I hope to not upset anyone by posting this. But, this is my sister-in-law's letter to myself and my wife. I just opened this letter this morning. I wanted to pass this on to this group hoping to inform. I in no way want to upset anyone nor do I want to get flamed. If a moderator feels like deleting the thread, or have me delete it, someone needs to tell me to do so. Here is the letter.... "Hello, I have just returned from Talahasee, Florida, where I went with a group of nine people. There we witnessed the saddest injustice this country has ever seen. The news media and our judicial system has lied and concealed the information from the American people. I refer to the case of Terri Schiavo. Let me give you the information we found as we joined a handful of others as we entered the halls of injustice. We congregated at the Capitol to bring attention to Terri's plight. There were two ladies there who were trying their best to get someone to listen, but I don't know if they did. One was a retired registered nurse who was born and raised in Talahassee and received her education in Florida. Mary LaFrance told us the story the press has left untold. Carl III taped her and this will be aired on Dr. Frank Simons show sometime in the future. Terri Schiavo was overweight all her life, and shy. In her senior year she lost weight and became a pretty girl who caught the eye of Mike Schiavo. After a whirlwind courtship of less than a year, they married. Soon the parents noticed Terri coming for visits with bruises, but there was always a simple reason given for them. Then the parents started catching Mike reaching out and getting Terri's skin between his fingers and twisting it. They also learned he was bipolar. He was very moody and would flair up at the least provocation. It was five years before Terri mentioned what was going on to her brother, Bob. He lived in the same apartment complex. A friend where Terri worked was also having marrital problems. She and Terri had decided they would get an apartment together, as they could not afford one on their own, and leave their husbands to escape the torture they were receiving. Terri and her friend went shopping. That night this friend begged Terri not to go home because Terri had told her things were worse, and any time she came home late he would beat her. Terri was late that night. That night about 10 p.m., Mike came to Bob's door and told him he had just come home and Terri was on the floor, to come help. Bob found his sister, on the floor face down with her fist pressed against her neck. She was gasping for breath and there was a girgling sound coming from her throat. Bob called 911. There were also bruises and abrasions on her body. One of the peramedics said it looked as if she had been beaten. At the hospital the nurse said the twisted, ridgedness of her neck was the way most people look when having been strangled. She was admitted and after some time moved to a nursing home. She seemed to be in pain. Those people sent her to have a scan and it showed a fracture to her femure, several cracked ribs, and a fractured arm, all in the process of healing. For some reason this was hushed up for the most part. At some point durring the most stressed out moments, Mike brought a form to the parents to sign and told them this was only to give him permission to answer the phone for them so they could spend more time with Terri and not have to be bothered. A form the facilites required to allow him to answer the phone for them. This form was actually giving him the sole guardian ship of Terri, and the parents unknowingly relinquished their rights to her. Durring our stay, we constantly heard the news saying Terri's disorder occurred due to a chemical imbalance, or another reason, was due to a medical problem because of being allergic to something she ate. I have never heard any other version of this, except on the Christian programs, like Pat Robertson, only they gave a simular version to what these two women were trying to tell the Senators and press that was there, to whom ever would listen. Mike received 1 million dollars from the government and it was put in a trust fund for the sole purpose of rehabilitating Terri, but instead he hired a lawyer to give him the right to have her life support romoved. As we know, Terri did not die. Now Mike has had the feeding tubes removed. The Judge said no liquids were to be given by mouth. Two police officers are at Terri's bedside, and two are posted outside her doors to make sure this is carried out. We heard 4 people had been arrested trying to get water to Terri. People would be screaming if an animal in a cage was not being given anything to drink!!! There was a woman at the Senat building who was there to let them see where Terri could be today had the money been used to rehabilitate Terri. This woman had been in an accident and said she was in the same condition as Terri, but her husband had chosen to have her rehabillitated and after months of work, she could talk and walk. Terri was denied this. Mike was not the dovoted husband at Terri's side. He dated several of her nurses, one stating at trial, he was very controlling and when she broke it off, sent her flowers at work and began stalking her. MIke has lived the past several years with another woman, and has two children by her. He has a large insurance claim on Terri. We also learned that Judge, James Whittemore, is very good friends with Mikes' Lawyer. Their children attend school together and their families are often together for fun times at one anothers homes. The Judge's wife is the administrator of the facilites where