"In a letter, Bush asked Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge George W. Greer yesterday to keep her alive until a court-appointed guardian can 'independently investigate the circumstances of this case and provide the court with an unbiased view that considers the best interests of Mrs. Schiavo.' " Read story from WorldNetDaily.com
Terri has been the center of a battle between her husband and guardian, Michael Schiavo, who claims she has been in a "persistent vegetative state" for the last 13 years and would want to die, and her parents, who believe she is responsive, aware of her surroundings, would benefit from rehabilitative therapies and should be allowed to continue living.
On Friday, the Florida Supreme Court refused for the second time to intervene on her parent's behalf. All seven of the justices signed the brief order, which noted that the court would not allow any future motions.
The ruling gives the green light to Pinellas County Circuit Court Judge George W. Greer to schedule the removal of the feeding tube that is providing Terri with food and water. That decision could come as early as September 11, when a visitation hearing is scheduled. Once the tube is removed, Terri would likely die in 10 to 14 days. Her parents want an assessment done to see if Terri can be spoon-fed.
Sunday night, Terri was moved back to Morton Plant Hospital with lung congestion and "a substantial infection", just a few days after she was released from the hospital. Terri's parents were not informed of the second hospitalization until Monday afternoon.
Later on Monday afternoon, an attorney for Michael Schiavo submitted a motion to Judge Greer asking that all medical treatment at the hospital be stopped and that Terri be moved back to the hospice that has been her home for the last five years, so she can "die in a peaceful setting with comfort care".
Attorney George Felos admitted in his motion that Terri Schiavo would likely recover from the infection because she is getting antibiotics intravenously at the hospital. Felos wrote, however, that "further treatment (other than comfort care) for the ward's infection and other medical conditions is unnecessary, unwarranted, inappropriate and futile" since it is inevitable that Greer will allow her to starve to death.
The Florida Coalition for Disability Rights asked Bush to appoint a Guardian Ad Litem "to protect the best interests of Terri Schiavo as an individual" and "to ascertain Terri Schiavo's current status and potential for recovery."
"Erring on the side of caution so that the state never takes a human life improperly is a reasonable request," the FCDR said in a media statement. "The fundamental policy issue at stake is whether or not the state can deprive a person with a disability of life because their medical need has become too expensive or some members of the family are no longer willing to care."
"The state stands on a slippery slope. Without caution, the slope leads to a precipice and the precipice leads to death for Terri Schiavo and all like her."
Related:
"Terri Schindler Schiavo Placed in Hospital in Critical Condition" (CNSNews.com)
"Schiavo's husband wants medical treatment stopped" (Associated Press via Lakeland Ledger)
"Terri Schiavo's Reasonable Doubt" (FCDR)
"Terri' Fight" (Terri Schindler-Schiavo Foundation)
It is time to tell the smaller stories around the bigger story in the fight to save Terri Schiavo's life. This is true even though no life or death story is ever truly small. There are so many and I have so little space. But, I will try.
There is my own struggle from when I was considered allegedly as good as dead. But I had a single nurse who believed I was still "in there" and able to communicate. With my inked finger and her paper on a clipboard, we proved I indeed had opinions about whether I should live or die.
There was controversy as to whether my recognizable writing was communication or seizure activity until the BIG meeting. The doctors and my husband, who were spending an ever lessening amount of time with me, were granting that gathering as a courtesy to my mother and the nurses who felt I did not deserve to be written off.
At the end of the meeting my then-husband held up a message board to prove I couldn't use it. When asked to communicate something, I laboriously said to my spouse who was not allowing the most basic of care, "D-I-V-O-R-C-E Y-O-U." The doctors all laughed and attributed my phrase to more seizure activity.
Then my mother took the board and asked me to repeat what I had just said. I did so with, "D-I-V-O-R-C-E H-I-M."
There was never a question after that as to whether I could think or respond to my environment. The divorce allowed rehabilitative care, which brought me to being able to write the sentence that ends right now at this period.
