Posted on 01/04/2005 10:16:14 AM PST by amdgmary
A Visit With Terri Schiavo
Attorney Barbara Weller
This past Christmas Eve day, 2004, I went to visit Terri Schiavo with her parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, her sister, her niece, and Attorney David Gibbs III. The visit took place at the Woodside Hospice for about 45 minutes just before noon.
When I knew I was going to visit Terri with her parents, I had no idea what to expect. I was prepared for the possibility that the Schindlers love their daughter and sister so much that they might imagine behaviors by Terri that aren't actually evident to others. The media and Mr. Schiavo clearly give the impression that Terri is in a coma or comatose state and engages only in non-purposeful and reflexive movements and responses. I am a mother and a grandmother, as well as one of the Schindlers’ attorneys, and I could understand how parents might imagine behavior and purposeful activity that is not really there. I was prepared to be as objective as I could be during this visit and not to be disappointed at anything I saw or experienced.
I was truly surprised at what I saw from the moment we entered the little room where Terri is confined. The room is a little wider than the width of two single beds and about as long as the average bedroom, with plenty of room for us to stand at the foot of her bed. Terri is on the first floor and there is a lovely view to the outside grounds of the facility. The room is entered by a short hallway, however, and there is no way for Terri to see out into the hallway or for anyone in the hallway to observe Terri.
From the moment we entered the room, my impression was that Terri was very purposeful and interactive and she seemed very curious about the presence of obvious strangers in her room. Terri was not in bed, but was in her chair, which has a lounge chair appearance and elevates her head at about a 30-degree angle. She was dressed and washed, her hair combed, and she was covered with a holiday blanket. There were no tubes of any kind attached to her body. She was completely free of any restraints that would have indicated any type of artificial life support. Not even her feeding tube was attached and functioning when we entered, as she is not fed 24 hours a day.
The thing that surprised me the most about Terri as I took my turn to greet her by the side of her chair was how beautiful she is. I would have expected to see someone with a sallow and gray complexion and a sick looking countenance. Instead, I saw a very pretty woman with a peaches and cream complexion and a lovely smile, which she even politely extended to me as I introduced myself to her. I was amazed that someone who had not been outside for so many years and who received such minimal health care could look so beautiful. She appeared to have an inner light radiating from her face. I was truly taken aback by her beauty, particularly under the adverse circumstances in which she has found herself for so many years.
Terri’s parents, sister, and niece went immediately to greet Terri when we entered the room and stood in turn directly beside her head, stroking her face, kissing her and talking quietly with her. When she heard their voices, and particularly her mother's voice, Terri instantly turned her head towards them and smiled. Terri established eye contact with her family, particularly with her mother, who spent the most time with her during our visit. It was obvious that she recognized the voices in the room with the exception of one. Although her mother was talking to her at the time, she obviously had heard a new voice and exhibited a curious demeanor. Attorney Gibbs was having a conversation near the door with Terri’s sister. His voice is very deep and resonant and Terri obviously picked it up. Her eyes widened as if to say, “What’s that new sound I hear?” She scanned the room with her eyes, even turning her head in his direction, until she found Attorney Gibbs and the location of the new voice and her eyes rested momentarily in his direction. She then returned to interacting with her mother.
When her mother was close to her, Terri’s whole face lit up. She smiled. She looked directly at her mother and she made all sorts of happy sounds. When her mother talked to her, Terri was quiet and obviously listening. When she stopped, Terri started vocalizing. The vocalizations seemed to be a pattern, not merely random or reflexive at all. There is definitely a pattern of Terri having a conversation with her mother as best she can manage. Initially, she used the vocalization of “uh’uh” but without seeming to mean it as a way of saying “no”, just as a repeated speech pattern. She then began to make purposeful grunts in response to her mother’s conversation. She made the same sorts of sound with her father and sister, but not to the same extent or as delightedly as with her mother. She made no verbal response to her niece or to Attorney Gibbs and myself, but she did appear to pay attention to our words to her.
