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One can't help but wonder if perhaps the mainstream media are feeling a growing sense of uneasiness regarding Terri Schiavo's death. In the two years since my sister died, I have witnessed an increasing determination on their part to convince the public that she was "hopeless" and in a persistent vegetative state (PVS). I believe this is happening because of the increasing number of questions being raised as to the veracity of the PVS diagnosis, which was the litmus test used to kill Terri - a litmus test still being used to justify the killing of others who are said to be in this condition.
Just last month, researchers found that over 40 percent of the people diagnosed as being in a PVS are misdiagnosed. This new study confirmed an already existing British study regarding the high rate of PVS misdiagnoses.
In addition, scientists are developing new technology that takes better images of brain function. Much to the surprise of researchers, some of these images taken on people that were thought to be oblivious to their surroundings show that they have some level of consciousness.
There have also been well-publicized cases of people diagnosed as being in "vegetative" conditions, predicted by doctors to never to regain consciousness, who have unexplainably awakened.
Some regained awareness after being in a PVS or similar condition far longer than Terri was. Terry Wallis regained awareness after 19 years, Sarah Scantlin after 20 years, and Patricia White Bull after 16 years.
And then you have recent stories like that of Jesse Ramirez, 36, whose feeding tube was removed by his wife only 10 days after he suffered a severe head trauma in an automobile accident, when doctors said that he would most likely end up "vegetative." His parents questioned the doctors and were able to get a judge to have his feeding tube reinserted. Days later, Jesse began to make noticeable improvement, and he is now interacting with family and friends and scheduled for rehab.
What's common to such stories is the fact that the mainstream media report them with the oft-repeated, almost frantic disclaimer that "of course this should not be confused with Terri Schiavo's case."
Just a couple of weeks ago, regarding Jesse Ramirez, ABC News made certain to separate his situation from Terri's. "But ethicists debate the extent to which this comparison is valid. This guy was not hopeless and in a persistent vegetative state by any means."
Here is a USA Today story from June 2005: "The cases of Wallis and Schiavo are different biologically. Both slipped into comas when their brains were first injured, but then they diverged. Schiavo remained vegetative while Wallis moved into a state of limbo."
And a Washington Post article from September 2006: "But Owen, Schiff and others stressed that the research does not indicate that many patients in vegetative states are necessarily aware or likely to recover. Schiavo, in particular, had suffered much more massive brain damage for far longer than the patient in Britain, making awareness or recovery impossible, they said."
Why do the media goes to such extravagant lengths to distance Terri's case from anything that might connect her to a positive development or outcome? Perhaps it is because they realize just how culpable they are in her death.
The media championed the cause of the so-called "right to die" movement and wrote Terri off as "hopeless" from the beginning. By trumpeting the decision of the judge who sentenced her to die, handling with kid gloves the husband who sought to kill her and giving a platform to euthanasia advocates, the media abdicated all responsibility to present the truth to the American public.
Dr. Jon Thogmartin, who performed Terri's autopsy clearly stated, on at least three separate occasions, that he was unable to conclude whether Terri was in a PVS because it is a clinical diagnosis (the person must be alive) and cannot be confirmed by autopsy.
Regardless, Greer's decision and that of the doctors with whom he sided will never be challenged. This is because no one can admit that a mistake was made and an innocent, conscious, disabled woman was wrongly dehydrated to death.
Sadly, the death movement has many years and millions of dollars invested in manipulating our culture and wooing the media into accepting this "quality of life" standard that uses the PVS diagnosis as a reason to terminate life.
Admitting Terri was conscious would be potentially devastating to their cause. They cannot and will not allow this to happen - thus the constant repetition that, no matter how obvious the evidence may be to the contrary, "we should not confuse" any of these findings "with the Terri Schiavo case."
In fact, I expect the media to become even more resolute in trying to justify Terri's death, regardless that it is becoming clearer that not only was Terri's condition misdiagnosed, but that the PVS finding is a sham and should be abolished. n
Bobby Schindler is the brother of Terri Schiavo. He and his family now work for the Terri Schindler Schiavo Foundation in St. Petersburg, an organization opposing the practice of euthanasia.
Errors cloud media's mentions of Schiavo case
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