Sad day for the Schiavo family

[Cheeky beaks]

I've been following this too. Both my husband and I would not want to be kept alive, by what we thought was just for incubation. I had no idea that it would also include a feeding tube.
My husband is in Long term care and has been since Jan. of this year. He doesn't need a feeding tube but he can't feed himself. What does this mean for people like my husband? Each mini stroke he has sets him further back, he is now having trouble talking, is unable to walk and spends most of his time in his own little world, coming out briefly to let me know he's still here.
Its time that society realized that people with brain damage are not dispensale and I thank God for each day we have.
I pray for these parents and for all in this position.

[LissaKokoKiwiKaseySam]

As cruel and awful as this may sound..there was no reason that Terri needed to stay in the hospital..her parents could have signed her out AMA and continued feeding her at home. They were so busy fighting the courts to re insert the feeding tube, they probably would have had a better chance at custody, given the 'history' of Michael Schiavo.

[Lisa B]

Originally Posted by LissaKokoKiwiKaseySam

As cruel and awful as this may sound..there was no reason that Terri needed to stay in the hospital..her parents could have signed her out AMA and continued feeding her at home. They were so busy fighting the courts to re insert the feeding tube, they probably would have had a better chance at custody, given the 'history' of Michael Schiavo.

I could be wrong...I;m not sure...but I dont think they had custody of her, the husband was guardian....they were trying to fight it, but it is hard. he would not give guardianship over to the parents.
My sister cant get even get custody of her son tho she is the parent, without a back up guardian, and that being me. My sister's husband was the guardian of kris, and he died in September of 2004. At the time that her husband took guardianship to get him out of the hospital, they did not have to list my sister as back up guardian......My sister is now fighting the Florida courts herself...

My nephew DOES live at home, and not in a long term facility.....My sister is the sole caretaker, 24/7/365

Cheeky beaks...my thoughts and prayers are with you. cherish the moments you have to make memories to sustain you through all times you will face...

[sweetie&meli]

All i can say is im appalled by this as my uncle who is 32 is handicap and in a that same state as terri never would i in my right mind starve some one i love so much ..here somes to say what alot of money can do to a person..to starv your own wife to get the insurence money is just beyond sick ..May terrie rest in peace :(

[Lindy1724]

Originally Posted by ParrotletLover

It breaks my heart [hearing about the Schiavo case]. If she had no hope for survival - if she didn't respond to voices, if she had [in writing] she didn't want to live under those conditions - that would change things.

Unfortunately, that isn't true. You can go to www.TerrisFight.org where they have videos in which she responds and looks up. She obviously wasn't brain dead.

I also think it would be a different story if the husband hadn't cheated on her, if he hadn't REFUSED the parents visitation rights to see her for THREE YEARS, and if he had allowed her family to be with her as she died. But no - she has two children with another woman, although he refuses to divorce Terri because "he loves her and made a promise to God." Having two children with a different woman, while still married to her...? Yeah, thats love.

He also refused her parents visitation rights to see her for three years. He immediately became the bad guy when he did that. Also, he would not allow them to be with her as she died. Nope, HE had to hold her and cry with her as she died. The parents did, however, see her body for a few seconds after she died.

On top of that, the parents wanted to take care of her. He just wouldn't allow it. He is a heartless, cold, evil man and he certainly will get his when the time comes. I can only hope it is 100x worse than everything Terri and her family had to go through.

Her heart stopped briefly due to a chemical imbalance in her brain. That was caused by bulimia which is eating and throwing it up. They starved her to death. Kind of ironic, isn't it?

Blake, I could not agree with you more!

If Michael Schiavo simply wanted to move on with his life and be with his girlfirend and kids then he simply could have given up his guardianship rights to Terri's parents, but the simple fact that he didn't just automatically makes me think that all he wanted was the money! And I cannot say just how horrible that really is. I just hope and pray that Terri is at peace now and that Michael Schiavo will get what he deserves!

[The Outlaw]

Regardless of where you stand on this entire issue, its a wake up call. If you don't take the time NOW while you're healthy to write the orders for a living will, then you are a fool. It isn't difficult. Its too late after the fact once well meaning doctors hook you up. My living will is very clear about life support. I have written that only for 30 days will life support be administered to me. After that, its in God's hands, NOT mans.

THE OUTLAW

[kensbuns]

They starved her to death no matter how you look at it and I hope someone rotts in hell for what they did to that poor woman.

[Doug W]

Such a sad day. All I can say is her parents and siblings should have been present of her passing....that was just plain CRUEL of him!!!!!!! As someone else previously said....God help the person that would keep me from my daughter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mela]

I agree that he is evil. I would have killed him before I let him starve my child. I can only hope that he is in the same shoes Terrie's parents are in someday. You know what they say... what goes around comes around and every dog has his day!! May terri rest in peace. Mela

[Tiki]

Originally Posted by The Outlaw

Regardless of where you stand on this entire issue, its a wake up call. If you don't take the time NOW while you're healthy to write the orders for a living will, then you are a fool. It isn't difficult. Its too late after the fact once well meaning doctors hook you up. My living will is very clear about life support. I have written that only for 30 days will life support be administered to me. After that, its in God's hands, NOT mans.

THE OUTLAW

I agree with Nancy, I used to have a living will somewhere but can't find it. I also would not want extreme measures being taken upon myself if it was unlikely I would recover fully, or even if I would be brain damaged and not "myself". I personally would not want to be in a vegetative state. I wouldn't want the State or others stepping in and making that decision for me. I'll have to redo it.

I don't know much about this case, it hasn't gotten too much press over here, from the convo here it seems unreasonable that the husband wouldn't give up his wife to her parents since they wanted to take care of her and it appears Terri had no living will.