Posted on 04/02/2005 11:39:29 AM PST by WhistlingPastTheGraveyard
Edited on 04/02/2005 5:10:27 PM PST by Lead Moderator. [history]
Terri Schiavo Cremated Amid Family Feud
Saturday, April 02, 2005
TAMPA, Fla. Terri Schiavo's body was cremated Saturday as disagreements continued between her husband and her parents, who were unable to have their own independent expert observe her autopsy.
The cremation was carried out according to a court order issued Tuesday establishing that Michael Schiavo () had the right to make such decisions, said his lawyer, George Felos. He said plans for burying her ashes in Pennsylvania, where she grew up, had not yet been completed.
Terri Schiavo's parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, had wanted to bury their daughter in Pinellas County so they could visit her grave.
Terri Schiavo, 41, died Thursday after the removal of the feeding tube that had kept her alive since 1990, when she suffered brain damage that court-appointed doctors determined had placed her in a persistent vegetative state (). Her parents had fought in court to keep her alive, disputing the doctors' opinions and saying there was hope of improvement.
Plus I don't think the nurses that came forward all work at the same facility or cared for Terri during the same time period. The nurses that talked about MS's obsessiveness about Terri's care were early in her illness. IIRC they said he was less concerned about the actual therapy than whether she looked like she was being given good care...hair and make-up done, turned over often enough to not get bed sores, etc. These nurses that gave depositions were reprimanded for GIVING Terri attention (i.e. bites of jello, a wet wash cloth to suck on, both of which, according to them, she thoroughly enjoyed). When she first arrived at the hospice facility, they used to wheel her out to the nurses station for part of the day and I know they got in trouble for that. In spite of that, one of the Schindler's lawyers was on Sean Hannity last week and said she has 8 depositions (they weren't allowed to submit them as evidence, but I can't remember if she said why) from nurses who all testified to how responsive Terri was. Of the few that were brave enough to step forward and talk about MS's abuse, at least 2 have lost their jobs, so that may not have been the best way to get revenge.
Cindie
"Destroying a spouse's wedding ring, however, is an act with a very clear symbolic meaning. Anyone who fails to understand that is, at best, an absolute clod."
This is true, but I would submit that he felt her already dead based on what he had been told by the doctors and litigated in court.
Obviously a lot of people don't agree with that, but a great deal of his actions make more sense when seen from that viewpoint......right or wrong.
"Is being "overly agressive" in such cases the mark of a loving husband or a control freak?"
Probably both......and probably not inconsistent with a lot of young adults in their 20's who are scared.
The Jack Kervorkian of lawyers. Utterly ghoulish. Why is it that all the merchants of death have that same greenish pallor?
Consistency hasn't exactly been the hallmark of these discussions. Nor facts, reasoned level headed discussion, restrained emotions...
"Nor facts, reasoned level headed discussion, restrained emotions..."
It ain't easy. LOL
Not the same thing. Diagnosing bone trauma is much less complicated than diagnosing any brain abnormality. The CT scan would be enough if that was the current standard for diagnosing PVS and provided an accurate diagnosis most of the time. It doesn't. All the following are necessary for a diagnosis (from a letter by Dr. Felder, Board Certified Neurologist and attending neurologisit at U of Pittsburg Med. Ctr. posted on the justice for Terri website): EEG (electroencephalogram) showing cortical brainwave activity, PET (Positron Emission Tomography) Scan to show a reduction in cerebral metabolism, SSEP (Somatosensory Evoked Potential) to show brainstem neurophysiologic functioning and, MRI scan of her brain to show anatomical disruption. Most neurologists also recommend spending time with the patient (i.e. over a period of months, not 45 minutes). Dr. Felder's letter also expressed concern that Terri's EEG and CAT scan were several years old and wouldn't show changes in her brain. Even with the above tests, PVS is often misdiagnosed (one of those misdiagnosed PVS patients who made a rare complete recovery was, ironically, diagnosed by Dr. Cranford who also diagnosed Terri). Currently, there's no way to know who will recover (either fully or partially) and who won't or how long that recover will take. Evidently, neurologists have made some incredible strides in just the past few years both diagnostically and in treatment. Dr. Felder is just one of many neurologists who expressed, in writing, their concern about Terri not being given a full (recent) battery of tests to properly diagnose her condition. These were, of course, submitted to Judge Greer who refused to consider them.
