Bedtime for Democracy

[DadOf5]

Re: Bedtime for Democracy

I've read a lot here today about this case, I've read a lot about how awful a person Michael Shaivo is, how the government should not have stepped in as it did, how its all for money or politics.

What about Terri Shaivo? Lets assume that she's aware and reactive to things around her. Put yourself, if you can, in her place. You're a bright, active, relatively healthy person with many good years ahead of you. Plans for the future, a career to pursue, possibly even looking forward to parenthood sometime.

In an instant it all changes.

You awaken to find your dreams shattered. You are unable to move. You are unable to communicate; to let the people around you know what you think, what you're feeling, whether you're cold, or tired, or hungry. You realize that there will be no career, no children, no walking in the park or on a beach, or anywhere else. You are suddenly a prisoner in your own body. Your entire world now consists of interaction with strangers that feed you through a tube, move your arms and legs for you, bathe you, and change your diaper. You can't tell them that you don't like what's going on or if they're hurting you.

But you have memories, suddenly torturous memories, of being able to walk, talk, run, type at a keyboard, swim in the ocean, drive a car, make new friends and talk over old times with old friends. Your own life has stopped, but everyone else's has gone on. You know that these people taking care of you are going home at night to a life that you used to have, but never will again.

Now, if you've put yourself fully in her place, could you live like this? Would you want anyone to fight to keep you alive this way?

 

[Crosstika]

Re: Bedtime for Democracy

AP: Federal judge refuses to order reinsertion of Terri Schiavo's feeding tube.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/03/22/schiavo/index.html

TAMPA, Florida (CNN) -- A federal judge in Florida has ruled that he will not order a feeding tube reinserted to Terri Schiavo, a brain-damaged woman who is the center of a national legal battle over her life.

The case likely will be appealed to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta, Georgia.
</snip>

 

[sosuemetoo]

Re: Bedtime for Democracy

When I'm wrong, I admit it. I don't know if anyone else was aware of the following but wanted to share it.

The film of Terri that has been running constantly (the one with her following the balloon with her eyes and she's smiling at her father) was taken just a year after her heart attack. I was not aware of this. I thought it was within the past two years. This is what gave me hope.

I still believe that Terri could have been rehabilibated. However her husband denied her everything that would have improved her life. I also wonder if the two previous removals of the feeding tube caused further irrepairable damage. I sincerely hope that after all is said and done, the State of Florida will investigate this husband of hers.

 

[JediStryker]

Re: Bedtime for Democracy

It appears that I allowed myself to be manipulated by the pro-Terri faction. It turns out that a lot of what has been said about Terri reacting and what-not has been exaggerated by her parents and their supporters.

This is a terrible situation, but I have to say that I agree that Congress has overstepped it's bounds. Especially what I've heard today, that this federal judge finding with the previous judgement was violating the 'spirit of the law' that Congress passed. Totally off the mark. The Congress is making a grave error that really shows how our way of government is beginning to unravel. No party is innocent anymore; no one can be turned to.

The lines have been crossed, and at this point I see no valid reason to have done so. Being that I was so dead-set that wrong was being done here I threw my hat initially into the wrong camp. I'm humbly pulling it back and handing it to Crosstika, Paul, and Cary to do with what they will.

On a final note; I will always side with life when there is life to be lived. I firmly believe that G-d has plans for us all. But when someone is being kept alive artificially, that is not life as G-d created. That is us not allowing G-d's plans to be fulfilled.

 

[Zoomerz]

Re: Bedtime for Democracy

JS;

I very much respect your pro-life commitment, and I share it. And I don't believe there should be any camp here, save Terri's. I read the entire decision this morning, and it becomes even more evident to me that America's heartstring's have indeed been pulled. And through all of it, Terri is the one to suffer. Starving to death? We call this "letting nature take it's course". Well, it isn't natural to starve to death. I'm sorry. I wish there was some humane, legal way of ending this and honoring her wishes.

Personally, I plan on following up with my Congressmen, and letting them know my disdain.

Z-

 

[StarLord]

Re: Bedtime for Democracy

I for one am very impressed with the show of empathy and the heartfelt outpouring shown here. Regardless of wether we had all the right information, I am proud to be associated with each and every one of you here.

 

[vinny]

Re: Bedtime for Democracy

I suggest reading some of the postings on the Commons Dreams site. There are 3 different articles posted on this subject today . The one called Jeb Bush's Expert Undercuts DeLay says it best for me. Sorry I don't know how to make a link for you. www.commondreams.org/. A lot of you are under mistaken perceptions on how treatment is withdrawn. It is not done quickly or easily. A video done when this woman was recently afllicted is useless for evaluating her condition at present. The right to die is something you should all be talking to your families about. The present system is not good. Too much control with the families. I think more open and impartial system have to be developed with counterbalancing interests taken into account. Living wills are a good idea even though not all jurisdictions recognize them, at least it takes some guilt off the family. I wish you all could get a look at some of these patients and have to be with them day after day. You might not be so fast to jump all over the motives of the husband. Like I've said before ,your not prolonging a life but a death. Persistant vegitative state is not just someone looking and giving an opinion that they think she isn't responding. EEG and CAt scans are done to determine brain acitity. It does not reverse, they do not wake up. If for some miracle her brain function became normal and she woke up again her muscles are so wasted that she would still never leave the bed again. I've seen this happen in as little as 2 weeks in a well muscled 19 year old headinjury. Sorry I'm rambling but do check out Common Deams

 

[Crosstika]

Re: Bedtime for Democracy

uh oh..W's offering up threats now....What's next?


