I believe the swallowing tests, which said that she couldn’t swallow.
I am sorry for your son’s troubles but I also know there are times that hope colors perception; I must conclude that is the case for those around Terri Schiavo, based on the CT scan and autopsy report. And again, dehydration does not mean that the neuropathologist couldn’t assess her brain tissue - I have yet to see a credible medical source who asserts that. If you know of a neuropathologist who can flatly assert that, please cite.
Don't try to couch this to me in touchy-feely terms of hope. It doesn't always work on people with the experience we have. I have seen this condescension of doctors before and shrug it off as just a little embarrassing for the doctors because it is so obvious.
Perhaps if you claim intellectual honesty you may consider both sides of the matter and not write off any opposing views as emotional. It looks to me that you are a bit blinded by bias.
Consider this if moral grounds are important to you. Before they started the exit protocol, she was happy, surprisingly cheerful considering she was kept locked in a room with sensory stimulus at zero, was denied any attempts at all to make her life more pleasant, not to even get sunshine. Her parents and siblings loved her and cared for her and were barred most of the time from even being with her. Even through all this, she retained some cheer. And except for the dehydration part, you think their actions are moral? Maybe your training can have you look at all here, too.
Like you, we have had our own tragedies, quite a few, and we weather them, not through fuzzy feelings, but through Faith. It works fine.
It is practical knowledge we have on feeding and some of our son's doctors lacked that. I won't engage a debate with you on medical matters where you have the weapons of words. I will leave that to others who may engage the topic if you wait with patience. But it is doctors like we faced with our son, and with those with a vested interest in the negative outcome like the successful killing of Terri who give your profession a bad name in my book.
I appoint you as judge. Terri never had a swallowing test since 1993. You have read testimony from caregivers that she is able to swallow years after that date. Now, before you order that Terri not be allowed not to try oral nutrition, would you order another swallowing test?
Hope certainly colored perception on this CT scan. (This is the one that was all over the Internet.) Have you seen some other scan?
Left: Scan of normal 25-year-old's brain; Right: Schiavo's 2002 CT scan at age 38 showing the massive loss of brain tissue.