In case you missed it, some interesting points re: Terri Schiavo
From Mark Noonan’s latest Terri Schiavo post at Blogs For Bush, he said the following about Michael Schiavo’s refusal to release Terri’s medical records in the post, which I think speaks for all of us:
If Mr. (Schiavo) is correct about Terri being brain-dead and a hopeless case, you’d figure that not only would he give Terri’s family the info, but he’d post it on the web as a means of dispelling rumors that he’s doing this for reasons other than concern for Terri’s wishes. It has always been my theory that if you’ve got nothing to hide, then you hide nothing - an obfuscations or omissions are, to my mind, proof that something funny is going on. Heck, even if there is nothing to hide but the truth looks bad, then the course of action is complete silence until it can be demonstrated that you are correct - but Mr. Schiavo hasn’t been silent; he’s been quite insistent that his views are correct. But he doesn’t provide public proof of his position - and since he must be reliant upon expert medical opinion, then the medical records must confirm Mr. Schiavo…but since he’s not releasing them, we must presume they don’t confirm Mr. Schiavo.
Commenter Michael added the following:
(I’m posting this without having yet received permission from the commenter, but if he asks me to remove it, I will do so immediately. I just want to get these thoughts out, because they are quite important.)
- I’ve read so many posts in so many different places regarding this issue and I can’t get over the fact that I think people are debating the wrong issue in all of this. I went to the Terri’s Fight website and looked at the timeline of events. This is what is listed:
Feb 1990 - Terri Collapses in her home.
May 1990 (3 months since collapse) - Terri discharged from Humana Hospital in St. Petersberg, Florida.
Dec 1990 (10) - Terri taken to California for experimental implant.
Jan 1991 (11) - Terri moved to Bradenton Mediplex Rehabilitation Center.
Feb 1991 (12) - Terri moved to home with husband.
Apr 1991 (14) - Terri’s condition is assessed as improving.
Apr 1991 (14) - Terri’s husband advised to move her to Gainesville Rehabilitation Center to receive advanced therapy to continue Terri’s recovery.
Jul 1991 (17) - Terri moved to Sable Palms Nursing Home. [ed. Was she moved first to the recommended Rehabilitation Center for therapy?]
Aug 1992 (30) - Terri awarded $250,000 in malpractice settlement.
Nov 1992 (33) - Terri awarded $1.4 million in malpractice trial.
Nov 1992 (33) - Michael Schiavo awarded $600,000 in malpractice trial.
Feb 1993 (36)- Michael Schiavo denies recommended rehabilitation treatment.
Feb 1993 (36) - Schiavo and Terri’s parents have falling out regarding lack of therapy for Terri.
Feb 1993 (36) - Schiavo withholds medical information from Terri’s parents.
Feb 1993 (36) - Schiavo posts Do not Resuscitate order in Terri’s medical chart.
I keep going back to this point in time in the case. I think this should be the focus. There is really no point in debating what is going on 15 years later. If we do that, we are caught in a trap. According to the site, Michael Schiavo has denied recommended rehabilitation for Terri since 1993. In spite of the lack of medical treatment, Terri has survived another 12 years. I have to wonder how Terri would be doing today had she received recommended rehabilitation for the past 12 years.
Also, the topic of this thread takes note of Michael Schiavo denying Terri’s parents from seeing the Terri’s medical records. This is not something new. If you take note in the timeline, Michael Schiavo denied this information to her parents back in 1993, 3 months after winning the malpractice suits and at the same time that he decided to order a “Do Not Rescusitate” on Terri’s medical chart. Doesn’t this sound strange to anyone else?
I really think the supporters of Terri Schiavo are letting the debate get sidetracked to a place where we cannot win. We need to get the focus back on the time period of 1990-1993. If there is some proof during that time period that Terri Schiavo was beyond saving, then I would take the side of Michael Schiavo. But if there is no evidence of Terri being “brain-dead” in 1993, and only the word of Michael Schiavo that Terri would not want to be kept alive in a comatose state, then Michael Schiavo clearly just wanted to kill Terri.
We need to move the debate of brain-dead or not back to 1993. Because that is when Michael Schiavo first moved to let Terri die. If he moved to have her die without having proof that she was brain dead, then that is proof to me that he just wants her dead.
Posted by: MICHAEL in MI at February 23, 2005 01:02 AM
EXCELLENT points and analysis, Michael! The events on this timeline are important to remember.
