# Terri Schiavo has passed away



## triste (Aug 30, 2004)

God bless all who loved her.


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## pico's parent (Apr 5, 2004)

May she rest in peace for eternity in God's heavenly abode.


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## Sisses Momma (Dec 29, 2004)

I pray her family can find peace now that Terri has passed. I pray they can somehow all come together


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## sheila2182 (Nov 28, 2004)

May all who loved her find peace that she is now in a FAR Better Place.


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## msmagnolia (Sep 8, 2004)

I doubt they'll be able to come together, but I sincerely hope that the autopsy lays to rest the questions. At this point I hope that the report is that she was severely brain damaged, as her husband believes. Maybe then her parents will be more accepting of the outcome and all parties can get some peace.


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## a2z (Aug 23, 2004)

Her mother need grief counseling to help her let go.


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## Brinkley & Neyland's Mom (Jun 14, 2004)

> _Originally posted by msmagnolia_@Mar 31 2005, 11:36 AM
> *I doubt they'll be able to come together, but I sincerely hope that the autopsy lays to rest the questions.  At this point I hope that the report is that she was severely brain damaged, as her husband believes.  Maybe then her parents will be more accepting of the outcome and all parties can get some peace.
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I agree wholeheartedly. My prayers are with the entire family as well as the doctors and lawyers that were involved.


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## k/c mom (Oct 9, 2004)

This makes me very sad. I think I was one of the few people who did not want her to be denied nourishment and water. I wanted her parents to take charge of her care and her future. 

This whole story is just so very heart wrenching......


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## Holliberry (Feb 5, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Kallie/Catcher's Mom_@Mar 31 2005, 01:42 PM
> *This makes me very sad. I think I was one of the few people who did not want her to be denied nourishment and water. I wanted her parents to take charge of her care and her future.
> 
> This whole story is just so very heart wrenching......
> <div align="right">index.php?act=findpost&pid=47847*


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I'm with you. I dont think its just a few of us.

My thoughts and prayers are with her parents today.


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## msmagnolia (Sep 8, 2004)

I have very mixed feelings on this subject, as well. I don't understand why Dr. Kervorkian went to jail for helping people plan their own suicides; yet they would literally cause Terry Shiavo's death by denying her food and water. I think that this is a big example of how our government sends mixed messages to people. I agree that she wasn't going to get better, but I really felt for her parents and could see giving care over to them. I sadly suspect that money was a lot more the issue than either side wanted to let on. Now that it is over with, though, I hope that they don't find something in the autopsy which would make everyone feel even worse.


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## saltymalty (Sep 14, 2004)

This was a no win situation. I don't think the family will ever be able to resolve what has happened to their child. I hope that everyone can move on. 

For me, I have three children and I have to think of them first. If I am deemed brain dead, pull the plug and the life support. I would only be an emotional drain and financial burden to them. I would much prefer that they remember me as healthy and that I leave behind some means to take care of them. My husband feels the same way. His statement was "life insurance doesn't get paid unless a death certificate is issued." We might both think differently if we weren't parents, but we both feel it's necessary to put our children's needs before our own in this case. 

I don't know what I would do if this happened to one of my children. Hopefully, that is a decision that we will never have to make.


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## k/c mom (Oct 9, 2004)

> _Originally posted by msmagnolia_@Mar 31 2005, 02:35 PM
> *I don't understand why Dr. Kervorkian went to jail for helping people plan their own suicides; yet they would literally cause Terry Shiavo's death by denying her food and water.  I think that this is a big example of how our government sends mixed messages to people.
> <div align="right">index.php?act=findpost&pid=47870*


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What a great point..... !


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## Harleysmom (Jan 26, 2005)

I just hope that the 2 families came come to agreement about her funeral plans.......enough of this torment!


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## triste (Aug 30, 2004)

> _Originally posted by Kallie/Catcher's Mom+Mar 31 2005, 01:50 PM-->
> 
> 
> 
> ...


What a great point..... !
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ok something I also agree on(the Kevorkian thing). I don't want to be attached to artificial life support either but I find it hard to say that food and water is life support. Is food a medical treatment? I'm not trying to start a debate, just thinking out loud.