The whole experience was rather moving. Terri definitely has a personality. Her whole demeanor definitely changes when her mother speaks with her. She lights up and appears to be delighted at the interaction. She has an entirely different reaction to her father who jokes with her and has several standing jokes that he uses when he enters and exits her presence. She appears to merely “tolerate” her father, as a child does when she says “stop” but really means, “this is fun.” When her father greets her, he always does the same thing. He says, “here comes the hug” and hugs her. He then says, “you know what’s coming next---the kiss.” Her father has a scratchy mustache and both times when he went through this little joke routine with her, she laughed in a way she did not do with anyone else. When her father is ready to plant the kiss on her cheek, she immediately makes a face her family calls the “lemon face.” She puckers her lips, screws up her whole face, and turns away from him, as if making ready for the scratchy assault on her cheek that she knows is coming. She did the exact same thing both times that her father initiated this little routine joke between the two of them.
The interactions with her family and our appearance in her room appeared to require some effort and exertion from Terri. From time to time, she would close her eyes as if to rest. This happened primarily when no one was paying particular attention to her, but we were talking among ourselves. After a few minutes or when one of the visitors approached her and started to talk directly to her again, Terri would open her eyes and begin her grunting sounds again in response to their conversations. Although I approached her, leaned close and stroked her arms and spoke to her, she did not verbally respond to me.
Terri’s hands are curled up around little soft cylinders that help her not to injure herself. I understand that these contractures are likely very painful, although there was a time when Terri was receiving simple motion therapy when her hands and arms relaxed and were no longer as constricted. When the therapy was discontinued by order of her guardian and the court, the contractures returned. These contractures would apparently be avoidable if Terri were given the simple range of motion therapy she previously received. It is very sad to observe firsthand these conditions that make her life more difficult, but that would be correctable with little effort.
When we were preparing to leave, the interactions with Terri changed. First, she went through the joke routine with her father and the “lemon face.” When her niece said goodbye to her, Terri did not react. Nor did she react to me or to Attorney Gibbs when we said our goodbyes to her. When her sister went to her to say goodbye, Terri’s verbalizations changed dramatically. Instead of the happy grunting and “uh uh” sounds she had been making throughout the visit, her verbalizations at these goodbyes changed to a very low and different sound that appeared to come from deep in her throat and was almost like a growl. She first made the sound when her sister said goodbye and then, amazingly to me, she made exactly the same sound when her mother said goodbye to her. It seemed Terri was visibly upset that they were leaving. She almost appeared to be trying to cling to them, although this impression came only from her changed facial expression and sounds, since her hands cannot move. It appeared like she did not want to be alone and knew they were leaving. It was definitely apparent in the short time I was there that her emotions changed—it was apparent when she was happy and enjoying herself, when she was amused, when she was resting from her exertion to communicate, and when she was sad at her guests leaving. It was readily apparent and surprising that her mood changed so often in a short 45-minute visit.
I was pleasantly surprised to observe Terri’s purposeful and varied behaviors with the various members of her family and with Attorney Gibbs and myself. I never imagined Terri would be so active, curious, and purposeful. She watched people intently, obviously was attempting to communicate with each one in various ways and with various facial expressions and sounds. She was definitely not in a coma, not even close. This visit certainly shed more light for me on why the Schindlers are fighting so hard to protect her, to get her medical care and rehabilitative assistance, and to spend all they have to protect her life.
I realize that Terri has good days and bad days. There are obviously days when she does not interact with her family, as they had previously told us. There are also apparently days when Terri is even more interactive and responsive to them than she was on the day I visited. Since this visit I am more convinced than ever that the Schindlers are not just parents who refuse to let go of their daughter. There really is a lot going on with their daughter and potentially, it seemed obvious to me, Terri could improve even more with appropriate care and 24 hour a day love that can only come from a dedicated family. As I watched her, my foremost thought was that on the next day, Christmas, Terri should not have been confined to her small room in a hospice center, nice as that room was, but that she should have been gathered around the Christmas dinner table enjoying the holiday with her family.