Terri is being kept. When Terri arrived there, the nurses were told to forget the lessons they had learned in nursing school to treat patients like Terri, they were to do whatever the husband told them. In 15 years Terri has never received an MRI or Pet scan, no full neurological examination. She has been confined to this hospice for the last five years, by definition, a facility where people go to die in six months or less. The last three years she has not been allowed out side. In her tiny room her bed faces away from the windows No pictures or any decoration has been allowed in her room. Mary said this was the last thing you wanted to do to a person with brain damage. She needed to be near the nurses station and the door left open at all times to stimulate her brain. For three years no one has been allowed to comb her hair, or brush her teeth. Five teeth have been removed. Our laws, and Judge James Whittemore and his wife, have allowed Mike Schiavo to continue to torture this woman for all these years. Not only her, but her family. Terri's Parents Lawyer informed Terri of what was to happen and tears flowed from Terri's eyes. The lawyer said "Terri, if you could just speak, if you could just tell them you want to live". Terri gasped "I wan, I wan." Please go to www.terrisfight.org and you can find more of this information for yourself. I could only pray for her, and hold protest signs. I felt so helpless. Last night on the way home I called my husband,C..., and he said he had listened to the Shaun Hanady show on his way home from work. A nurse that had worked at this facility for over 30 years, and had worked with Terri, was told that if she went on this show, she would be fired, but she said she could no longer stand by. There was also a guest speaker from the Euthinasia Society. They are working on laws and call it utalitirianism (watch for more of this word in the future) and they want to make it possible that anyone who is like Terri, or old (as in a nursing home) be termed no longer useful to society, be given the right to do as Mike has done to Terri, allow them to die (murder in my book). No chance for rehabilitaion. The scarry part is, our laws and Judges are already allowing this. This is how Hitler destroyed millions of Jews and non-Jews. Now America is on this road. Mary said a man from Holland was outside the hospice when she was there days ago with some protestors (she lives in Pen. and has been in Flor. for 4 weeks trying to save Terri). He said in Holland a child as young as 12 years old can legaly have their parents life support taken off, but first they have to have documentation by several doctors that the parent can not live with out life support and is brain dead (not brain damaged as Terri is). He turned and pointed to the building and said "What is being allowed to happen here to this woman, is inhumane in my country". This morning on the news a pannel of 3 Judges voted 2-1 to not reinsert Terri's tubes. Why was there never a criminal investigation against Mike Schiavo? Why was nothing done about his conviscating the money the government had given him for her rehabilitation, but used for lawyers? Why was the Judge who was friends with Mike's lawyer, and who's wife was administrator of the very place Terri was being held, being allowed to hear this case? Why was Mike able to continue to be Terri's guardian when he had tricked Terri's parents into signing the papers in a time they were very stressed and not at themselves? Something is very wrong here. People had better use this as a wakeup call and we had better start shouting to the housetops, or this very thing may be allowed to happen to us. Getting the truth out is the only way I can help Terri now. God bless!"
Erik (with a K) I would still assume o No: it is the Netherlands. I just quoted the letter, sorry about her limited knowledge of geography. :TU: Troy
That's what I've been trying to say all along........her husband belongs in prison and is trying to get away with legal murder. We have reached a new low in this country........dogs get a better chance than Terri has, AT LEAST THEY CAN GET PUT TO SLEEP AND DIE WITH SOME DIGNITY! I swear if I see her husband's lawyer on TV once more spreading his lies I think I'll fly down to Florida and punch his face! :af: His tale about her wish to rather die than suffer is heresay that came out 7 years after she became disabled........I'd like to see ANYBODY ELSE walk into ANY court and have heresay taken as fact........7 YEARS TOO LATE!! ou: I can't believe this is happening in the US of A, the land where civil liberties are supposed to be had by all.......it's a shame Terri isn't an illegal alien.......this would never have happened. May God bless Terri Schiavo. :bglasses:
Hi Guys, You know there used to be a time when it was a valued privilege to call yourself and to be called an American....I feel that time is gaining momentium in being just another faded memory in our past. How far would this have been allowed to go if it were an animal, any animal, and PETA was alterted and became involved?? :af:
ITS TIME TO VOTE!!!!!!!!!!! Rememebr this stuff when you VOTE!! If you dont VOTE your voice is unheard!!!
Where is the Justice???? Was Korvorkian wrong???? Mike Schiavo should be in jail. He is hoping she dies before the truth gets out. He hasn't been at her side until the media reported it. Then the freak came running. He is nothing but a two bit criminal. At least Dr. Korvakian was killing people that really wanted to die. Terri's blood will be on the hands of several judges who ruled against her. Hell will be hot for these people.
