and no quality of life to end their lives painlessly or quickly. Their only recourse is to starve to death or bleed to death or beg someone for it until they risk a murder charge by helping.

Hey Jim.

Let me start of by saying that I have a legal document that allows my wife to demand the doctors stop any care if I am diagnosed to be brain dead. I agree with you that if one is just a brain dead husk, it is not a life worth living. However, I firmly believe it should be my choice (we can all argue endlessly about how a veggy can’t make choices but the point is I made the choice and communicated it to the person that would be making the choices when I can’t) and not that of an ill informed judge or a wife that is looking to collect from a lawsuit. In the case of Terri however, there is a lot more than the media is telling us.

I was listening to a talk radio show yesterday and they where covering Terri and her ordeal.One of the people they had on pointed out how right before they pulled her feeding tube Terri was asked by an attorney to just say “I want to live” and it would be all over. According to the person being interviewed, Terri screamed “I WAAAAAAA” and got so loud they had police running into the room to se if she was being killed. In the end they still pulled her tube.

There are 2 things that seriously freaked me out about this - and I conced it could be someone telling lies, although I doubt it considering the show - information. The media has had a hardcore campaign to make people believe Terri is a vegetable to push their approval of euthenasia. The soundbites you hear about this case never provide clear proof Terri is brain dead, yet that is what they all tell us.

If she is able to interact with her environment - and a scream, even if it was pure coincidence that she did so, is interaction - she can’t be a vegetable. Are you aware that several doctors, once they where told that Terri’s husband had forbidden an MRI be taken and that he and this judge Greer where using a very unreliable CT scan to back their argument she is brain dead, declared his request for her to be put to death criminal? Every single one of them agreed that a CT scan can not determine brain activity and without an MRI anyone making the claim she is brain dead is doing so without facts?

With those doubts presented above alone I would tend to side with those wanting to keep her alive. Ask yourself why they will not simply approve and run an MRI and close the case permanently once they have proof. Could it be they know she would not show up as brain dead?

I was just over in Europe less than 3 weeks ago, and over there they are already discussing what a drain old people are on their society. Public concensus is shifting, and doing so drastically as their social paradise unravels, towards killing old people so they don’t drain so many resource the young feel are better spend on them. Most of those I talked with thought me a fool for telling them I didn’t want to hear all their “What if” scenarios that are supposed to create enough of a delima to open that Pandora’s Box. And now I am seeing the same with Terri Sciavo here in the USA. We may claim to have become more civilized, but behavior like this proves we are just hypocrytes. At least those barbaric forefathers of ours didn’t pretend to be what they are not.

Their only recourse is to starve to death or bleed to death or beg someone for it until they risk a murder charge by helping.

Their only recourse? They and their supporters could try to get the laws changed, either by convincing the people or by telling the SC about the latest European opinion poll.

Yeah, Twain, that’s what they should be doing when they’re lying in bed dying painfully. Lobbying Congress. Because god knows everything should and will be determined by European opinion polls.
You’re a moron.

If she is able to interact with her environment - and a scream, even if it was pure coincidence that she did so, is interaction - she can’t be a vegetable.

Um, no. That just means that she’s not completely and utterly brain dead.
From all indications, she’s like a hard drive that has had a powerful electromagnet taken to it. The machine may still register it as a hard drive, but no data found.
Now, if some of those other things you’ve said are true, then the case needs more evaluating. Sadly, most people are quite willing to argue for forcing her to live even if they believe her to be a vegetable or brain dead, for whatever reason. They’d keep the husk alive with no chance of recovery, every so often hooking up another machine when an organ failed, until she was some 120-year-old cyborg. That’s no way to treat a human being, whether they’re a vegetableized human being or not.

Yeah, Twain, that’s what they should be doing when they’re lying in bed dying painfully. Lobbying Congress.

What, you don’t care enough to lobby for them? Color me suprised.

Because god knows everything should and will be determined by European opinion polls.

Well, you aren’t willing to put in the work to change our laws any other way, so I figured I’d give you the easy way out.

You’re a moron.

I’m glad you recieved your copy of the ‘arguing like a DUer’ home kit. Chimp should be next on the list.

Their only recourse? They and their supporters could try to get the laws changed,

Why. The laws as they now stand allows people to make such decisions for themselves. This new law is Constitutionally forbidden from being about a specific person, so any time this kind of situation comes up (where nothing was in writing), that law will override the directions of the spouse in favor of someone who isn’t next-of-kin.

