Posted on 01/17/2015 4:41:55 PM PST by kindred
Cases like this are fueling a growing debate about the accuracy of "vegetative state" and "brain death" diagnoses.
airlift(Harlow, England) - Martin Pistorius hates Barney. And it's no wonder why. For 12 years, while he was in a coma that doctors described as a "vegetative state," nurses, thinking that he couldn't see or hear anything, played endless re-runs of Barney as he sat, strapped into his wheel chair. (Photo via Life Site News)
But Martin wasn't the "vegetable" that doctors said he was. In fact, he could see and hear everything.
"I cannot even express to you how much I hated Barney," he recently told NPR.
In the 1980s, Martin was a typical active youngster growing up in South Africa. But, then, at age 12, he came down with an illness that baffled doctors, and that eventually resulted in him losing his ability to move his limbs, then to make eye contact, and finally to speak.
His parents, Rodney and Joan Pistorius, were told that he was a "vegetable" and the best thing for them to do was take him home and keep him comfortable until he died.
But the youngster continued to live despite the diagnosis.
"Martin just kept going, just kept going," his mom said.
Now, in a new memoir, "Ghost Boy: My Escape From a Life Locked Inside My Own Body," Martin has revealed that, although he was initially unconscious as doctors thought, after about two years he started waking up, eventually becoming fully conscious of everything around him.
Martin's dad, Rodney, cared for his son throughout the ordeal, and recalls the daily routine of rising at five in the morning to get Martin ready for a day at a special care center.
"Eight hours later, I'd pick him up, bathe him, feed him, put him in bed, set my alarm for two hours so that I'd wake up to turn him so that he didn't get bedsores," Rodney said in the NPR report.
Martin remembers, however, that his mom at one point lost hope, and while gazing at her son and thinking he could not hear her, said "I hope you die."
But he did hear her.
"Yes, I was there, not from the very beginning, but about two years into my vegetative state, I began to wake up," Martin said.
"I was aware of everything, just like any normal person. Everyone was so used to me not being there that they didn't notice when I began to be present again. The stark reality hit me that I was going to spend the rest of my life like that totally alone."
Jeb had the power as Governor to disregard the Court order in order to enforce the Florida State Constitution, which has a right to life in its guarantees.
Judge Greer disregarded testimony that Terri was responsive. She could look with her eyes and communicate with staff.
But the husband and Judge Greer were hell bent to kill her.
It was a travesty of justice and due process.
The Governor should have had the State Police go in and take her to safety.
Instead Jeb shrugged his soldiers, like Romney did on gay marriage in MA, and said, oh well, the Court said so, so I have to abide by it.
Sometimes an injustice is just so great, that you tell the Court that you made your ruling, now enforce, then proceed to use your executive power to override.
In my opi nion, this was one of those times.
And JEnb failed miserbaly.
Terri took 13 days to die from dehydration, one of the most painful ways to die imaginable.
We don’t even allow dogs or cats to die in this manner.
It was inhuman, cruel and barbaric, and Jeb failed his test of courage.
Just because a court rules does not make it right or lawful.
The courts are full fo corrupt judges and attorneys as we well know.
Okay. Thank you, you have enlightened me.
Hey, Ann- grab a clue- Hiz’oner, Gov. Jeb Bush could not risk the future moment, about to be played out- like a nickel nudie flick, on the Boardwalk of Atlantic City, circa 1923. Oh my gal, ain’t she swell...He is a sluggo- of the lowest low type.
In his Amicus Curiae Memorandum to the UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT, MIDDLE DISTRICT OF FLORIDA, TAMPA DIVISION, on October 7th, 2003, Governor Jeb Bush said:
“The Governor has a constitutional duty to take care that the laws be executed faithfully. Article 4, Sec. 1, Florida Constitution.
“The Governor has a sworn duty to defend the Constitution of the State of Florida.”
“The Governor submits this memorandum to ensure that the Court consider the critical distinction between removing artificial life support and the deliberate killing of a human being by starvation and dehydration.
“These are two different actions. The first is performed according to state law and is allowed under Florida’s constitutional right to privacy.
“The second is prohibited by the right to life enshrined in the Florida and federal Constitutions. . .”
Bush knew that it was within his power as governor to save Terri as evidenced by this Memorandum. He didn’t follow through.
I agree .. I remember my boss (director of our residence for seniors) lectured a couple of new workers because they just seemed to be disrespectful to a “supposed” comatose patient.
And .. I remember one of the Hospice nurses who came there would always talk to the patients as though they were as viable as ever. Every once in a while, one of them would reach out and touch her on the hand. She told me it made her cry.
When I look at Terri Schiavo legislative action about the judiciary like W Bush signed and Republicans in Congress passed after starvation began March 18, 2005 was a joke.
Was it political cover for Jeb Bush??????
To have allowed Terri Schiavo to die without extraordinary action was a disgrace....
Starving Terri Schiavo was worse than Klansman in “civilian clothes” thrashing Civil Rights protestors in Alabama in May
1961.
President Kennedy wanted Governor Patterson of Alabama to protect the Civil Rights protestors so he sent in federal marshals, prison guards etc. etc. with nightsticks, pistols and tear gas.
The mob had the federal law enforcement group surrounded and they were throwing firebombs at a church where MLK and other CR leaders were holding a rally.
When the word was passed from Washington that Army units from Fort Benning were on the way an Alabama phone operator allowed Governor Patterson to listen in.
At that point Governor Patterson declared Martial Law and the National Guard was committed to maintain law and order and protect MLK and the Civil Rights protestors.
That’s the kind of “Brinksmanship” that the Bush brothers failed to provide in Terri Schiavo’s case.
” I just dont quite understand how Jeb killed Terri.”
Well if I remember one side of the family wanted the governor to intervene to help save her life and he refused. Then later he supported legislation to make starving people in “vegetative states” legal.
I just mean that this man supports active euthanasia, so it is a serious character flaw in my mind.
I understand that at the final stages of life families need to make difficult decisions to withdraw life support, but food and water are not extraordinary forms of care. So, a lot of us resent Jeb in this case.
“We ALL hate Barney”
“{ love you,me
You love me,
Let us hang Barney from a tree.,”
He did, read his book, he describes even trying to kill himself. He was extremely desperate. However, he also describes positive things. I haven’t gotten quite all the way through the book yet, but it was worth reading to me.
Knock the purple skittles out of him.
Has there ever been a more annoying children’s show?
“Has there ever been a more annoying childrens show?”
I was a Kukla, Fran and Ollie fan
Yes. Pee Wee’s Playhouse.
And we all know how that turned out.
wasn’t the double-leg amputee South African Olympian sprinter surnamed Pistorius [Oscar]?
any relation?
Not his time to die.
Not everyone is ready or composed of the particular personality it takes to successfully raise a severely handicapped child. This can be true even when the parent loves that child. There are times when it’s best for the child and the entire immediate family, to find a suitible and supportive environment such a child can be transfered to. Differing views on how to care for a sick child without totally neglecting your other children who are healthy, is a very common cause for divorce.
NO, he didn't! HE signed into law that it was ok to remove the feeding tubes from vegetative patients! HE caused her death, and probably many more after her.
See my Post #38.
Fraudster.
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