I would assume that all of the information on the Terri Schindler-Schiavo Foundation website has been made available to the courts for use in their determiniations. In the end, as far as the courts are concerned, there is only one issue, and that is whether they should uphold a sound law. The law is that MS, as Terri's legal guardian and next of kin can, based on whatever testimony the courts have viewed, including medical opinions from both sides and the testimony of MS that Terri did not want to be kept alive by artificial means, that it is MS who can make the choice to remove the artificial means.

Personally, though I think perhaps in this particular case those laws are poorly applied, they still MUST apply or be struck down. I rather like those laws myself. My husband SHOULD be allowed to make those choices on my behalf. My husband SHOULD be my legal guardian and next of kin. If I were in that position, it SHOULD be my husband that chose whether to allow me to die or not, since I HAVE expressed my wishes to him. I do not want to see those laws overturned, which is really the only way to disregard them with respect to this case.

It is too bad MS is, in my opinion (perhaps changed somewhat since the beginning of this discussion), a jerk. It is too bad that he sees fit not to take the parents' opinion into consideration. It is too bad that MS was Terri's husband, because it gives him this choice. I believe the evidence presented to the courts should be enough to have him removed as her legal guardian. Under new circumstances, we may be able to see whether she could, in fact, recover somewhat or at all. If she honestly has been completely denied any kind of attempts at rehabilitation, which don't usually fall into the 'artificial means' catagory, then MS should not be responsible for her care.

With regard to marriage, I know people make mistakes. I'm on my second marriage myself, and I'm only 28. Maybe it's easy for me to say that you should not choose a spouse with whom you would not feel comfortable making these decisions on your behalf. Even my mistake of a husband I'd have trusted in this matter. But even though people make mistakes, they marry and give up control to horrible people sometimes, I still do not want to see these euthenasia laws changed. I don't know where the compromise could be made.

I believe that people who do not want to be kept alive artificially should be allowed to die. (If you want to know the truth, I don't think that applies only to PVS and other such examples. But then, I support peoples' rights to check out if life or living is too much for them, even if they don't have some terminal or debilitating affliction. However, in most cases that don't involve PVS or coma, etc., the person can communicate their own wishes, and this point becomes moot.) I believe their next of kin should know how they feel and be able to go through with it. In an ideal world, their next of kin is close enough and understanding enough with their other loved ones that all opinions are weighed. But if not, the next of kin is ultimately responsible. I think that is as it should be.

I don't want Terri Schiavo to die. But I don't want this case to be the one that breaks laws I don't think need fixed. This particular case might be one of a disabled person being abused or misused by their legal guardian. I'm willing to go so far as to say that is the case. But I am interested in protecting the rights of families to let loved ones die without the government stepping in. I'm interested in protecting the rights of a legal guardian to make those choices. Because I want it to be that way for ME. Selfish? Maybe. But I MUST agree with the courts in all cases except dismissing the guardianship suit in 1994.

Giving Terri's parents guardianship is really the appropriate course of action here. I think in that way those laws I mentioned above will be protected and so will Terri. I hope somehow this happens before Terri is lost.

But then, I must wonder again, what if Terri would not want to be kept alive like this? What if it WAS her wish? The brutal truth is that I would not want to be kept alive like that. Even with the possibility of recovery. I've not read anything that suggests Terri could ever come close to a full recovery. Even if I regained an ability to communicate in rudimentary ways, would I want that? Even if I could smile at my husband and beautiful daughter from my bed, understand that they were going out to play, nod at my daughter when she aksed if I liked the picture she drew, would I want that? Maybe I am weak, but I don't know if I could face living like that. Better that I would die, I think. I hope that I never find out for sure. But if Terri Schiavo really did tell her husband that she would not want to live like this, I do not think it is a kindness and a blessing to fight to keep her alive.

And now I must add, this all scares the heck out of me. I've often tried to put myself in the position of someone who's mind is sound but can no longer care for themselves or communicate well. I do this because my Oma has MS. It strikes fear through me. It makes me feel suffocated. It makes me cry. It helps me understand why my Oma says she wishes she would die. And that makes me cry too...

apparently something similar to this happened 6 years ago ,and was called the Finn case

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A58237-2005Mar22.html

Quote:

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a doctor who uses 'unconventional stroke treatment is not within the generally accepted standard of care'

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Wow, that can't be good.

In the 1550's an Italian anatomist said the heart was a pump. He was burned at the stake.

Until 1980 the AMA told physicians that it was unethical to refer a patient to a chiropractor.

