Thursday, June 16, 2005
Fallout
The battle over the Teri Schiavo case left me feeling dirty. It was so emotionally charged that everyone felt the need to chime in. God bless them, I guess, this is America and everyone has a right to their opinion. Frankly I was disgusted that both sides of the argument used the tragic case of a woman to promote their own polical agenda. I was digusted when a woman, rushing to the same convalescent hospital where the Schiavo media circus was in full swing was delayed in reaching her dying father. She needed to be searched, you understand, she may have been trying to take Schiavo a glass of water (which she was physically unable to drink - idiots!) or take Schiavo away from the hospital to a "safe" place where her feeding tube could be reconnected. The woman's father died before she could reach him, reactionary idiots causing her to not be withher father at the time of his death. The reactionary idiots got on TV, though, and that's all that seemed to matter to them.
The main point of contention in this case was Michael Schiavo, husband of Teri (yes, I know he was living with another woman and had kids with her - his wife was in a "persistent vegitative state" for 14 years!), who had decided that it was pointless to keep Teri alive. He contended that it was her wish that she not be kept alive in this state, that she had told him so. As her legal guardian, Michael Schiavo asked that she be allowed to die. This was the basis of Judge Greer's decision to allow the removal of the feeding tube.
On the other side of the case was Teri's family. They were fighting for the life of their daughter, and though I disagree with their reasoning and methods, I cannot fault them for wanting to continue the life of their daughter. They offered to take over the care of Teri if Michael Schiavo would not. Remember, Judge Greer had only ordered that the feeding tube could be removed, not, as I've seen it reported, that it must. Teri's family was offering to take on the financial burden of continuing Teri's life. Very noble, and I certainly aplaud them for it.
Michael Schiavo refused. He was the legal guardian and asked that the feeding tube be removed. This always confused me. If Teri's family was willing to take on the financial burden of keeping her alive, why should he care if the feeding tube were removed or not?
During the media circus, stories surfaced that Teri was in her condition because of a beating administered by Michael Schiavo. That he got doctors to diagnose her to be in a condition much worse than she actually was. That he refused to allow her to undergo therapy that would improve her condition. You see, he had nearly killed her, if he allowed her to live at this point she may come out of her obviously mis-diagnosed persistent vegitative state, testify that Michael Schiavo had beaten her into her condition and send Michael to prison for a long time. This is a bad man, after all, he's living out of wedlock with the mother of two of his kids.
If true, could this story have been the reason Michael Schiavo wouldn't allow Teri's family to continue to care for her? Yes. Frankly, the sources of the above stroy were a bit dubious, but if true, Michael could have conceivably wanted Teri dead and actually convinced the courts (knowingly or unknowingly) to help him to that end.
Of course another possibility is that Michael was telling the truth when he said Teri didn't want to be alive like this. Allowing the family to care for her would have been against her wishes. Teri's wishes were all Michael Schiavo had left of her.
Teri Schiavo's autopsy report was released yesterday. It revealed that her state had not been misdiagnosed, that she was most likely blind and incapable of communication. Further, her brain actually sustained damage from lack of use over the past 14 years and was incapable of recovery. This is how Teri Schiavo would be living today if her family had somehow been allowed to take control and reinsert her feeding tube. This is how Teri Schiavo would have been "living" until the day of her inevitable future death, years into the future.
The autopsy also revealed no evidence of trauma. Teri Schiavo had received no beating that put her in her unfortnate condition. Michael Schiavo didn't have to hide from that.
Which leads me to the conclusion that Michael Schiavo's decisions were based on the wishes of his wife.
And we all played political footbal with this woman's condition for weeks. We should all be ashamed.
Meanwhile Judge Greer has been kicked out of his church for ordering the death of Teri Schiavo, and receives death threats daily form people who, I guess respect life so much that they're willing to kill for it.
Closer to home, Douglas Jungemann can no longer attend his church after a Lutheran minister, preaching about the Schiavo case, wished God would strike Judge Greer dead. Nobody else in the congregation seemed to have a problem with that.
BOJ
The main point of contention in this case was Michael Schiavo, husband of Teri (yes, I know he was living with another woman and had kids with her - his wife was in a "persistent vegitative state" for 14 years!), who had decided that it was pointless to keep Teri alive. He contended that it was her wish that she not be kept alive in this state, that she had told him so. As her legal guardian, Michael Schiavo asked that she be allowed to die. This was the basis of Judge Greer's decision to allow the removal of the feeding tube.