By Michael Fletcher and Jim VandeHei, Washington Post Staff Writers

ALBUQUERQUE, March 22 -- President Bush (news - web sites) concluded a three-state swing to sell his plan to restructure Social Security (news - web sites), warning Democratic opponents Tuesday that they will suffer political consequences if they continue to oppose his proposal without providing one of their own.

Flanked by Republican Sens. Pete V. Domenici (N.M.) and John McCain (Ariz.), Bush invited Democrats "to come to the table" to help devise a solution to shore up Social Security's finances. "I believe there will be bad political consequences for people who are unwilling to sit down and talk about the issue," he said.

<SNIP>


http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=...d=1803&u=/washp...

 

[Zoomerz]

Re: Bedtime for Democracy

This recent affidavit from one of Terri's former nurses has mysteriously appeared in support of the family's efforts. It supposedly was entered into testimony (and thrown out) in one of the case reviews. If credible, I cannot fathom the outcome we're witnessing, however, I'm suspicious of it's origins and validity. Does anyone have any information on this?

Shocking Affidavit From
Terri's Nurse - READ THIS
3-20-5


AFFIDAVIT
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STATE OF FLORIDA )
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COUNTY OF PINELLAS )
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BEFORE ME the undersigned authority personally appeared CARLA SAUER IYER, R.N., who being first duly sworn, deposes and says:
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1. My name is Carla Sauer Iyer. I am over the age of eighteen and make this statement of my own personal knowledge.
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2. I am a registered nurse in the State of Florida, having been licensed continuously in Florida from 1997 to the present. Prior to that I was a Licensed Practical Nurse for about four years.
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3. I was employed at Palm Garden of Largo Convalescent Center in Largo, Florida from April of 1995 to July 1996, while Terri Schiavo was a patient there.
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4. It was clear to me at Palm Gardens that all decisions regarding Terri Schiavo were made by Michael Schiavo, with no allowance made for any discussion, debate or normal professional judgment. My initial training there consisted solely of the instruction \"Do what Michael Schiavo tells you or you will be terminated.\" This struck me as extremely odd.
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5. I was very disturbed by the decision making protocol, as no allowance whatsoever was made for professional responsibility. The atmosphere throughout the facility was dominated by Mr. Schiavo's intimidation. Everyone there, with the exception of several people who seemed to be close to Michael, was intimidated by him. Michael Schiavo always had an overbearing attitude, yelling numerous times such things as \"This is my order and you're going to follow it.\" He is very large and uses menacing body language, such as standing too close to you, getting right in your face and practically shouting.
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6. To the best of my recollection, rehabilitation had been ordered for Terri, but I never saw any being done or had any reason at all to believe that there was ever any rehab of Terri done at Palm Gardens while I was there. I became concerned because nothing was being done for Terri at all, no antibiotics, no tests, no range of motion therapy, no stimulation, no nothing. Michael said again and again that Terri should NOT get any rehab, that there should be no range of motion whatsoever, or anything else. I and a CNA named Roxy would give Terri range of motion anyway. One time I put a wash cloth in Terri's hand to keep her fingers from curling together, and Michael saw it and made me take it out, saying that was therapy.
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7. Terri's medical condition was systematically distorted and misrepresented. When I worked with her, she was alert and oriented. Terri spoke on a regular basis while in my presence, saying such things as \"mommy,\" and \"help me.\" \"Help me\" was, in fact, one of her most frequent utterances. I heard her say it hundreds of times. Terri would try to say the word \"pain\" when she was in discomfort, but it came out more like \"pay.\" She didn't say the \"n\" sound very well. During her menses she would indicate her discomfort by saying \"pay\" and moving her arms toward her lower abdominal area. Other ways that she would indicate that she was in pain included pursing her lips, grimacing, thrashing in bed, curling her toes or moving her legs around. She would let you know when she had a bowel movement by flipping up the covers and pulling on her diaper.
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8. When I came into her room and said \"Hi, Terri\", she would always recognize my voice and her name, and would turn her head all the way toward me, saying \"Haaaiiiii\" sort of, as she did. I recognized this as a \"hi\", which is very close to what it sounded like, the whole sound being only a second or two long. When I told her humorous stories about my life or something I read in the paper, Terri would chuckle, sometimes more a giggle or laugh. She would move her whole body, upper and lower. Her legs would sometimes be off the bed, and need to be repositioned. I made numerous entries into the nursing notes in her chart, stating verbatim what she said and her various behaviors, but by my next on-duty shift, the notes would be deleted from her chart. Every time I made a positive entry about any responsiveness of Terri's, someone would remove it after my shift ended. Michael always demanded to see her chart as soon as he arrived, and would take it in her room with him. I documented Terri's rehab potential well, writing whole pages about Terri's responsiveness, but they would always be deleted by the next time I saw her chart. The reason I wrote so much was that everybody else seemed to be afraid to make positive entries for fear of their jobs, but I felt very strongly that a nurses job was to accurately record everything we see and hear that bears on a patients condition and their family. I upheld the Nurses Practice Act, and if it cost me my job, I was willing to accept that.