Cindie
He has a point re. the hurricanes. God, after all, destroyed the Soviet Union because it was wicked. Some theologians like Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell believe the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks were a wakeup call from God to remind American to mend its wicked ways. Not only would it not surprise me to see Florida get hit with some really hellacious (literally) storms this Summer, but the soaring energy prices and increasing threats of terrorism are just hints of what the almighty has in store for our nation after the toruture and murder of Terri S. Hold on to your hats, folks, you aint see nothing yet!
It is a miracle that she lasted that long without hydration. It would not surprise me if one day Terri Schiavo is made a Saint of the Catholic Church. The late Pope would surely have canonized her; now we must see if his successor will. Why do I say this.
1. She was apparently a devout catholic who attended mass at least weekly.
2. Her survival for almost 2 weeks without water or food (see above) was literally miraculous.
3. For 15 years she was chaste, without sin, and suffered great mortification of the flesh.
4. She was martyred by those hostile to religion.
5. She died not for ALL sins as our Saviour did, but for 1 particular sin; the sin of callousness.
There are more reasons, I am sure, but this should be at least enough for beatification if not outright canonization.
This is a pretty strong allegation to make without proof. The only thing I know that comes close is a nurse who was interviewed by Sean Hannity that worked at the hospice. They had a petition circulating about Terri's "right to die" and this nurse refused to sign. She thought the whole thing was appalling and said so. That's not the same as accusing nurses of killing people.
It wasn't just Greer that dismissed their charges though. The guardian ad litem's that visited the hospitals and talked to personnel did too.
They couldn't talk without losing their jobs. Carla Iyers, who still has friends in the facility she was fired from, begged them to come forward with what they knew, but they were too afraid. However, those same guardians also recommended MS NOT be given permanent guardianship of Terri.
For what it's worth, the 3 I looked at weren't RN's but those with lesser education and qualifications such as LPN. Actually, giving someone in her condition bits of jello could be seen as an attempt to kill her? The lower brain stem part of her brain was functioning and her auto-reflex of swallowing was funtioning at some point, however by introduction food orally to someone like that risks the possibility they might aspirate the food and choke.
Carla Iyer was an RN, but the others weren't, that's true. However, I don't think one has to be a registered anything to recognize abuse in a patient you take care of daily, nor to know whether that person is responsive to you. Obviously, though, she didn't choke (but if she had she WAS in a facility where, presumably, someone on the staff would know CPR, if they even bothered). However, since MS was going to court to have her killed, I highly doubt he was upset at the prospect of Terri's choking to death...it certainly would have taken less time than the 13 days she spent dehydrating and starving and might have saved him a few thousand dollars in lawyer's fees.
There is also quite a bit of evidence from nurses, Terri's family, notes MS made on her chart, instructions given by the admininstration, etc. that Terri was to have NO stimulation, not so much as her blinds opened and flowers in her room (which was, by the way, illegal since under FL law she, like any other disabled patient, was supposed to be receiving therapy). Thus, MS's objection was more likely due to his obsession with Terri not being given any kind of stimulation/therapy that might prove she wasn't a carrot. Surely if we can take as gospel MS and his two relatives knowing what Terri's wishes were, then we can at least apply the same standard to such a variety of sources without making yet another excuse for MS. Any one of his actions, taken separately, can be excused for one reason or another. Taken in total, however, the picture is pretty chilling.
Cindie
The entire county is controlled by The Church of Scientology. And yes, this was a ritual execution of person who rated 2 or below on Scientology's Emotional Tone Scale. Just like Lisa McPherson.
Yes, it can and will be backed up.
Stay tuned...
That's going to be up to us.
Me too!
She was murdered. It was done legally but she was still murdered.
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