Posted on 03/27/2005 6:31:02 AM PST by gesully
When did Michael Schiavo first start trying to kill Terri? Mary Mostert March 23, 2005
Because I try to track down facts before I write about a subject, I have not written about Terri Schiavo and the battle over her condition. What actually happened to Terri back in 1990 that caused her to be the topic of world conversation today? Before we decide to permanently dispose of her, shouldn't we first find out how she got into this predicament?
Well, she collapsed, we are told by her husband Michael, in 1990 and was taken to the hospital . Some stories say she had a heart attack. Other stories, including a medical report by Dr. William Hammesfahr, a world-reknowned neurologist, totally refute any heart attack. Hammesfahr reported:
"Ms Schiavo was in her usual state of good health until 2/25/90, when her husband reported that he was awakened from sleep approximately 6 Am by her falling. He reports that she was unresponsive. "Paramedics were called, and aggressive resuscitation was performed with 7 defibrillations en route.
"In the Emergency Room, a possible diagnosis of heart attack was briefly entertained, but then dismissed after blood chemistries and serial EKG's did not show evidence of a heart attack."
Some reports guess that she collapsed due to an effort to lose weight — although, she was not at the time overweight. Hammesfahr's report stated:
"The patient had a difficult hospital course with the development of poorly controlled seizures and prolonged coma state requiring, for a time, ventilator support. However, the staff noted improvement, and it was recommended by several physicians that she be discharged to an intensive rehabilitation center."
In 1992, Michael Schiavo sued for malpractice and won over a $1 million. He was personally awarded $300,000 for his "loss" and $700,000 for Terri's rehabilitation and care for the rest of her natural life. However, the therapy, after the award, was not approved by Michael Schiavo and she was confined to a nursing home after the settlement.
It was after the settlement that Michael first claimed that Terri had previously stated that she didn't want to be kept alive by artificial means — a statement he never mentioned during the malpractice trial. He has never produced any written proof that Terri said that.
Beginning almost immediately after receiving the malpractice funds, Michael Schiavo, as Terri's legal guardian, began to refuse approval for ANY therapy or rehabilitation efforts and she has been confined to bed.
Since 1995, Michael Schiavo has lived openly with a girlfriend, Jodi Centonze, with whom he has two children, while remaining legally married to Terri, as well as being her legal her guardian.
In 1998, Michael Schiavo petitioned the court to have Terri's feeding tube removed. In 2003, Michael Schiavo's attorneys reported that the trust fund was down to $50,000, with more than $430,000 going to "pay for court costs associated with her husband's legal battle to remove his wife's feeding tube." Meanwhile, Medicaid helps to pay Terri's $5,000-a-month nursing costs at a hospice in Pinellas Park, Florida. 13
During this time period, Terri's parents have attempted to gain guardianship over their daughter. During the legal battles that have ensued, in 2003 a deposition was taken from Dr. William Campbell Walker, a radiologist, concerning a bone scan the hospital did on Terri in 1991. That bone scan revealed what Dr. Walker reported at the time as "compression fracture in the 19 vertebral body of the spine."
For seven years as Terri has been consistently denied rehabilitation treatment that, according to several doctors, would have significantly improved her chances of recovery, Michael spent her money awarded for her therapy on lawyers trying to get her starved to death. Several doctors pointed out, including Dr. Hammesfahr, that Terri not only CAN swallow on her own, but frequently DOES swallow and pictures shown clearly indicate, as Hammesfahr and other testify, that she can and does respond to voice commands and particularly to her parents.
This would indicate that she is NOT in what the State of Florida defines as a "vegetative" state. It also makes me wonder, now that the feeding tube is removed, if any effort to help her swallow water or food is being made today, or whether under the court order spoon feeding also has been outlawed? Terri's parents, if they just came and got her and took her home, I guess would be arrested for kidnapping under Florida's legal system.
At this point, the legal system of Florida has, in the words of one legal observer, created the "framework for legal euthanasia." Of course, euthanasia is technically the practice of killing someone painlessly because they prefer death to life for whatever reason. I would not classify starvation as a "painless" way to die.
Dr. Hammesfahr stated in his report:
"In the spring of 2000, three physicians, including Dr. Jay Carpenter, who is a former Chief of Medicine at Morton Plant Hospital, filed affidavits after observing Ms. Schiavo. All three physicians stated that it is visually apparent that Ms Schiavo is able to swallow and, in fact, does swallow her own saliva.
"The patient continued with no physical therapy, communication or speech therapy, or routine medical screening evaluations and treatment such as dental care, mammography, gynecological exams or pap smears during this time."
