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Life and Death Tug of War

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Cal

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LIFE AND DEATH TUG OF WAR
Attorney: Terri cried at news
Claims brain-injured woman said she wants to live

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Posted: March 18, 2005
7:42 p.m. Eastern

© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com

Terri Schiavo responding to her mother in video clip available on terrisfight.org
An attorney for Terri Schiavo said the severely brain-injured woman cried and yelled out that she wants to live after being told today her life-sustaining feeding tube was about to be removed by court order.

Barbara Weller was in Terri Schiavo's room at the Woodside Hospice in Pinellas Park, Fla., when the encounter took place, according to activist Randall Terry, who spoke with WorldNetDaily from outside the building as demonstrators continued a vigil.

If true, the report apparently refutes the court's finding that Terri Schiavo is in a "persistant vegetative state" and cannot currently express her wishes. Her husband, Michael Schiavo, contends she had indicated she would not want to live in such a condition, but parents Robert and Mary Schindler dispute that and suspect he is responsible for the 1990 incident in which oxygen to her brain was temporarily cut off, causing severe brain damage.


Weller essentially told Terri Schiavo, "You had better say you want to live or they will kill you. Just say you want to live."

Schiavo responded with a drawn out, "IIIIII," then screamed out "waaaaaaaa" so loudly that a police officer stationed outside the room came in.

The officer then ordered Weller removed from the room, according to Terry.

The event was witnessed by Terri Schiavo's sister Suzanne Vitadamo and Suzanne's husband Michael.

"I talked to Suzy and Michael, and they both said it was unbelievable," Terry said. "It was very articulate, for Terri, but they also say this is normal [for her to communicate]."

Terry explained the family says Schiavo often is talkative, though similar to a 10-month-old.

"The words usually are not discernable, but she's responsive to commands, uses slow diction and her voice lilts to show emotion and context," he said.

Weller teared up after hearing Schiavo respond today, Terry said, and indicated Schiavo was crying.

Terry has established a website, helpterri.com with information about how to get involved, including phone numbers of lawmakers and details of a rally and lobby-training sessions to be held next week in the Florida capital, Tallahassee, beginning Monday.

"We need people there Monday night, people who have never lobbied before, to come, and we're going to be begging the [Florida] Senate to get its act together," Terry said.

Doctors removed Terri Schiavo's feeding tube today to carry out her estranged husband's requested court order.

Barring an intervention, she is expected to live another week to 10 days.

The tube removal came after a Florida judge blocked an eleventh-hour end-run waged by members of House and Senate panels, ruling the device can be removed immediately.

Early this morning, the House Government Reform Committee decided to launch an investigation into the case and issued subpoenas that order doctors and the administrator at the hospice facility not to remove her feeding tube and keep her alive until the investigation is complete.

At the same time, the Senate Health Committee also requested Terri and Michael Schiavo appear at an official committee hearing March 28.

As a result, minutes before the 1 p.m. EST deadline for the tube removal passed Pinellas Circuit Court Judge David Demers ordered the feeding tube remain in place while presiding Judge George Greer addresses the matter of the congressional subpoenas in a court hearing.

But an hour later, Greer disregarded the subpoenas and again ordered the feeding tube pulled.
 
THIS is why, at the age of 26, shortly after marrying my jesse, i had a living will drawn up....as a nurse, i have too often seen families torn apart and become bitter enemies when faced with just these kind of decisions. My living will is legal and leaves NO ROOM FOR DOUBT as to my wishes in any number of different scenarios. I can only hope that if there is anything good that comes from this heartbreaking case, it will be to make people more aware of their own mortality and need for a living will and legal power of attorney.....so important :( :(
 
Just last month a local girl that I went all through school with awoke from a 20 year coma. Now Sarah is eating and moving and reading and talking. We're hoping she walks someday, but for now we're happy Sarah can recognize and talk to us. All of us are ashamed to admit we'd long ago given up hope for Sarah. Life is not an earthly issue.
 
Brad S said:
Just last month a local girl that I went all through school with awoke from a 20 year coma. Now Sarah is eating and moving and reading and talking. We're hoping she walks someday, but for now we're happy Sarah can recognize and talk to us. All of us are ashamed to admit we'd long ago given up hope for Sarah. Life is not an earthly issue.

Brad, is that the Sarah Scantlin that was in the news last month?
 
I am not sure as to how I feel about the removal of her feeding tube. I have read the "facts" and am left with several questions,

Why not just abolish your gaurdianship, and divorce her?

In a September 27, 1999 deposition, he told why he refused to turn over guardianship to Ms. Schiavo's parents. He said it was, "because they put me through pretty much hell the last few years [with] the litigations they put me through [and] their attitude towards me because of the litigations. There is no other reason.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terri_Schiavo

What is to gain by the battle to end her life?

Raising the issue of a possible conflict of interest is the fact that Michael Schiavo stands to inherit the remainder of Terri's malpractice settlement upon her death. Michael Schiavo has publicly responded to this charge by claiming that, of the original $1,050,000 awarded in the malpractice suit, less than $50,000 is left, the rest having been spent under a judge's supervision on medical care for Ms. Schiavo and the ongoing legal battle.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terri_Schiavo

It seems to me as the answer is the Micheal's hatred for his in laws and the legal battle has "Taken" all the sane reasons for ending her life. with that in mind the other question that remains is why the court would side with a man who's only intent is to hurt his inlaws by ending thier childs life?

While I would not like to live in her condition, I feel that there is no Gaurdian of Terri, neither with her "former" husband or the court, which leaves the last question where is the ACLU when someone needs to fight for a defenceless person's rights.
 
Cal, yes Sarah Scantlin. It is a big deal arround here, but I didn't know the story was so widely reported as to reach SD. The family has been through so much, I'm glad Sarah woke up when she did. Sarah usually knows her visitors right off if they're from the 70s. WE're guardedly optimistic about further recovery, and each week there is progress.
 

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