I really don’t have anything to add to this, I’m just spreading the word because I couldn’t say it better myself. And yes, Michael in MI is right; his points are some I have neglected to address. I thank you for the nudge.
UPDATE: What would C3PO say?
Myopic Zeal says:
Terri Schiavo’s Stay - Until 5:00 pm today
Here is a link to the court document granting stay on the starvation of Terri until 5:00 pm today (via TerrisFight.org).
I heard on NPR’s Morning Edition today that lawmakers in Florida were considering a bill that would remove guardianship from th…
The Jawa Report says:
C-3PO Comments On Paris Hilton and Other News
If you would like C-3PO to comment on one of your blog posts, just send a trackback or e-mail me. C-3PO comments on images found on Paris Hilton’s hacked Sidekick: “Oh my!” On Jeff Ganon/James Guckert’s plans to sue…
NIF says:
Still down, but not out
Today’s Dose of NIF
Catez says:
Excellent post. Yes, we need to stay on focus.
Drew says:
Follow the money. People do horrible things to get their hands on money they have not earned.
basil's blog says:
Wednesday Lunch Special:
For your mid-day dining pleasure, we offer you to choose from one of these specialties: House Specials BMEWS has a cartoon. Confederate Yankee stays on his congressman. Eyes On The Ball News reports what the Green Party thinks about tourism.
Hanna says:
If you’re interested in some facts, please read the “Guardian’s Dec. 2003 report to Gov. Bush” posted on http://www.OrlandoSentinel.com/schiavo
This is the 38 page report created by Dr. Jay Wolfson who was her guardian as a result of Governor Bush’s Terri’s Law. This report is the one the governor called for. It provides Terri’s entire health history, court testimony and the opinions of the neurologists and neurosurgeons. Terri Schiavo’s cerebral cortex has been replaced by spinal fluid. That alone renders her PVS.
What more proof could Mr. Schiavo provide than that? It wasn’t even his guardian. It wasn’t his doctor. It wasn’t a report he asked for - the governor did. And that’s the result.
Whatever your personal views, it doesn’t change the medical, scientific fact that Terri Schiavo is PVS with no hope of recovery.
Beth says:
Hanna, even if that WERE true, at what point do YOU think we should start offing people because they’re not “all there”?
The FACT IS, she had no living will. The judge decided in favor of DEATH based on he said/she said testimony. That decision was WRONG, in my opinion, particularly considering other circumstances–like the fact that Michael decided she didn’t want to live like she is THREE YEARS after her collapse, and immediately after the malpractice suit was awarded. THINK ABOUT IT.
I am ALL FOR medical scientific facts, far more so than you obviously think I do. If you want more scientific facts, review the studies done recently that show supposedly PVS patients may in fact have far more activity going on in their heads than previously thought. Furthermore, I’m going off the top of my head here and will follow up with a link later, but it has been said that up to 40% of patients deemed “PVS” are misdiagosed. Furthermore, her entire cerebral cortex has not been replaced by CSF; it has been PARTIALLY so. There’s obviously something going on there, if you see the evidence and read the testimony of the nurses who care for her and some the doctors who have evaluated her (I believe there are eight–again, I’m just responding to your comment quickly without having gone back and found the documents yet).
You must understand there ARE two sides of the story. I’ve evaluated both objectively because I once thought she was “hopeless” as well.
elizabeth grandt says:
No one should be deprived of food and water - It is a basic right - all monies should be used for her care and comfort. The damage happened to Terri, no one else should benefit.
Kay says:
I say you go to jail for starving an animal, what makes it right to do it to a human. There are emotions there then there are feelings there. Stop and think about the pain she will go through.
msTChamberlain says:
What did Michael Schiavo do with all the money? he didnt spend it on Terri care or the hospice bill, Medicare paid every thing for Terri care. When you go to a hospice its usually for 30 days or less, you go there to die. Michael and his attorney Felos moved Terri to the hospice where she stayed for “5 years”. attorney Felos was on the board of the hospice. he and Michael defrauded Medicare of hundred of thousands. Michael is in NY right now shopping A BOOK DEAL…
msTChamberlain says:
Since Michael Schiavo and Jodi are not allowing for Terri to have a proper burial plot ,so her family and friends can show their respect
maybe they want all of us to go to there home to drop off our flowers. keep sending those sympathy card and letters. So Terri will know we will never forget her
2807 Marrie Court
Clearwater fl. 33761-3837