MEDIA: Call the Gibbs Law Firm Media Director, Mr. Keith Brickell, at O:727-399-8300 or C:727-458-4824 to arrange an interview with Attorney David Gibbs III or Attorney Barbara Weller. He can be reached by email: kbrickell@gibbsfirm.com.
The Terri Schindler-Schiavo Foundation is the official organization responsible for speaking on behalf of the Schindler family. For more information and background on the case, visit the foundation’s website at www.terrisfight.org.
Ping. I wanted to start a new thread for Barbara Weller's narrative on her first meeting with Terri.
A "Must Read" ping.
Thanks for posting. People actually want to starve he to death. Amazing.
If there, I would illegally remove Terri from the state of Florida, accepting prison time just to get a hearing in a different state.
Bump.
Just out of curiosity, I wonder what Terri's reaction would be if her ex husband visited her. She seems to respond to the people closest to her. That would tell a lot. God bless Terri and her family.
bttt. Does this thread have good placement?
FOR THE RECORD: Michael Schiavo is NOT TERRI'S EX-HUSBAND. If he were her ex, this wouldn't be happening right now.
As a casual observer, that's exactly the impression I've gotten from the media. Thanks for posting this.
Seems like the Schiavos should divorce so he can just get on with his miserable life. (Too bad about his missing out on those life insurance proceeds, though. </sarcasm>)
You sound like my mother.
"Just out of curiosity, I wonder what Terri's reaction would be if her ex husband visited her."
I wonder if he has ever been to see her. Wonder if he has seen these reactions that she has. If so, what a cold-hearted monster.
There seems to be no question that this woman is "alive" in her actions. To remove her from a feeding tube would be murder in my opinion.
God bless her family in fighting the good fight.
Please pray for us that Judge Greer doesn't become Chief Judge for Pinellas County. Then he can RUIN THE LIVES OF EVERYONE IN PINELLAS AND PASCO COUNTY. That vote is by Judges for Judges, 59 of them. If Greer wins that in 2006, I'll be starting a 527 organization like the swifties.
"People actually want to starve he to death. Amazing" Actually, in typical democrat style, they want to abort her for not reaching their special definitions of 'alive'. It is the missing recognition of this evil position of democrats in service to liberalism that endangers us all, not just Terri.
TERRI'S FREEPERS HAVE BEEN PLACED INTO NOMINATION.
PLEASE VOTE FOR TERRI'S FREEPERS under Private Citizen Category HERE.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1313673/posts
Very revealing testimony.
"If there, I would illegally remove Terri from the state of Florida, accepting prison time just to get a hearing in a different state."
Agreed, me too.
Terri Ping
I believe that if Terri had been allowed to receive the love, support and therapy that she needed she'd be functioning at a higher level than she is now. So much time has been wasted simply because her SOB of a husband wants to get rid of her.
I'm still trying to register!
I just emailed the Awards Committee to find out why it won't let me register.
Have you heard of anyone else having a problem.
I guess we could say that God let the Founding Fathers create a wonderful nation, then God felt guilty for doing so, so he created the American people to compensate!
But other states would merely return her to FL to get her out of their jurisdiction. Who do you think would accept her?
That simple statement of yours has made me see it from a totally different perspective. You have a very good point there.
The fact is they would have to go underground....and it would be illegal.Apparently there are "underground railroads" that help abused women and children. Alot of downsides in that. There is also a downside in being forced to stand by while she is starved to death, by her "husband", with state approval. The whole thing is still surreal to me - I can't imagine what her family is going through.
Ping
That makes two of us.
And save some of that contempt for the judges that have enabled him.
So would I - maybe we could be cell-mates! I find it hard to believe that in all of these years, no one from the court - newspapers - radio/tv - ever bothered to see her for themselves!!
Belated Terri ping! If anyone would like to be on/off my Terri ping list, please let me know here or by FReepmail.
Count me in! Oh, and probably no one has been able to see Terri because Michael has the list approved by Greer. I am amazed that somehow the Schindlers were allowed to bring the attorneys in with them! Somehow Greer must not have been paying attention to the details! Oh, wait! That's his forte!