About 200 years ago, in response to a severe sore throat, chills, fever, and difficulty breathing, the doctors gave George Washington the best treatment of the day. This included bleeding him (taking about half of his blood). Benjamin Rush, MD (1745-1813), considered the "Father of American Medicine," asserted that physicians who did not bloodlet their patients were quacks. They killed poor George.

In the 1950's, the American Medical Association reported that smoking was not a health problem and could be beneficial.

In 1847 Ignac Semmelweis told physicians to wash their hands before assisting childbirth and change soiled garments to prevent childbed fever, which killed twelve percent of the mothers. For this he was expelled from the both the hospital and the medical society.

In the 1950's, Nathan Pritikin insisted that a low fat diet could reduce heart disease. Cardiologists all over America were unwilling to believe this was true.

Dr. Jonas Salk created a "miracle" — he developed an effective polio vaccine, and within just a few years, polio nearly disappeared. Jonas Salk was shunned, insulted, and treated like an outcast by the medical establishment, both before and after his research breakthrough.

This doctor openly lies on his website by claiming he is a Nobel Prize nominee. He is not. The nomination that was sent in was not acceptable by the Nobel Committee.

He seems to state that he is a Nobel Prize nominee to make his alternative treatments more acceptable.

It seem that some people have considered Dr Hammersfahr's testimont to be more reliable that people like Dr. Ronald Cranford simply because people have impress by Dr Hammersfahr claim that he is a Nobel Prize nominee. This claim has appeared in newspapers, on TV and on the web but it is a complete lie.

In a court of law one should not submit scientific methods that haven't been proven to work just because you think they work. Dr Hammersfahr treatments are unproven. They might be proved to work in the end but until then they should not be used as proof in a court of law.

Some more information of interest from here.

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Four days before joining Florida’s House of Representatives in November, 2004, Everett Rice left the office of Pinellas County Sheriff, a position he had held since 1988 and after 33 years in the sheriff’s department.

But before he left office he hired Michael Schiavo, estranged husband and guardian of Terri Schiavo.

The Empire Journal has learned that days before leaving office as Pinellas County sheriff, Rice hired Schiavo, a registered nurse, to work in the Inmates Medical Care Division of the Pinellas County Jail.

The relationship of Rice and Schiavo raises grave questions of alleged impropriety in the Terri Schiavo case and ongoing allegations of conspiracy, collusion and cover-up which have resulted in calls for Gov. Jeb Bush to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the matter and the impaneling of Grand Jury.

Rice’s hire of Schiavo came at the same time contentious guardianship proceedings were proceeding in the courtroom of his long-time friend, Sixth Circuit Court Judge George W. Greer where Schiavo was seeking to end the life of his wife by court order of Greer.

And after Rice had repeatedly refused to investigate allegations of abuse against Schiavo.

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Quote:

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The Empire Journal has also confirmed that the mother of Jodi Centonze, Schiavo’s live-in girlfriend and fiancé with whom he has two children was employed in the civil division of the sheriff’s department from June 18, 1979 until June 25, 1999, some 11 years while Rice was sheriff and at the same time her son-in-law had petitioned Rice’s good friend Judge Greer to end her daughter-in-law’s life.
Rice’s employment of Michael Schiavo came just weeks after Rice had allegedly unlawfully lent the prestige of his office and the resources of the sheriff’s office in endorsement of the reelection of Greer in a televised political advertisement.

Although prohibited by Florida Statutes, Rice and other Pinellas county public officers including state attorney Bernie McCabe public defender Bob Dillinger, allowed employees of their offices to appear in a campaign commercial for Greer which inferred that Greer was “tough on crime” although Greer is a administrative probate judge. http://www.theempirejournal.com/02230590_schiavo_judge_tv_commer.htm

According to a sheriff’s employee, Sheriff Rice had authorized the use of the county-owned sheriff’s car and the appearance of the uniformed deputy in Greer’s TV commercial. State law prohibits the same.

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What a difficult case to unravel this is. Who to believe?

The doctors that visit for less than an hour and then state she is a vegetable?
The judge that perhaps should have excused himself from presiding over this case?
The lawyer that was involved in the hospice [being investigated for medicare fraud btw] she is in?
The estranged husband that may or may not have discussed with Terri her wish to be terminated?
The estranged husband that many on the web believe may have tried to kill her? Etc etc etc.

The parents that want her to live?

All I can say now is that I hope Terri is once again fed and given water and more effort is placed on rehabilitating her. Perhaps she will reach a level that will give her a better chance of survival.
If she is allowed to die by starvation and dehydration [actually I wish the judge was locked in the room with her watching it happen] I will feel nothing but sorrow for her, and pity for those that let it legally happen.
I can`t post on this topic anymore.

Closing topic as it has again seemed to devolve into attack and counter-attack of the credentials of the doctors.