Unless and until someone can show good and just cause to explain why their opinion should override that of the husband, then his opinion will be the final arbiter, by hundreds of precedent and common law.

Vague accusations of neglectful care that Terri never wanted in the first place or even more vague accusations about how “Michael actually caused it” have been investigated and have proven baseless.

Yet just because her parents have hired a publicist and people have rallied to a cause, somehow her husband’s rights go away. That’s what you are pushing.

You’d better hope that no one wants to contradict your final wishes on a whim, because the law is about to take away the rights of spouses to make such decisions. And just because you have it in writing doesn’t necessarily help your case, since a judicial finding of fact in this case has already been issued, yet people like you persist.

Well, you aren’t willing to put in the work to change our laws any other way, so I figured I’d give you the easy way out.

You assume that he wants the law changed. You’re the one who wants the law changed, and those options are open to you, too. But instead, you would have a judge intervene because of political pressure?

The very definition of “judicial activism”.

Why. The laws as they now stand allows people to make such decisions for themselves.

Tell Rann, then. He was the one arguing that starvation was the only legal way to kill her.

You’d better hope that no one wants to contradict your final wishes on a whim,

I do. I’d hate to think that someone decided to kill me ‘for my own good.’

And just because you have it in writing doesn’t necessarily help your case, since a judicial finding of fact in this case has already been issued, yet people like you persist.

If Terri’s wishes were in writing then this would have been settled years ago. They aren’t. Hell, even her husband seemed to have forgotten what those wishes were for years.

You assume that he wants the law changed.

You’re right, I did assume. Clearly, when Rann said

that’s because “OMG MUST KEEP TEHM ALIVE!!1!” advocates like you have made it almost impossible for terminal patients with no hope of recovery and no quality of life to end their lives painlessly or quickly. Their only recourse is to starve to death or bleed to death or beg someone for it until they risk a murder charge by helping.

I should have realized that he supported the law as it was - or as what he thought it was - and in no way wanted to change it.

You’re the one who wants the law changed, and those options are open to you, too.But instead, you would have a judge intervene because of political pressure?

I would? When did I mentioned a desire to have a judge intervene?

Also, the last time the law was changed the Florida Supreme Court had it overrulled because it stepped on Judical power, so I guess that avenue isn’t open after all.

Vague accusations of neglectful care that Terri never wanted in the first place or even more vague accusations about how “Michael actually caused it” have been investigated and have proven baseless.

I disagree, the accusations that Michael may have caused it are not vague nor baseless. Michael should have most definitely been investigated as the perpetrator of the ‘incident’ that caused Terri’s collapse and her current condition but he was not.

Twain, sadly you’re stupid enough to put two related subjects together.
The laws as they are may support the removal of the tube, but do not support helping her to end her life in a quicker and more merciful way than starving to death. I do want the laws changed, I apparently simply want them changed in the opposite direction than Twain does.
If the laws have changed to make assisted suicide legal, rather than effectively enforcing an after-the-fact “lack of heroic measures” wish, please let me know.

Twain, sadly you’re stupid enough to put two related subjects together.

I’m not the one who got confused, that was Drum. 

The laws as they are may support the removal of the tube, but do not support helping her to end her life in a quicker and more merciful way than starving to death. I do want the laws changed

Yes, and I gave you advice on how to go about getting the laws changed.

Oh, and Drum, see, he does want the laws changed. 

I apparently simply want them changed in the opposite direction than Twain does.

And I have the nerve to disagree. Truely, I am an idiot. If only there was some form of government where you could just dictate your views without having the bother of listening to mine.

If the laws have changed to make assisted suicide legal, rather than effectively enforcing an after-the-fact “lack of heroic measures” wish, please let me know.

You and Drum really are arguing with each other through me on this part. So which is it, is starvation the only way or not?  Drum, Rann?

Truely, I am an idiot.

Truly, you are. You aren’t an idiot because you disagree with me, you’re disagreeing with me because you’re an idiot.

I’m the idiot? You’re the one who couldn’t follow a typed conversation. Come on Rann, pretend you’re man enough to admit you were wrong.

The fact that everyone, bloggers included, are using her as a launching point for whatever agenda they want to push.

EXACTLY.

When it comes down to it, no one gives a darn about what she wants. She wants to die, and that’s about it. Granted, much like you, JimK, I don’t think starving is exactly the best way to go, but 2 minutes of internet research will tell you that she’s going to be pumped full of so much morphine that even if she was in a cognitive state, she wouldn’t know up front down, or living from dead.