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9. Throughout my time at Palm Gardens, Michael Schiavo was focused on Terri's death. Michael would say \"When is she going to die?,\" \"Has she died yet?\" and \"When is that bitch gonna die?\" These statements were common knowledge at Palm Gardens, as he would make them casually in passing, without regard even for who he was talking to, as long as it was a staff member. Other statements which I recall him making include \"Can't you do anything to accelerate her death - won't she ever die?\" When she wouldn't die, Michael would be furious. Michael was also adamant that the family should not be given information. He made numerous statements such as \"Make sure the parents aren't contacted.\" I recorded Michael's statements word for word in Terri's chart, but these entries were also deleted after the end of my shift. Standing orders were that the family wasn't to be contacted, in fact, there was a large sign in the front of her chart that said under no circumstances was her family to be called, call Michael immediately, but I would call them, anyway, because I thought they should know about their daughter.
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10. Any time Terri would be sick, like with a UTI or fluid buildup in her lungs, colds, pneumonia, Michael would be visibly excited, thrilled even, hoping that she would die. He would call me, as I was the nurse supervisor on the floor, and ask for every little detail about her temperature, blood pressure, etc., and would call back frequently asking if she was dead yet. He would blurt out \"I'm going to be rich!,\" and would talk about all the things he would buy when Terri died, which included a new car, a new boat, and going to Europe, among other things.
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11. When Michael visited Terri, he always came alone and always had the door closed and locked while he was with Terri. He would typically be there about twenty minutes or so. When he left Terri would would be trembling, crying hysterically, and would be very pale and have cold sweats. It looked to me like Terri was having a hypoglycemic reaction, so I'd check her blood
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sugar. The glucometer reading would be so low it was below the range where it would register an actual number reading. I would put dextrose in Terri's mouth to counteract it. This happened about five times on my shift as I recall. Normally Terri's blood sugar levels were very stable due to the uniformity of her diet through tube feeding. It is my belief that Michael injected Terri with Regular insulin, which is very fast acting.
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12. The longer I was employed at Palm Gardens the more concerned I became about patient care, both relating to Terri Schiavo, for the reasons I've said, and other patients, too. There was an LPN named Carolyn Adams, known as \"Andy\" Adams who was a particular concern. An unusual number of patients seemed to die on her shift, but she was completely unconcerned, making statements such as \"They are old - let them die.\" I couldn't believe her attitude or the fact that it didn't seem to attract any attention. She made many comments about Terri being a waste of money, that she should die. She
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said it was costing Michael a lot of money to keep her alive, and that he complained about it constantly (I heard him complain about it all the time, too.) Both Michael and Adams said that she would be worth more to him if she were dead. I ultimately called the police relative to this situation, and was terminated the next day. Other reasons were cited, but I was convinced it was because of my \"rocking the boat.\"
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13. Ms. Adams was one of the people who did not seem to be intimidated by Michael. In fact, they seemed to be very close, and Adams would do whatever Michael told her. Michael sometimes called Adams at night and spoke at length. I was not able to hear the content of these phone calls, but I knew it was him talking to her because she would tell me afterward and relay orders from him.
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14. While at Palm Gardens, I became fearful for my personal safety. This was due to Michael's constant intimidation, including his menacing body language, vocal tone and mannerisms.
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15. I have contacted the Schindler family because I just couldn't stand by and let Terri die without the truth being known.
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FURTHER AFFIANT SAYETH NAUGHT.
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CARLA SAUER IYER, R.N.
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The foregoing instrument was acknowledged before me this _____ day of September, 2003, by CARLA SAUER IYER, R.N., who produced her Florida driver's license as identification, and who did / did not take an oath.

The full affidavit is here:

http://www.rense.com/general63/aff.htm

If true, it would shed a completely different light on this situation. My gut tells me this is propoganda by pro-life factions, but for Terri's sake, it's important to leave no stone unturned....

Z-

 

[Crosstika]

Re: Bedtime for Democracy

Looks like something fox news concocted. I'm no neurologist, but I don't know how Terri could've interacted with the nurse being brain dead.