There are more stories like mine on The Official Site of the Terri Schindler-Schiavo Foundation Web page at http://www.terrisfight.org
Here are two of them:
One woman was 33 years old and a professional violinist in Los Angeles when she had a brain aneurysm. During surgery, a stroke with consequent paralysis took place. Her family was told not to expect too much. Today, post-onset of disability, she is playing again with more than one orchestra.
One man is a former police officer and accident investigator who has been living with ALS for more than 20 years. He uses a ventilator. This in no way stops him from enjoying what life brings.
Terri's father comments at the Web site how often families are told that a loved one with a disability has no chance of enjoying life or positively contributing to their community. He notes how often that just is not the case.
A man grabbing a smoke by the courthouse door watched me watch Mr. Schindler share that experience this week. Then the smoker told me about a premature baby born to him and his wife 10 years ago. They were pressured to disconnect all life support just because the doctors thought the child would never be able to walk unassisted.
In anguish, the stranger said, "It took him hours to die while we held him. We asked over and over that he be reconnected to the machinery and the docs refused. They said 'It would be harder the next time we did it.'"
To this day, I wonder if we did the right thing. How bad can it be to use a wheelchair ramp instead of stepping up over the curb? What's wrong with touching their arm while they roll instead of holding their hand while they walk?"
Sharing my own story has opened up in others the need to share their own stories of cared about people with disabilities who were denied incredibly basic care...fiancés after accidents, a twin at birth, a spouse after an anesthesia accident during cancer surgery...and on and on and on....
There is a another, much colder newly published story out there worth noting. It is "Litigation as Spiritual Practice" by George Felos, the attorney for the husband. It is his publisher's current Book of the Month. Some are calling Felos, "God in the Courtroom." One reviewer wrote "...I am going to call George Felos 'God's Lawyer' from now on."
Given what he is trying to do to Terri Schiavo in court now, his book and some of the reviews are chilling.
I do have one question, though:
One chapter in Felos' book is titled, "Bargaining for the Contingency Fee." Why would truly spiritual lawyering have to mess with that?
But let me leave you with two last stories:
After I spoke for Not Dead Yet at one of the earlier support rallies this week, 6-year-old twin boys came up and handed me the grubbiest fifty cents in change I have ever touched. But, being gracious, I asked why they were giving it to me.
It was their entire collective weekly allowance and they were giving it to help Terri and her Mommy.
A few minutes later, a slightly older boy came up and wanted to know all about how my wheelchair worked and why I used it. He loved that the controls were very much like his video games at home.
Then I took him for a ride in my lap. Afterwards he said, "So that's being disabled, huh?"
I replied, "Yep, that's about it."
He said, "THAT'S the difference between you and me?"
I said, "Pretty much."
He replied, "So, what's the big deal?"
Indeed.
Rev. Rus Cooper-Dowda
St. Petersburg, Florida
uudre@aol.com
I was researching this from an Americans with disabilities perspective....or civil rights issue. What if Terri had a disease that came under the 'protected' category like HIV/Aids?.....I loved 'Not Dead Yet'.
Links to sites are below. Maybe someone can find something I didn't.
Americans with Disabilities Act
Brain Injury Society-Information
International Center for Bioethics, Culture and Disability Pro/Con - could be objectionable to some
Hospice Patients Alliance-Home Patients are referred to as 'terminally ill'
Hospice Patients Alliance-Euthanasia
Not Dead Yet the Resistance Since 1983, many people with disabilities have opposed the assisted suicide and euthanasia movement. Though often described as compassionate, legalized medical killing is really about a deadly double standard for people with severe disabilities, including both conditions that are labeled terminal and those that are not.
An alert on Terri Schiavo situation in January 2003
Disability Groups watch Legal Battle for Woman's Life Press Release-Terri Schiavo
Disability Advocates Watch Court with Wary Eyes Press Release-Terri Schiavo
Pay No Attention to the Woman Behind the Curtain Court Coverage Terri Schiavo-April 2003
Coverage of Terri Schiavo Trial Links to Daily Court Coverage
Euthanasia INFORMATION FOR RESEARCH ON EUTHANASIA, PHYSICIAN-ASSISTED SUICIDE,LIVING WILLS, MERCY KILLING