Fed. judge refuses to order feeding tube reinsertion

Terri’s polls.

Nearly six in ten Americans (59 percent) say that as Schiavo's guardian they would remove her feeding tube, while 24 percent would keep the tube inserted and 17 percent are uncertain which action they would take. These numbers remain virtually unchanged from a previous FOX poll in which 61 percent of Americans said they would remove the tube and 22 percent said they would not, with 17 percent unsure (October 2003).

www.foxnews.com...

Who should decide Terri Schiavo's fate?
1. Her husband 58%
Her parents 35%
Federal courts 4%
Florida courts 2%
Should Congress have gotten involved?
No 72% Yes 28%

crystal.typepad.com...


www.opinionsite.com...

Should the removal of Terri Schiavo's feeding tube be allowed?
Yes

59% 28701
Votes No

40% 19867 Votes
Total:

home.bellsouth.net...



[edit on 22-3-2005 by marg6043]

Originally posted by Gazrok The judge saw it for the bull it was...

[edit on 22-3-2005 by Gazrok]

the judge has a questionable history....

Originally posted by Gazrok

Already her kidneys are beginning to fail because of the four days of dehydration. This cannot be the best we can do as a society.

I agree, Kriz, euthanasia is a much kinder solution in a case like this.

Agreed.

I'm also glad to see that the federal judge upheld the law, and didn't allow the Congress to circumvent the Judicial process.

The actions taken by the Governor, President, and Congress had the potential to completely undermine the Constitution, putting cracks in the very foundation of our government, and I'm glad to see that at least for now, those cracks haven't been made.

When this is all over, the Supreme Court is likely going to strike down this recent bill. Of course, they (Congress) knew that when they passed it, but they were stalling for time. To me, the fact of Congress passing a bill they know is unconstitutional, just as a stall tactic, is very sickening.

I may be wrong and I don't know much about the bill congress passed or the actions they took,But isn't that one of the checks and balances the founding fathers created in the constitution?

I may be wrong and I don't know much about the bill congress passed or the actions they took,But isn't that one of the checks and balances the founding fathers created in the constitution?

Creating and passing a bill into law overnight, when the Supreme Court has already refused to hear the argument?

No, not part of the checks and balances as I'm aware of it....

C'mon, they tried to order a bed-ridden, persistent vegetative state, severely brain-damaged woman to testify in front of Congress as a stall tactic.... The founding fathers would be outraged at such abuses of power. Of that I have no doubt.

Originally posted by Gazrok
C'mon, they tried to order a bed-ridden, persistent vegetative state, severely brain-damaged woman to testify in front of Congress

Why not? Congress is full of the same.

This is the most SHAMELESS grab for votes that I think I have ever seen in my almost 55 years of life. These people are as bad as the faith healers and those that put you in touch with dead faimly members for a small fee.

I feel dirty even talking about these @$%%$%@%

Woman is arrested for sneaking water for Terri:




A circus.

.

. Mynaeris: I guess by this logic husbands should have the right to beat and maim their partners as its a domestic issue?

How exactly does this pertain to removing a feeding tube? Making a descion for someone who is unable to. Isn't that usually given to the spouse, in this case the man Terri chose to marry?

To me this looks like one of those carney side shows, where they haul out the deformed. Sort of like the Catholic church hauling out holy relics, various body parts of the saints, blood, ears, noses, thighbones. The US religious right wants to show Terri's rictus smile and try to convince us it has much meaning.

It is kind of macabre. The parade of death. In this case a living death.

America is wierd.

I agree that euthanasia in this case with morphine or something might be gentler, but i suspect she is not very aware of much in any event.
.

IMO, Terry's quality of life dissipated over the years, but her spirit remains strong and will until the end. I believe that she will have a home in paradise for her suffering, and that karma will prevail with all that were involved in this most heinous decision. My thought and prayers go out to Terry and her family.

Originally posted by dgtempe
I dont like the pllitical implications of this whole thing, however i still think the husband is a slime ball, imho.

All politics aside, this man all of a sudden remembered after 7 long years what his wife had said (while watching a show)

....She had fractures when she was examined...This whole thing stinks. The fact he did not allow her any sun, any therapy whatsoever is also something to think about. That being said, i do agree that the law of the state of Florida should be upheld.

dg
Apparently the woman was bulimic before she had her misfortune; this can cause osteoporosis which could account for the fractures. I'm not ruling anything out, though.

I heard today on the radio from a nurse who treated Terri. One time, she put a wash cloth into Terri's hand, and the husband yanked it away, saying "That's therapy. No therapy."

All of his actions classify him as a slimeball. He's already fathered children with another woman. But our society puts such little stock into matters like adultery and infidelity. We're like a bunch of alleycats in heats.

When it comes down to it, however, it should be between the man and wife. No politicians. It's almost like the First Amendment: I may dislike and even hate what you say, but I believe in your right to say it. Not you personally, of course... a figurative "you".

.
OMG!

I am in the wrong Universe.

I share a single opinion with jsobecky.
.

Just an FYI, the Atlanta decision came down this morning, the same as the other dozen or so decisions....nope, not putting the tube back in... No surprise there. The law's been crystal clear on this from day 1.

Can't wait to see what laws are going to be circumvented next for this case.....

EDIT: Spoke too soon, here's the latest step...and guess who's involved? Yep, DCF again (which isn't even called DCF anymore by the way...hasn't for months....)