Oh, and Drum, see, he does want the laws changed

No, he wants them to be the opposite of what you were advocating. Here’s a hint: they already are. You want someone other than the spouse to make medical decisions, and I happen to think that using a specific case to overturn millenia of laws is wrong. The courts are actually following the laws in this case, so what do those “pro-life” protestors have to show that they are more worthy than Terri’s spouse to make those decisions?

Take your time.

Twain, pretend I give a fuck. Then pretend a gun is a lollipop and free up the air you’re using for more useful people.

You didn’t have to try to be clever Rann, I knew you didn’t have it in you to admit you were wrong.

No, he wants them to be the opposite of what you were advocating. Here’s a hint: they already are.

Here’s a hint. You’re talking about the fact that the assisted suicide is legal. Which - considering the fact that it’s happening - is blindingly obvious.

Here’s another hint. Rann was talking about how starvation is the only way to carry it out and how he wants that aspect of the law changed. I pointed out a couple of ways that such a change could be carried out.

Two different conversations. You seem to have gotten them mixed up and now you and Rann are blaming me for your confusion.

But at least you admitted that I’m not assuming that he wanted to change the laws.

You want someone other than the spouse to make medical decisions, and I happen to think that using a specific case to overturn millenia of laws is wrong.

Which laws are you talking about when you mention a millenia of laws? Because assisted suicide is still illegal in many states in this country, and was only legalized in Florida in 1997.

Which means that there’s a millenia of laws that would prevent him from doing what he’s doing.

One that was, ironically enough, tossed out because of a specific case.

The courts are actually following the laws in this case,

I agree. And they’re doing their damndest to keep those laws from changing.

so what do those “pro-life” protestors have to show that they are more worthy than Terri’s spouse to make those decisions?

Affidavets from doctors saying that she isn’t in a PVS and are calling for more tests and the fact that there’s no proof that this is what she wanted.

God, Twain, you really ARE this fucking dumb, aren’t you?
The cessation of machine-supported life is not the same as assisted suicide. You are a fucking MORON if you cannot understand this. You’re a fucking moron anyway, but you might as well try and get this one.
Assisted suicide involves making sure someone dies in a painless and peaceful manner. What is going on here is simply ceasing to give her the aid of machines to live, IE, if she REALLY wanted to live she’d be able to struggle enough to feed herself, just as when someone’s on a breathing machine, and they turn the machine off… if the person really wants to live or has the capability to, they’ll breathe on their own.
Twain, for all your fucking smug condescension about others not being able to follow the flow of this “conversation” (and this would actually be a debate, if you were looking for the polite word), you yourself are the one who’s too stupid to comprehend the difference between cessation of heroic measures and assisted suicide. Either that, or you’re just being an ass and lumping them together as the same thing, which is a debate tactic I wouldn’t consider you above.

What is going on here is simply ceasing to give her the aid of machines to live, IE, if she REALLY wanted to live she’d be able to struggle enough to feed herself, just as when someone’s on a breathing machine, and they turn the machine off… if the person really wants to live or has the capability to, they’ll breathe on their own.

Really? Stephen Hawking can’t feed himself, so I guess he doesn’t really want to live either. At least, not according to your test.

Twain, for all your fucking smug condescension

That’s quite the praise from the master of fucking smug condescension.

you yourself are the one who’s too stupid to comprehend the difference between cessation of heroic measures and assisted suicide.

And, as I asked in the beginning, when did giving someone food and water become heroic meaures?

If she was on a respirator or a heart machine I’d agree, pull the plug. She isn’t, though. If she left a single scrap of paper saying that this is what she’d wanted, I’d say pull the plug. She didn’t, though.

Also, if this isn’t assisted suicide, then why did you bring that up in your very first post on this thread?

Twain, just… shut up and die, huh? You really are just a fucking twit, why don’t you go hang out with padders and congratulate yourselves on knowing everything about everything like the mental twelve-year-olds you are.

You really are just a fucking twit, why don’t you go hang out with padders and congratulate yourselves on knowing everything about everything like the mental twelve-year-olds you are.

It’s called projection, Rann. Look it up.

Hm, would that be what this is, Twain?

Which laws are you talking about when you mention a millenia of laws?

Common law defining the legal relationship between husband and wife.

And it isn’t “assisted suicide”, it’s “refusal to accept medical care”. No one is helping her to kill herself, they’re allowing her to choose what medical treatment she wants to accept.

I’m sure that the distinction is lost on you, because you seem to think that your opinion counts for anything.

