Terri Schiavo: Myths and Facts - Dr. Dianne Irving, PhD

Children of God for Life ^ | Dr. Dianne Irving, PhD

[cpforlife.org]

Terri Schiavo: Myths and Facts
By Dr. Dianne Irving, PhD

Note: The tragic case of Terri Schiavo and her poor family will rapidly bloom into the United States' "euthanasia test case" for the international bioethics and right to die movements.  So it is important now to see this connection, and factor it in when listening to media and press reports on Terri's situation.  In addition to resolving this case properly and decently for Terri and her family, all of us, you and me, will be the direct benefactors of it's resolution one way or another as it sets legal precedent in the courts.  One classic bioethics tactic is to get their bioethics agenda passed in one state, and then "codify" the law across all of the United States. Such is probably the situation in Florida.  This means that all of us have an interest in how this case is finally settled.   Most of all, as usual, the true and accurate facts involved in this tragic case are being manipulated, thus confusing the public and other decision makers.  It is therefore vital to get the facts of this case as accurate as possible as the starting point for all other discussions, before they are adequately twisted and then rapidly moved into the larger bioethics debates.  Keeping open minds while the truth makes its way through this process is critical.  To that end, for starters, please consider the following as we know the facts now.  More excellent articles, amicus curiae briefs from physicians, lawyers, nurses, other experts, etc., can be found on the Schiavo website at http://www.terrisfight.org.


MYTH: Terri has been in a persistent vegetative state, a coma, or is terminally ill, for 13 years.
FACT:  NO.  Terri is disabled and has brain damage, but is not in PVS, coma, or terminally ill.

MYTH: This is just a "religious" issue.
FACT:  NO.  While Terri's religious rights have definitely been criminally denied, it is fundamentally a disability issue in which her civil rights as a disabled citizen have also been denied.

MYTH:  Food and hydration are "extraordinary means", and thus a patient has the right to refuse.
FACT:  NO.  Even, and especially, in secular terms, while the use of ventilators, drastic surgery, experimental "therapies", etc., are extraordinary means and may be refused, food and hydration have always been defined in medicine as ordinary means, or "palliative care" (as is the use of antibiotics, needed X-rays, minor surgery, etc.).  For Catholics, it is morally permissible to refuse extraordinary means, but not morally permissible to refuse ordinary means, or palliative care (including food and hydration).  [See refutation of Fr. Murphy's testimony at the Schiavo website:  http://www.terrisfight.org/lead.htm].  See also encyclicals and documents on euthanasia at:  Declaration on Euthanasia (1980),  http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19800505_euthanasia_en.html.    Evangelium vitae, http://www.vatican.va/edocs/ENG0141/_INDEX.HTM.    Respect for the Dignity of the Dying (2000), http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_academies/acdlife/documents/rc_pa_acdlife_doc_20001209_eutanasia_en.html.    The Charter for Health Care Workers (1995), http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/hlthwork/documents/rc_pc_hlthwork_doc_19950101_charter_en.html.    USCC, Catechism of the Catholic Church (1994),  http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/index.htm.  See refutation of Fr. Murphy's court testimony by Vatican scholars:  http://www.terrisfight.org/Framesets/RecentFrame.htm.


MYTH:  Removal of food and hydration is "death with dignity" and painless.
FACT:  NO.  Removal of food and hydration is "death with gross indignity" and monstrously painful and ugly even with morphine or other drugs.

MYTH:  The issue is the "right to die".
FACT:  NO. The issue is the "right to live".

MYTH:  A husband always makes surrogate medical decisions for his disabled incompetent wife that are based solely on her best interests.
FACT:  NO.  It is well known and documented that many family members of disabled patients are tired of their difficult situation and want to get rid of the problem (i.e., the disabled patient).

MURKY:
--  Terri left no written directives, and a 10-years tardy "witness" who claims she said something to the effect.
--  There are legal submissions to the court, including by nurses who cared for Terri,  concerning her husband's abuse of Terri.
--  There are conflicting medical and legal testimonies by "experts".
--  There are conflicts of interests with the husband's lawyer and the judge because of direct as well as indirect ties to the Florida euthanasia lobbyists and hospices.
--  There is a great moral distinction between direct and intentional killing, and allowing someone to die, letting the disease or condition take its course.  While that is taking place, all basic and fundamental palliative medical care should be given to the patient to make his/her death as dignified as possible -- including food and hydration.

This is a minimal list to consider while we wait for all the facts.  Hope it is helpful.

---

Dr. Irving's professional activities include teaching positions at Georgetown University, Catholic University of America, and The Dominican House of Studies. She represented the Catholic Medical Association of the United States, and the International Federation of Catholic Medical Associations, at the Scientific Conference in Mexico City, Mexico, October 28, 1999 and presented a paper on "The Dignity and Status of the Human Embryo". Dr. Irving is a former career-appointed bench research biochemist/biologist (NIH, NCI, Bethesda, MD), an M.A. and Ph.D. philosopher (Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.), and Professor of the History of Philosophy, and of Medical Ethics.
Contact: DNIrving@aol.com

[cyn]

Terri & Michael in 1990 St. Pete Times photo before he won the lawsuit and she lost it.
Did it take 4 hrs for the photographer to get this?