As I recall it, in Michael's presence, she becomes upset and shows signs of great fear. She's scared of him -- with good reason.
Awesome and horrible at the same time.
May God grant her the freedom to live with those who love her and will care for her properly. And who she loves as well.
My understanding is that he has indeed been to see her. He forbids nurses or hospital personnel to enter the room while he is there. After he leaves, Terri has been in a state that one nurse described as an apparent insulin reaction. Not forgetting, of course, that this loving husband pursued and attained nursing certification with the ostensible purpose of dedicating his life to caring for his disabled wife. He has likewise forbidden basic dental and medical care, range of motion therapies, and the stimulation of the companionship of her family. He abandoned her, hoping for her death. Murder, sanctioned by the state. It should chill us to the bone.
Thanks for the ping!
I wonder if a video of Terri sitting in a chair not attached to any tubes, smiling at people she is looking at will make it past the censors.
I'm sure that the judge has already issued an injunction against any videotaping for broadcast, because then it would seem as if she were a -- HUMAN BEING!!
I have been in the presence of people who were more severely disabled than her. The only difference is, no one was trying to kill them.
Heavenly Father, we return with praise to Your Holy Name that You, alone, have been the One to sustain this mother's child these many years. What we have seen as her prison ... You have made into a sanctuary wherein You dwell. You have overshadowed her beloved family with strength and determination, for surely others would have fallen beneath the weight of such heartbreak. You have inspired a vast network of people to do mighty and wondrous things, for You continue to proclaim that in Your hand, and in Your hand, alone, is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind. Job 12:10.
We bow before You, Almighty God, in continued prayer that You will stretch forth Your hand and open the door to Terri's room, that she might know the love and care of her family. Vindicate their devotion, O God, for long has been their struggle over the life that You brought forth. Sweep away the merchants of death, that they never again darken the doors of our disabled and infirm and feeble and elderly. Pierce the hearts of these thieves and liars ... may the fear of the Lord fall mightily upon each, and may they be terrified lest they fall into the hands of a Righteous God. We pray for each darkened soul, Redeemer God ... may their hands never accomplish the deeds of their hearts.
Thank You that Your tender mercy has been upon this mother's child, and it is there for the world to see. Make it known to all, O God, that she might live. In the Name of Jesus, Amen ...
It appears that the spam filter operated by Microsoft (domains include email addresses at msn.com, hotmail.com, and webtv.net) is quietly tossing the email sent from the vote server into the spam bucket.If you register using an email address at one of these domains, and you do not receive your link to vote, try looking in your "suspected spam" folder for it.
Thanks, Ohioan from Florida!
Dear sister, your Beautiful Prayer is like a Refreshing Breeze from Heaven, and has Uplifted my soul. I'm going to Pray it Out Loud to our Merciful Master, Thanking Him for the Lovely Fragrance of Christ that Attended your Wonderful Supplication.
(((((Pegita)))))
Pegita,
Your prayers are always so beautiful!
FLORIDUH VOTER WROTE: "FOR THE RECORD: Michael Schiavo is NOT TERRI'S EX-HUSBAND. If he were her ex, this wouldn't be happening right now."
Exactly!
Unfortunately, her two-timing-cheating-out-of-wedlock-father-of-two-bastard-children-therapy-money-stealing-possible-attempted-wife-murderer-who-needs-to-have-his-only-witness-silenced-husband-in-name-only, Michael, is STILL her legal husband!
Doesn't Terri exhbit FEAR when her two-timing-cheating-out-of-wedlock-father-of-two-bastard-children-therapy-money-stealing-possible-attempted-wife-murderer-who-needs-to-have-his-only-witness-silenced-husband-in-name-only, Michael, comes in to her room?
I wonder why?...NOT! I sure wouldn't be to eager to see someone who attempted to kill me and who knows I am the ONLY witness to the CRIME of ATTEMPTED MURDER! Under such circumstances, I would fear for my life a SECOND time!
ANIMAL LOVER RESPONDED: "So would I - maybe we could be cell-mates! I find it hard to believe that in all of these years, no one from the court - newspapers - radio/tv - ever bothered to see her for themselves!!"