DCF motion heard by Judge Greer

Meanwhile, Pinellas Pasco Circuit Judge George Greer will hear a motion today by the Department of Children and Families.

DCF wants the court to unseal probate records in the case.

It said the records would be relevant to their investigation into claims of abuse that might have been suffered by Schiavo. Earlier in the month, Judge Greer denied the department additional time to look into those claims.

[edit on 23-3-2005 by Gazrok]

Does the "Sanctity of Life" somehow override the "Quality of Life"?

Does the government have any right whatsoever to push their nose into an issue that clearly doesn't concern them, or shouldn't?

If this was YOU, and Terri was in YOUR FAMILY, would you be willing to let politicians determine her fate?

Because when it comes down to it, a politician couldn't give a flying fig about the quality of your life or your death.

They care about VOTES and they care about toeing the party line.


After 15 years in a vegetative state, I would hope that my own family would have the guts to pull my plug.

Why? Because as my family they KNOW ME. They've grown up with me. They know what I want and what I don't want more than some senator.

It's makes me honestly sick.


j

So many threads---where to post comments

I have worked in hospitals my entire adult life. I have seen stuff like this and often wondered; if the tube is taken out in the hospital, why not take the patient home ama? Hospice would come to the house for her, the family would be happy because she is safe, the ex husband can forget about her, and the media can drop the whole thing.

seems like there are many groups interested in her well being. Perhaps they could channel their efforts and help the family. She certainly would be safe from the courts behind the closed doors of her loved ones.

The problem is, the husband holds all the cards. He has been offered money, a divorce, etc., to walk away from this and let the woman's family take care of her. Why he won't do that is only his to know. Too much bad blood between him ad the parents, I think.

Still, the decision is his to make. Not the politicians, not the parents.

To underscore the sickness of this particular issue:

www.counterpunch.org...

While the Schiavo case is getting saturation coverage, very little attention if any is paid to the case of Sun Hudson, a 6-month-old infant with a fatal congenital condition. His mother wanted him kept alive as long as possible, but the hospital didn't want to pay for the continuing care. Just last week, the hospital overruled the penniless mother, removed his feeding tube, and he died. The hospital's action was perfectly legal, under the Texas Futile Care Law, which allows the termination of life if there is no hope of improvement, even if the family objects. The law was signed by George W. Bush when he was governor of Texas. It boosts the profits of the medical-industrial complex, allowing the for-profit health care providers to pull the plug if a biopsy of the patient's wallet proves negative.

Terri Schiavo's healthcare bills have been paid from a million-dollar settlement obtained by her husband after medical malpractice put her in a persistent vegetative state. The million dollars has been nearly exhausted by now on medical costs and legal fees. Now Congress - and the Nevada legislature - has passed "tort reform," making it difficult or impossible for injured patients to collect from doctors, hospitals, or insurance companies.

Congress recently passed a bankruptcy law, which makes it difficult or impossible for people who are swamped with medical bills to get a clean slate by declaring chapter 7 bankruptcy. Medical bills are the number one cause of personal bankruptcy.

As governor of Texas, the allegedly "pro-life" George W. Bush led the nation in executions of prisoners. Because Texas lacks a decent public-defender system, poor defendants often have lawyers who are always overworked, and sometimes incompetent or senile.

The Schiavo case is threat to anybody who wants to die with dignity. I think of a spunky 85-year-old relative of mine who suffered a serious heart attack. The doctors wanted to take all sorts of extraordinary "heroic" measures to keep her alive, but she didn't. She finally prevailed and the doctors finally relented, but only after she called her lawyer and threatened to sue them. I'm going to prepare a living will, so that when my time comes, I can die with dignity instead of surviving as a vegetable or a laboratory collection of cut-up parts.

...

Originally posted by jsobecky
The problem is, the husband holds all the cards. He has been offered money, a divorce, etc., to walk away from this and let the woman's family take care of her. Why he won't do that is only his to know. Too much bad blood between him ad the parents, I think.

I cant speak for him on those reasons but I would have turned them down too.

The reason I wouldnt is because I love my wife and woulkd rather see her in the heaven she so strongly believes in than the half way there state she has been forced to live in for 15 years.

Well it seems that the government has send a "expert" to review her case without fiscally examining her and it has concluded that she is not completely in vegetable state.

So the governor may sign a bill to save her life.

So that will sure make happy all the people that has been fighting for her live, and will overrule the husband's rights.

[edit on 23-3-2005 by marg6043]

Won't be a bill. Might be an executive order though....(quotes are from baynews9.com a local news station)

The family said Bush could possibly sign an executive order ordering Schiavo's tube reinserted.

If this happens, it would be the grossest abuse of power yet in this case. I seriously doubt he'll go that far, as there would simply be no defense against it politically. He would basically be stepping in and saying to hell with an individual's rights, I'm the president damnit...my wishes are more important. Even Terri's parents' supporters should be outraged at such a gross abuse of power if it takes place.

Schiavo's parents are also appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court, asking for a temporary injunction to have her feeding tube reinserted. They're also lobbying for emergency legislation in Tallahassee.

Already been there and done that on both counts. Good luck, not going to happen.

The Department of Children and Families is hoping to win a motion from Judge George Greer. They want access to sealed court records regarding accusations of abuse against Michael Schiavo.

A scary angle, anytime DCF gets involved (Destroying Children and Families). Seeing as how Greer turned the appeal down yesterday, seems unlikely thankfully, both for Terri's sake, and the sake of jurisprudence.