Below are EXCERPTS -- please see PDF for original from friends of Terri website. Thanks to FL engineer, who found this.

Reports ‘transcribed’ to FreeRepublic

Physical Examination -- 6 - 27 - 90

*patient is awake, eyes are open
*easily startled to her name or when bedrail fell down
*significant amount of tone in the head and neck.
*severe hypertonicity of all four extremities; plantar flexor contractures, some shoulder limitation
*"again, tone is quite significant in all four extremities and difficult to achieve range of motion of the left hip and knee while she is in a supine position."
*she does give eye contact to family members
*she will close her eyes to any threatening response around her face and blink appropriately
*no verbal output during this exam but it has been reported by husband and other family members and therapists over at College Harbor.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Treatment Plan Review from Mediplex rehab, Bradenton, 1/29/91

*Vocalizing when prone in P.T. [physical therapy]
*Occasionally will say "STOP" to nursing during procedures.
*to TR [recreation?] groups. More relaxed to therapists voice, touch (habituation)

[Aliska]

Yes, it was an excellent and informed post. We have at least two male Jesuit priests who are publicly writing/saying the opposite.

The irony to me is that she can't be a priest, not that she should, but she seems to have her head screwed on straight when it comes to applying correct catholic teaching imo.

[nickcarraway]

ping

[nickcarraway]

ping

[cyn]

Terri all spiffed up -- this must have been her trip to the mall salon, before 1992 trial.
May Terri achieve her freedom soon after all these years of justice denied.

from the Oct 30-31 Terri thread, #278, posted on 10/31/2003 by 4Godsoloved..Hegave re: was the CA treatment successful or not?:

He moved in with the Schindlers to care for her and accompanied her to California for experimental surgery that was unsuccessful.

From St. Petersburg Times...dated Feb. 17, 1991 (1 year after Terri's collapse.)

This city has proclaimed today Terri Schiavo day.

Last year Mrs. Schiavo, 27, suffered a loss of potassium in her body that caused her heart to stop beating and resulted in a coma. She underwent surgery, performed by Dr. Yoshio Hosobuchi of the University of California at San Francisco in December, to implant a stimulator in her brain.

The brain stimulator implant was a success, said her husband, Mike. Mrs. Schiavo is slowly emerging from the coma at the Mediplex Medical Center, a neurological care center in Bradenton, he said. She will undergo at least a year of speech, occupational and physical therapy.

A Feb. 9 Valentine's dance, sponsored by the Vina Del Mar Island Association, raised $1,575 for the Theresa Schiavo Trust Fund. -- end article & post.

UCSF recommended followup at Shands Gainesville. Terri's parents wanted this done immediately; Michael did not. So after the expense of flying out to CA to try this treatment, Terri did not receive further related care locally.

At what point did things change, and why?

The bottom line for me is this:
* Terri is alive, albeit with some degree of brain-damage
* she has been without ordinary stimulation or rehabilitation since the early '90's.
* Her husband, Mike, wants to get on with his new life -- and should.
* Her parents want to get on with Terri's new life -- and should.

[cyn]

"did not receive further relate care locally..."

correction -- she wasn't seen at Shands as recommended, but thanks to the drs, nurses, therapists & others who cared for and worked with Terri locally. A few of their notes are in above info.

[Oystir]

Food and hydration are "extraordinary means", and thus a patient has the right to refuse.
FACT: NO. Even, and especially, in secular terms, while the use of ventilators, drastic surgery, experimental "therapies", etc., are extraordinary means and may be refused,

This response is a brutal lie as the facts of this case indicate.

[agrace]

How's that?

[Ferret Fawcet]

Unfortunately, even Fox, in their news crawls at the bottom of their screen, continue to characterize her as being in a "persistent vegetative state." This in spite of proof to the contrary as presented on their evening shows, including Greta's and Hannity's.

I've noticed htis too and it bugs the dickens out of me. Why do they refuse to correct that, or are they just lazy?

[cpforlife.org]

Please explain.

[KDD]

Rancho level 2.

And that was in 1990.

[windchime]

Bump!

[sisterjforteri]

Great stuff because it's all the truth! Nick always manages to put the best on here!!! Thanks, Nick!!!

[from occupied ga]

Thanks - that's pretty low :-(

[syriacus]

I don't know about test scores, but Michael Schiavo said Terri is the same now as she was in 1990 and here's how she looked then.

Michael Schiavo said on Larry King Live:
Now, Terri makes the same noises for the last 14 years. She's made the same facial expressions.

	Something's changed, Michael. In 1990 you were gazing at Terri as though she were "in there."

[countrydummy]

bump for truth, life and liberty!

[msmagoo]

Excellent article, which supports the constitutionality of Terri's Law.