And, as I asked in the beginning, when did giving someone food and water become heroic meaures?

When she HAS to have that medical intervention to continue breathing. She WILL NOT SURVIVE on her own, therapy or not, feeding or not. It has been established to the satisfaction of numerous judges that her final wishes were that no such measures be either taken or continued. Her family has been fighting hard to utterly ignore Terri’s wishes, and they have stooped to legal tactics similar to that which the Democrats tried during late 2000 - to change the rules after the race has been run.

The laws are quite clear on this issue. Michael Schiavo gets to make the decisions for Terri. Not her parents, not her siblings, not her friends, and certainly not a group of strangers thousands of miles away.

It’s called projection, Rann. Look it up.

Actually, the word is “definition”, but thanks for playing.

And it isn’t “assisted suicide”, it’s “refusal to accept medical care”. No one is helping her to kill herself, they’re allowing her to choose what medical treatment she wants to accept.

That must’ve been a hell of a conversation if it got all the way down to whether or not she wanted to be fed.
Odd that it took her husband all those years to remember it happened.

I’m sure that the distinction is lost on you, because you seem to think that your opinion counts for anything.

And yours does?

Odd that it took her husband all those years to remember it happened.

Actually, it’s odd that it took you all these years to notice it. Terri’s feeding tube was pulled a decade ago, and only re-inserted because her family - who also doesn’t have the standing to interfere - got some judge to set the rules aside. If that judge had actually done his job, he would have left things alone, and you would be sitting here getting slapped around for totally different reasons.

And yours does?

I’m not the one trying to interfere in the relationship between spouses. You (and many others) are. Therefore you (and they) have a burden of proof that you (and they) haven’t even tried to meet. (Pretending to be outraged isn’t sufficient cause. Even actually being outraged isn’t enough.)

I just heard Terri’s mom say that she wanted all of the mommies and daddies out there to call their Representatives to stop her daughter from having to suffer. She then said that she didn’t want anyone to use her daughter’s suffering to advance an agenda.

Wuh?

Ummm.... I understand she’s a grieving mother and all, but…

Hypocrite much?

Actually, it’s odd that it took you all these years to notice it. Terri’s feeding tube was pulled a decade ago,

Really? All the timelines I’ve seen say that the tube was pulled in 2001. Her husband first petetioned to have it removed in 1998. Which is 8 years after her collapse. And it was reinserted because of the Florida Legislature, not a judge.

Where can I see your version?

Really? All the timelines I’ve seen say that the tube was pulled in 2001. Her husband first petetioned to have it removed in 1998. Which is 8 years after her collapse. And it was reinserted because of the Florida Legislature, not a judge.

February 1990…Terri suffers cardiac arrest and a severe loss of oxygen to her brain.
May 1998…Michael files petition to remove feeding tube, he takes position that Terri would chose to remove the tube; Terri’s parents take position that Terri would chose not to remove the tube.
April 24, 2001…Terri’s feeding tube is removed for the first time.
April 26, 2001…Terri’s parents file new legal action against Michael Schiavo and request that the removal of Terri’s feeding tube be enjoined; the case is randomly assigned to Judge Quesada. Judge Quesada grants the temporary injunction, orders Terri’s feeding tube restored.

It was a judge!

I understand why some are arguing the husbands rights are being stepped on, I really do. What I don’t understand is why those people are so fast to give Michael a pass on what he has said and done. There are way too many unanswered questions about him for me. His lying and 180 degree turns have left him with no credibility in my opinion.

What I don’t understand is why those people are so fast to give Michael a pass on what he has said and done. There are way too many unanswered questions about him for me. His lying and 180 degree turns have left him with no credibility in my opinion.

I understand where you’re coming from, but honestly, keeping her alive isn’t going to do much of anything in terms of solving this problem. There’s some strange idea going around that she is going to snap out of her state one day, and then tell the authorities exactly what happened.

News flash: She isn’t.

Sad but true, she’s in a vegatative state. When she didn’t have oxygen flowing to her brain, her brain died, along with all of the information it held. Once again, we see people pushing an agenda with the “she can be rehabilitated!” line, which makes you believe that with proper rehabilitation, she’ll be the same person she was. Far from true. It’s a very slim chance, but what they’re banking on in terms of rehabilitation is that she can be re-taught everything she lost, such as walking, talking, etc. Essentially it would be like raising a baby.

Which leaves us with this question: If that’s the case, why have they been sitting around doing nothing for the past 15 years?