At the risk of some serious flames coming my way, here I go again. I believe everyones is entitled to an opinion, based on facts. Nothing personal guys, but you have been SPUN! Why is removing the feeding tube from Terri murder, but when it happens 100's of other times a day all over the country we never hear about it? If you truely believe that her parents should be the one making the decisions about her care, then you can tell me here, that you have made your parents, over your spouse, your proxy in your health care directive. I would also understand that you have discussed all this and many other intimate aspects of your marriage with your parents and have decided that they know best what is right for you. I'm glad that you and your parents agree on all of these things and that your parents know about all of your business. I hope you will go after all of the other citizens of this country who have to make this very same decision and chose do discontinue medical treatment when they decide that further treatment will not bring about any change. If her husband should be in jail so should all the others, right? Also, go after the hospitals in Texas that remove life support for patients in similiar condition over family objections because they can no longer pay for the care. Oh, that's right you can't because it is the law that then Gov Bush signed. So much for erring on the side of life. Am I also to understand that there is nothing that you and your spouse discuss that then doesn't instantly get communicated to your parents? I take it that everything you do has your parents complete approval and you would never hold an opinion different than theirs because if you did then you might have to agree that she and her husband discussed this and Terri didn't want to live this way. Remember 15 years ago a medical directive was rare, a 20 something having one even rarer. Did you know if Florida that her parents have no standing in this case. In earlier court testimony they have said that they would amputate her arms and legs to keep here alive. They would also allow open heart surgery. Do you know that Terri would want that done to keep her alive? How many INDEPENDENT experts does it take, all saying the same thing, before a court can make decision. Terri has had several Guardian's at Law during these court proceedings and all have come to the same conclusion, the clear and convincing evidence is that she would not want to live in this condition. There is no credible evidence of any improper actions by the husband. Why do you know better than all the experts? Please state your credentials, and what evidence you used to come to your expert conclusion. Kerry S is correct that we allow our pets a more dignified death in similiar instances. If your pet was in the same condition and the vet said there is nothing we can do, how many of you would have it put to sleep? Or would you maintain it until another cause of death took it? Is it "Right" that we can show more compassion to a pet passing than that of our human family? Euthanesia is not an option in the US. There is an Oregon law that is being challanged by the Federal Gov't but even if Florida had that law it would not apply to Terri's case. Joe, are you saying she should be euthanized instead of starving to death? Why is there blood on the hands of Judges who have followed the law? Would there also be blood on the hands of anyone that had a prisoner executed? The only good that has come out of this whole sad situation is people are discussing what they want for their own end of life care. Coming to grips with your own mortality can be a very difficult thing. Bring the flames but back them up with facts. Larry
Yes. If they can't err on the side of life, then for God's sake just let her die with some dignity. What they are doing is the most un-dignified way of dying I can think of! Many people don't know this, but they were only married for 5 years before this happened......and even after overwhelming evidence of this guy's neglect the court so far seems to have ignored it. If it's true that he said to the nurses "when is this *itch gonna die"........than this is truly the saddest miscarriage of justice I have ever witnessed. :af:
Just living is not enough... One must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower. Hans Christian Anderson D.
Joe, I absolutely agree with you that the way things are on the outside is about the most undignified way to go. I believe that inside the hospice she is being afforded all the comfort that is possible under the circumstances. I wonder if a National debate on these end of life issues may follow. For those of you that so ardently support the parents and think that they are only interested in what is best please read the report by Jay Wolfson. He was appointed by Gov Jeb Bush to be Terri's Guardian at Law and provide an independant review of all of the medical and legal aspects of the case. Here is the link to the report. http://news.findlaw.com/hdocs/docs/schiavo/1203galrpt.pdf Larry
Shaivo The bottom line here though is "He said she wants to die rather than be on life support". Hear say evidence in any court of law. He is the gaurdian and I'm no lawyer so does he have the right to end her life? SHE IS NOT ON LIFE SUPPORT just being fed by someone as are hundreds of thousands of INFANTS and ELDERLY every day. The money was there to take care of her so it would not have been a burden on this country. If he has the right to end her life by starvation than so does everyone else who feels burdened by a life they are gaurdian over. This could be a precedent, scary thought to say the least. Michael
I think to many of you beleive to much of what the media reports. They report what sells and there doing a good job of it. And for the million dollars mike got how long do you think that would last on medical bills? I dont think as long as you think.
And for the million dollars mike got how long do you think that would last on medical bills? I dont think as long as you think. think about what you're saying. reflect on it very seriously. you're saying that because terry might someday cost him money he should kill her? and that point is actually irrelevant. terry's parents have not only asked him that he relinquish his guardianship (and thereby any financial responsibility he would have for her) they have sued for it. and simply given the blatant lies that i've see michael and his lawyer spouting in the last two weeks (irrespective of whatever else might have happened in this case or what misrepresentations the schindlers might be making) i don't see how stripping him of his guardianship is NOT a slam dunk. starvation/dehydration isn't painful? yeah, whatever, that's why people have so much trouble losing weight, because it's so easy. :error: end stage starvation cases may not be in much discomfort but it's no fun getting there. and under any other circumstance, starvation would be considered 'cruel and unusual' punishment. for the purposes of argument let's say that there is no soul, that humans are nothing more than advanced animals ... you're saying that terry is less than a dog. is this really the position you want to take?
Yup. The town I work in has a home for mentally retarded children. I'd say half of them can't feed themselves. Shall we kill them now?
I wish all the people who keep saying that a homeless dog is treated better would try to find a better analogy. A homeless dog in a shelter just gets killed even when he's healthy.
BUt at least the homeless dog gets a shot to die immediatly not let to starve to death..................................................