Under these conditions and questions, it would appear to me that Terri SHOULD have a totally different guardian, such as her parents, until some questions are answered about the spinal and other injuries that appeared on her bone scan a decade ago. Why is it that a man who clearly wants his wife dead, cannot explain how she actually got into the state she is in, or produce ANY proof, other than his unsubstantiated words, that she would want to die, is being unquestioningly defended by the Florida courts?
Increasingly, it appears to me, that Terri would have gotten better care had her husband never won that malpractice suit and been given $1 million to spend — much of it on lawyers to legally kill off his wife.
It all makes me wonder just when Michael Schiavo made his first effort to kill Terri? Was it before or after she ended up in the hospital with an unexplained problem that put her in a coma?
Mary Mostert is a nationally-respected political writer. She was one of the first female political commentators to be published in a major metropolitan newspaper in the 1960s. After working in President Lyndon Johnson's failed War on Poverty programs in New York state, she became a Republican. She ran, unsuccessfully, for the New York State Senate and became campaign manager for a number of candidates. She once served as the secretary of "Positive Action NOW!"--a South African women's group that sought to reduce the hostility among South Africa's various racial, religious, and political groups.
In recent years, Mary has researched, written, and edited articles for national talk show host Michael Reagan's Information Interchange on the Internet, and for The REAGAN MONITOR, a monthly newsletter that provides in-depth information on key issues. Her book, COMING HOME - Families Can Stop the Unraveling of America," was published in 1996 by Gold Leaf Press. Mary maintains a political media site, Banner of Liberty. She can be contacted at mary@bannerofliberty.com . Click here for more information.
Terri does not have a lawyer, the lawyer is her parents.
I have an Easter dinner to cook (and give thanks to the Almighty that we are blessed with the ability to eat it), so I can't address all of this--but this statement is patently false. Felos said that in an interview. I'll reserve my opinion of those people who agree with that ghoul for now. It's Easter.
bttt
Happy Easter to you and yours.
That question's being asked all the time. To qualify for Medicare for a hospice stay, the patient's doctor is supposed to certify less than 6 months' life expectancy. (I guess it can be renewed should the patient not die.)
Two freepers posted stories yesterday involving family members in Florida hospices, though, who died far sooner than expected once admitted.
obesity is also a relative preventaitve for osteoporosis
Simply because the judge refuses to allow any info entered which does not agree with where this case was headed all along.
I think they've been using this to set precedents to further "mercy-killing" in Florida -- it can't be euthanasia, as that is supposed to be with the consent of the patient.
From this link: http://www.miami.edu/ethics2/schiavo/timeline.htm
July 29, 1993:
Schindlers attempt to remove Michael Schiavo as Terri Schiavo’s guardian; the court later dismisses the suit.
I do not believe the president can get involved. He did what he legally could. To admonish him and for that matter Jeb Bush is unfair.
I believe with all my heart that Michael is at the center of Terris condition, I think he, and his creepy lawyer are guilty of actions or ignoring truth as in the case of Feos, who, by the way is an euthanasia advocate.
Our constitution has the 10th ammendment which is of course states rights. There are thousands of Terri's if the president and the governor set precedeent by getting more involved they would have to do the same for all.
Have you all seen Terri's web site?
http://www.terrisfight.org
I said this before on FR and a FReeper jumped on me for it, but I don't care --- with my 58 years of observation, I can look in his face and see the guilt and dread of a guy who knows what he did, and will always know that a great many people are looking at him like they'd look at O.J. He's not stupid, he knows he is disdained.
He better get an alias or two after Terri dies.
Interestingly, someone posted a link somewhere recently to the original admission form to get Terri into that hospice. There was not even a doctor's signature on it to order the admission. Very strange.
#2 No, not everyone agreed, but ultimately it was my aunt HIS SPOUSE, that made the final decision and most of us, nieces, nephews, children, agreed with her. They had 9 children and 20 grandchildren, of which some of them I would say approximately 8 or 9 did not agree with her.
#3 No, I dont believe my aunt would have gone to him at all. If there was no option for her, she would have accepted it.
This has absolutely nothing to do with Scott Peterson. To use him as an example, just is not on par with this case. By the way, in that case, the prosecution team was lucky to get a conviction in the first place. Dont get me wrong, I beleive with all my heart that he was responsible for her death. It is just the prosecution had very little evidence to convict and because Peterson was not a media darling, contributed to his conviction.
LOL
You don't trust anyone that wants Terri to live.
Funny, I dont see that at all. I see a man who is under a great deal of stress not guilt.
placemarker
She was 23 years old at the time of the incident. Bulimia or self induced vomiting on a regular basis could easily be determined by her dentist. The bulimia argument is hearsay. Vomiting could be due to many causes, morning sickness and even stress and mental anguish.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.