This girl is being used as a pawn for both sides, left and right, up and down, pro-life and pro-choice, and everything in between.

Wow, Jim.  Maybe you should change the name of this site to “Sometimes Right Thoughts.”

Because you are as wrong as wrong can be on this one.

I understand where you’re coming from, but honestly, keeping her alive isn’t going to do much of anything in terms of solving this problem.

You may very well be correct. I still think Michael is a liar and a scum-bag. He has given three different explanations of how he found Terri after the incident.

Which leaves us with this question: If that’s the case, why have they been sitting around doing nothing for the past 15 years?

Thats easy, because Michael has denied any treatment. He denied the family any access to Terri’s medical records. In a deposition, he stated he wanted to take care of her for life, after he received the money from the lawsuits, all treatment was suspended. Then his memory suddenly sprang back and he remembered Terri didn’t want to be kept alive.

In the early 1990s, several nurses who worked with Terri filed affidavits.
Nurse Carla Saver Iyer alleged that Michael would enter Terri’s room, saying, “Has the bitch died yet?” Iyer says that Michael was “elated” each time Terri’s condition worsened, telling her that when Terri died he was “going to be rich” and that he planned on buying a car, a boat, and traveling to Europe.

This girl is being used as a pawn for both sides, left and right, up and down, pro-life and pro-choice, and everything in between.

No doubt, anyone who disagrees with that is not being intellectually honest.

I also have a problem with Judge Greer and the Doctor he has relied on, Dr. Ronald Cranford. Cranford is a known advocate of euthanasia and assisted suicide. He is on record for advocating starvation for Alzheimer’s patients.

I am also of the same opinion as yourself, I don’t believe she is going to just snap out of it and I am of no illusion that she will ever be the same person BUT, I wish they would do one last evaluation to determine if she can improve. 

IF Michael had credibility I would be all on his side, sadly enough, thats not the case. If I blame anyone for this being so screwed up its him, his stories are just too conflicting.

Has anyone that doesn’t have a living will ready decided to write one up?
I did!

As for you white rabbit, its JimK’s site and he has his opinion as do you. You would be better suited to give yours rather than to just tell someone they are wrong, thats my .02 cents.

Hey, white rabbit, just because your name implies you like small, dark holes is no excuse to have your head up your ass.

I’m watching this debate on cable news right now, and I really wish they would be as passionate about the high taxes in California, car insurance companies ripping us off, our amazing amount of traffic that makes it so I spend one hour and ten minutes driving 15 miles to work, and pencil erasers that make a giant black smudge instead of erasing whatever it was I was going after.

Those problems, all in all, have more of an effect on the American public, short term and long term, than this ever will.

Drumwaster Said:.......... I just heard Terri’s mom say that she wanted all of the mommies and daddies out there to call their Representatives to stop her daughter from having to suffer. She then said that she didn’t want anyone to use her daughter’s suffering to advance an agenda.

Wuh?

Ummm.... I understand she’s a grieving mother and all, but…

Hypocrite much?

In November of 1991, Michael Schiavo filed a malpractice suit against two doctors for misdiagnosing Terri. [One was settled in court and one was settled outside of court]

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT IN AND FOR PINELLAS COUNTY, FLORIDA

CASE NO. 92-939-15 EXCERPT OF JURY TRIAL - TESTIMONY OF MICHAEL RICHARD SCHIAVO

[November 5, 1992]

Q.  Why did you want to learn to be a nurse?
A.  Because I enjoy it and I want to learn more how
to take care of Terry.

Q.  You’re a young man.  Your life is ahead of you.
Your future is beyond you.  Up the road, when you look up
the road, what do you see for yourself?
A.  I see myself hopefully finishing school and taking
care of my wife.

Q.  Where do you want to take care of your wife?
A.  I want to bring my wife home.

Q.  If you had the resources available to you, if you
had the equipment and the people, would you do that?
A.  Yes, I would, in a heartbeat.

Q.  How do you feel about being married to Terry now?
A.  I feel wonderful.  She’s my life and I wouldn’t
trade her for the world.  I believe in my—I believe in my
wedding vows.

Q.  What do you mean?  You want to take a minute?
A.  Yeah.
MR. WOODWORTH:  If the Court would let us take a
minute.
Q.  (BY MR. WOODWORTH:) You okay?
A.  Yeah.  I’m sorry.

Q.  Have—you said you believe in your wedding vows,
what do you mean by that?
A.  I believe in the vows that I took with my wife, through sickness, in health, for richer or poorer.  I married my wife because I love her and I want to spend the
rest of my life with her.  I’m going to do that.

