Terri Schiavo spinoff

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Posted by RedHead

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Posted by cluelessbride


devoted then 'cheating' husband

$$$

The media love these dramatic elements.

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devoted cheating husband...that is speculation

and i think that it is sad
but that is off the topic here

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I don't consider what he did cheating. But I think a lot of people do, and that's part of what gets them all riled up. If she wasn't married and he wasn't labeled (by some people) to be a bad guy, there wouldn't be so much attention.

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Posted by RedHead

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Posted by brooklynbridezilla

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Posted by Xelindrya

There is apparently a law in Texas (yeah, my home state) that allows a hospital to pull the plug OVER the families wishes.

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NO WAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In what instances does that happen? What if it is against the patient's wishes?

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ALSO..the requirements for even being called a vegetable and brain dead are differnt in different states!!!

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Oh crap. I see I have some homework to do. Learning about this has definitely made the Health Care Proxy/Agent and DNR a priority. FH and I are going to see a lawyer about all this during summer break.

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Posted by RedHead


her condition was factual
her status and it changing was factual
the realness of her movements and reactions..still factual, even though portrayed as subjective (imo media hyped and parents desperation)

WHAT was subjective was her wishes! the only true debateable topic imo!

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But see Jen that's your opinion ... plenty of people (doctors included) are still debating her state and her level of 'aliveness' (not a word I know).
I'm not disagreeing with you but you can't expect everyone to see it as *fact* when a lot of people still believe she was very much alive.

I just want to add that when my grandmother was dying one person in my famly was like 'Look, she wants to talk to us!' if my grandma did so much as flutter an eyelash. It was so self-serving. Why couldn't my grandma just be fluttering an eyelash - why did it always have to be some MESSAGE.

So I think that people will interpret things with bias.

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Posted by Jan05Bride

But see Jen that's your opinion ... plenty of people (doctors included) are still debating her state and her level of 'aliveness' (not a word I know).
I'm not disagreeing with you but you can't expect everyone to see it as *fact* when a lot of people still believe she was very much alive.

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i see yoru point.

and i see how my opinion gets in the way..

i guess i believe that because 25 judges have pretty much agreed with the decision to remove the tube. it is in agreement that her responses are reflexes and her condition is not changing

ETA. and i think that this part was a big reason why all judgements have went Michael Schiavos way..not just that his brother may have heard Terri say she would never want to be kept alive that way

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Posted by cluelessbride

I just want to add that when my grandmother was dying one person in my famly was like 'Look, she wants to talk to us!' if my grandma did so much as flutter an eyelash. It was so self-serving. Why couldn't my grandma just be fluttering an eyelash - why did it always have to be some MESSAGE.

So I think that people will interpret things with bias.

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true

I agree with you but if someone believes in their heart of hearts that she is alive and is responsive (As another poster said an example, eye fluttering and all) it's going to be very much near impossible to convince them otherwise.

That's why this is such a big case IMO.

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Posted by Jan05Bride

I agree with you but if someone believes in their heart of hearts that she is alive and is responsive (As another poster said an example, eye fluttering and all) it's going to be very much near impossible to convince them otherwise.

That's why this is such a big case IMO.

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i agree..

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Posted by RedHead

What i find interesting is that...and what others might not realize is that...other people have had their feeding tube taken out who were not as bad (the damage to her brain that is) as Terri

Yet everyone is making such a big deal that it was done in this case

WHY is it that the others aren't debated, why is president bush not involed in that???

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I think it really comes down to what Terri's wishes were - and because there were two different views - her parents saying she would want to live and her husband saying she would not - and friends and other on both sides - it was difficult understand - so I guess it is a big deal when we as onlookers can't figure out what her wishes were.

I remember in my college Biomedical Ethics class learning about Nancy Cruzan who was also on a feeding tube and Karen Quinlan but in those cases there weren't other family members arguing . To me I think the thing that I kept looking at with Terri was that her mother was saying this was what she wanted - and I guess I can't see a mother trying to go against her child's wishes when she is in that state. But then maybe her mother just didn't want to let go, I just don't know. Anyway I feel terrible for all involved. 15 years of heartbreak. I'm sure Terri would have wanted them to move on and I hope they eventually go on and honor her memory - I hope the hate doesn't continue.

actually the schindlers said they didn't know what her wishes were...as per Terri saying it herself to them...they just 'thought' she wouldn't want the tube to be removed

unlike the BIL who said that when she saw a relative attached to life supprt she SAID that she would never want that for herself!

I don't know if Michael Schiavo knew either. He said on Larry King he didn't know...
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KING: Have you had any contact with the family today? This is a sad day all the way around, Michael. We know of your dispute.

M. SCHIAVO: I've had no contact with them.

KING: No contact at all?

M. SCHIAVO: No.

KING: Do you understand how they feel?

M. SCHIAVO: Yes, I do. But this is not about them, it's about Terri. And I've also said that in court. We didn't know what Terri wanted, but this is what we want...
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Either way we'll never know. The only person that knew for sure was Terri, and she was unable to act on her own behalf. I'd like to think Michael was carrying otu her wishes. Unfortuntely this whole thing had so much debate with so many people close to her, I don't think I'll feel the right thing was done. And if her tube was reinserted I don't know if I would feel that was the best thing either - because it is just not known what she would have wanter.

Rest In Peace Terri

Wow...interesting but i heard the BIL say it on tv that he heard her say it...not specifically about a feeding tube but a general statement

either way i agree..i hope she is in peace now