Would eccentric's suggestion be called a FReepnapping?
I sure would like for Jeb Bush, President Bush and/or Attorney General Ashcroft to visit her and SEE her with her mother, and then hotly purse a FEDERAL ADA case.
The legal PRECEDENT of being able to have a TOTALLY DEFENSELESS, possible VICTIM of ATTEMPTED MURDER SILENCED---by the STATE (which made its decision based on FRAUD by the alleged husband)---is ABHORENT and OUTRAGEOUS!!!
Maybe the Schindlers should file a FRAUD suit against Michael for FRAUDULENTLY obtaining TERRI's (NOT his) THERAPY money, under the pretext that he would ALLOW her to GET therapy, but after receiving TERRI's (NOT his) THERAPY money, Michael IMMEDIATELY PULLED ALL THERAPY!!!
As the mother of a severely, mentally and physically disabled 20 year old, I am FUMING that the Judges have been able to get away with their CALLOUS INCOMPETENCE and IGNORANCE!!!!! They should be PROSECUTED for VIOLATING ADA!!!!!!!
Fr. Frank Pavone Visits Terri Schindler-Schiavo
"She talks with her eyes. She's very much aware and alert"
CLEARWATER October 7, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The head of Priests for Life, Fr. Frank Pavone, has visited Terri Schindler-Schiavo in her Florida hospital room. Terri's estranged husband, Michael Schiavo, has complete control over who visits Terri and has severely restricted access by clergy to his disabled wife.
Fr. Pavone was in Florida to speak at the "Celebrate Life" banquet, hosted by Right to Life of Hillsborough County September 18. He visited Terri on the way to his engagement in the company of her priest, Msgr. Thaddeus Malanowski, and her family.
"It was beautiful," Fr. Pavone told his audience at the banquet. "'Many people are praying for you from around the country,' I told her." Lawyers for Michael Schiavo have contended that Terri's eye movements and other responses to voices and other stimuli are not signs of consciousness and that she is in a "permanent vegetative state." However, Fr. Pavone said that he thought Terri showed awareness of his visit. "She was following everything that was going on," he said. "She talks with her eyes. She's very much aware and alert."
The law passed by Governor Jeb Bush to protect Terri from a death of starvation was declared unconstitutional in May by a Florida court on the grounds that it contravened the right to privacy. The governor's office is appealing that decision. Fr. Pavone criticized the judicial system along with the medical establishment for overstepping their bounds. "All these fields have authority," he said, "What they cannot do is put a value judgment on the lives they're caring for. The job of our whole culture is to affirm life."
Previous LifeSiteNews.com coverage: http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2004/jun/04061810.html
Thanks for your help.
However my problem was not the result of a 'spam filter'. The Awards site would let me register claiming that I already had voted which wasn't true.
Somehow it was resolved after I emailed Nick Danger and then I was able to register the following day.
Glad you got through. There are so many computer geeks here, there's always a way at Free Republic. lol
The ONLY DIRECT testimony that claims Terri "WOULD" WANT to die, is from Michael and HIS relative---NOT TERRI's---one or more of whom may have MOTIVE to have Terri SILENCED as a result of a possible BOTCHED ATTEMPTED MURDER.
There is MUCH MORE DIRECT TESTIMONY---and EVIDENCE---from her parents, Priests, Doctors, Nurses and others that Terri "WOULD" WANT to LIVE!!!!
I just called Jeb Bush's office and strongly requested that Gov. Bush file a FEDERAL ADA case (on Terri's behalf) against Michael, Felos and the Judges.
Terri's case could VERY much affect ALL of us some day!
Jeb Bush's office phone number is: (850) 488-4441.
There is MUCH MORE DIRECT TESTIMONY---and EVIDENCE---from her parents, Priests, Doctors, Nurses and others that Terri "WOULD" WANT to LIVE!!!!
should have been:
There is MUCH MORE DIRECT TESTIMONY---and EVIDENCE---from her parents, Priests, Doctors, Nurses and others that Terri "DOES" WANT to LIVE!!!!
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