On the other side of the case was Teri's family. They were fighting for the life of their daughter, and though I disagree with their reasoning and methods, I cannot fault them for wanting to continue the life of their daughter. They offered to take over the care of Teri if Michael Schiavo would not. Remember, Judge Greer had only ordered that the feeding tube could be removed, not, as I've seen it reported, that it must. Teri's family was offering to take on the financial burden of continuing Teri's life. Very noble, and I certainly aplaud them for it.
Michael Schiavo refused. He was the legal guardian and asked that the feeding tube be removed. This always confused me. If Teri's family was willing to take on the financial burden of keeping her alive, why should he care if the feeding tube were removed or not?
During the media circus, stories surfaced that Teri was in her condition because of a beating administered by Michael Schiavo. That he got doctors to diagnose her to be in a condition much worse than she actually was. That he refused to allow her to undergo therapy that would improve her condition. You see, he had nearly killed her, if he allowed her to live at this point she may come out of her obviously mis-diagnosed persistent vegitative state, testify that Michael Schiavo had beaten her into her condition and send Michael to prison for a long time. This is a bad man, after all, he's living out of wedlock with the mother of two of his kids.
If true, could this story have been the reason Michael Schiavo wouldn't allow Teri's family to continue to care for her? Yes. Frankly, the sources of the above stroy were a bit dubious, but if true, Michael could have conceivably wanted Teri dead and actually convinced the courts (knowingly or unknowingly) to help him to that end.
Of course another possibility is that Michael was telling the truth when he said Teri didn't want to be alive like this. Allowing the family to care for her would have been against her wishes. Teri's wishes were all Michael Schiavo had left of her.
Teri Schiavo's autopsy report was released yesterday. It revealed that her state had not been misdiagnosed, that she was most likely blind and incapable of communication. Further, her brain actually sustained damage from lack of use over the past 14 years and was incapable of recovery. This is how Teri Schiavo would be living today if her family had somehow been allowed to take control and reinsert her feeding tube. This is how Teri Schiavo would have been "living" until the day of her inevitable future death, years into the future.
The autopsy also revealed no evidence of trauma. Teri Schiavo had received no beating that put her in her unfortnate condition. Michael Schiavo didn't have to hide from that.
Which leads me to the conclusion that Michael Schiavo's decisions were based on the wishes of his wife.
And we all played political footbal with this woman's condition for weeks. We should all be ashamed.
Meanwhile Judge Greer has been kicked out of his church for ordering the death of Teri Schiavo, and receives death threats daily form people who, I guess respect life so much that they're willing to kill for it.
Closer to home, Douglas Jungemann can no longer attend his church after a Lutheran minister, preaching about the Schiavo case, wished God would strike Judge Greer dead. Nobody else in the congregation seemed to have a problem with that.
BOJ
# posted by Blind Orange Julius @ 10:08 AM 
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It's not over yet! Jeb Bush has called for an investigation on why Michael took so long to call 911!
Jebby contests that Michael waited up to 70 minutes before calling 911 when he found Terri collapsed!
See, Terri wasn't breathing, so I can see why Michael would wait. I also accept that someone who hasn't been breathing for over an hour can be revived at all.
((Rolls eyes to make sure everyone gets the sarcasm...))
Jebby contests that Michael waited up to 70 minutes before calling 911 when he found Terri collapsed!
See, Terri wasn't breathing, so I can see why Michael would wait. I also accept that someone who hasn't been breathing for over an hour can be revived at all.
((Rolls eyes to make sure everyone gets the sarcasm...))
# posted by 
: 8:59 AM
: 8:59 AM
From what I've read, the 70 minutes figure was a typo on the report. I'll need to check into that.
When the family used every possible tact to keep the feeding tube in Teri, it was to be admired. I was on the other side of the issue, but I could admire their tenacity.
She's gone now. Ruining a man's life isn't going to bring Teri back. He's guilty of nothing, leave him alone.
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When the family used every possible tact to keep the feeding tube in Teri, it was to be admired. I was on the other side of the issue, but I could admire their tenacity.
She's gone now. Ruining a man's life isn't going to bring Teri back. He's guilty of nothing, leave him alone.
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