WHAT DID MICHAEL DO?

Aug 1992 - Terri awarded $250,000 in malpractice ‘OUT-OF-COURT’ settlement.

Nov 1992 - Terri awarded $1.4 million in malpractice trial.

Nov 1992-Michael Schiavo awarded $600,000 in malpractice trial.

After the malpractice suit Michael took Terri home for approximately four months....

In 1993-Michael Schiavo orders no treatment for Terri’s potentially fatal infection.

Nov 1993-Michael admits in deposition that he knew withholding treatment of infection could result in Terri’s death.

Sept 1995- Schiavo orders Palm Gardens not to treat Terri for potentially fatal infection. 

In 1997, with the help of pro-death attorney, George Felos, Michael Schiavo started his efforts to have Terri Schiavo’s feeding tube removed....... Since then her feeding tube has been removed and put back in twice. Once on the orders of a judge. The second time on orders of Florida Governor Jeb bush........

“ I believe in the vows that I took with my wife,
through sickness, in health, for richer or poorer.  I
married my wife because I love her and I want to spend the
rest of my life with her.  I’m going to do that."-Michael Schiavo

*In Michael Schiavo’s Nov 19, 1993 Deposition he admitted to having more than one intimate relationship with women other than his wife since 1990.........

*At the time He ordered Terri not to be treated for an infection that could have ended Terri Schiavo life-he was already involved with his present day girlfriend who he moved in with in 1995.

*I guess he didn’t marry his wife Terri Schindler Schiavo because he loved her and wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. Since, of the 20 years Michael Schiavo has been married to Terri Schindler, he has spent the last 10 years living with the mother of his two children.

The last time the Terri’s feeding tube was pulled (Oct 15 2003) In the statement Michael Schiavo released he said: 

“That left me to carry out her wishes. It has been hard. In fact, it is the hardest thing I have ever done. In the end, I did what I believe Terri would have wanted me to do.”

HEY MICHAEL, Hypocrite much?

Its funny all the supposed “religious” people are so afraid of death that they must impose life on someone no matter the suffering. Anyone ever think:
God designed us so that when we can no longer feed ourselves, after the first year of life, we die. Don’t like it? Complain to the manufacturer,
God is calling Terry Home and on “religious principles” we are stopping her from answering.
Last: This is the best example of why religion should be kept out of government. No one knows Gods mind and shouldn’t try to make up laws based on it. A 9 year old girl is stolen from her home by a sick bastard but my President flies across the country to sign this stupid bill? This will be known as the downfall of our Party and DeLay will be the one who ensured it.
A sad sad day for Republicans. Too bad most of them don’t realize it

PS...Delay has said that if the Federal Judge rules against him he will try to pass a law ordering her kept alive. If thats noT a republican acting like a liberal I don’t know what is!!!!

Sad sad sad day for our party.

why can’t people just live there own lives, i mean i see those people with tape on there mouths oustide the hotel and im thinking, wtf makes you so high and mighty people. Jesus wake up and deal with your own problems first. Why it is in america everyone feels everything is there business is beyond me. Being a canadian were so apathetic nothing bothers us.

Interesting comments...I don’t know what will happen in this case, but I wasn’t real excited to see Congress get involved in a case that it should probably not be.  It sets an unusual precedent.  I think if Terry’s parents want to take care of her, let them.  Let her husband get a divorce, which I thick the courts would probably let him do in these unusual circumstances.  Let him get on with his life, and let her parents take care of Terry.  I myself would not want to be in such a state.  In fact, I went through this in 2003 when my Dad had a stroke.  He had been suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, which is an auto-immune disease like AIDS.  He was down to skin and bones, but could still communicate with us.  He could not, however, swallow anymore.  The only way to keep him alive was a feeding tube.  At first he said yes, but when they were going to put in the tube he said, “Don’t want!, Don’t want!” He died a few days later at a hospice.  He had a living will, and also a medical power of attorney.  We need to all examine our own lives and make our wishes known in writing.  That is the only way to go, and I don’t care how old you are, you need to take care of it NOW!!!

Actually, ironmaiden, I think the husband’s refusal to just turn over her care to the family does, most likely, show that he believes he’s doing the right thing for her… the family would keep her alive until she was a 120-year-old bedsore, out of selfish desire not to “lose” her. If he really just wanted the money from the lawsuits and didn’t care what happened to her, it would be far easier for him to just turn his back and say “Fine, do whatever with her.”