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

ok something I also agree on(the Kevorkian thing). I don't want to be attached to artificial life support either but I find it hard to say that food and water is life support. Is food a medical treatment? I'm not trying to start a debate, just thinking out loud.







<div align="right">index.php?act=findpost&pid=47883

There was a similar case in Missouri back in the late '80's involving a young woman who was involved in a car accident that left her in a permanent vegetative state. (Cruzan v. Director, Missouri Dep't of Health) Like Terri, her only life support was a feeding tube. In this case it was her parents who fought to have her tube removed. She also didn't have a living will, but had told several people that she would never want to live in a half-human state. It went all the way to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court decided that a feeding tube was artificial life support and the parents were allowed to have the feeding tube removed and let her die.

Some of our law is written, some is decided when courts hear and decide cases. So this decision became the rule on feeding tubes being regarded as artificial life support and courts are obligated to follow it in situations where it is clear that a person would not want to be kept alive by artificial means. All the courts found that those were Terri's wishes. 

It is so sad that this became a battle between her husband and parents when it was really all about Terri - her medical condition and what she would have wanted. It wasn't the parents or the husband's decision to decide to pull the tube or not - it was up to the courts. It didn't matter if the husband had "moved on" or the parents were willing to care for Terri. All the courts repeatedly found that she was brain dead with no hope of recovery and that she would not have wanted to live that way.


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## Sunshine (Aug 20, 2004)

I haven't really heard the whole story, and I am mixed about how I feel about what I know...

I don't think cutting out food and water was the right way - although, I do understand that she had no feelings - she couldn't tell that she was hungry or thirsty, she didn't know... but letting someone literally "waste away" I think is a bit cruel. I'm sure there were other ways to approach it.

I also read that the family was very angry at the husband. First up, I can see why because they are her family - nobody wants to see this happen to their child... but in his defence... he sat beside her every day for 6 years. SIX YEARS. By then he knew that he would never have his wife back. It's only natural that he move on eventually - and I think that 6 years of "nothing" warrants great respect - not "she's your wife and you should be there with her, not off with another woman". Would she have wanted him to spend his life just sitting there? I don't think she would. I don't think anyone would expect that from their loved one. He's not a bad person for moving on. We all do after tragedies - it's the only way. He spent six years just waiting for her. How much more of his life did they expect him to continue doing this? Your partner's ending does not mean yours, and I would never expect it to be for my husband... 







I think maybe in these sorts of circumstances, the family wants so badly for one thing, that they start to see other things differently - they start to grasp.... maybe this is one of those times?

But as I said, I don't know the whole story. Not trying to tread on toes, would just like to know if anyone else has similar thoughts or has heard the same things I have.....







Sometimes we get warped media! LOL


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## Brinkley & Neyland's Mom (Jun 14, 2004)

> _Originally posted by msmagnolia_@Mar 31 2005, 02:35 PM
> *I have very mixed feelings on this subject, as well.  I don't understand why Dr. Kervorkian went to jail for helping people plan their own suicides; yet they would literally cause Terry Shiavo's death by denying her food and water.  I think that this is a big example of how our government sends mixed messages to people.  <div align="right">index.php?act=findpost&pid=47870*


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This is a good point...still contemplating if it really parallels with Kevorkian...my wheels are turning...







It seems the same-yet different to me, and I am trying to work it out in my wee mind.











> _Originally posted by saltymalty_@Mar 31 2005, 02:37 PM
> *This was a no win situation.  I don't think the family will ever be able to resolve what has happened to their child.  I hope that everyone can move on.
> 
> For me, I have three children and I have to think of them first.  If I am deemed brain dead, pull the plug and the life support.  I would only be an emotional drain and financial burden to them.  I would much prefer that they remember me as healthy and that I leave behind some means to take care of them.  My husband feels the same way.  His statement was "life insurance doesn't get paid unless a death certificate is issued."  We might both think differently if we weren't parents, but we both feel it's necessary to put our children's needs before our own in this case.
> ...


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I agree with you on this...

My husband and I have talked, and I am going to draw up a living will. IF something of this nature were to happen to me...I SURE don't want to lay around for FIFTEEN years like that! I just have to determine my time frame. I had a friend this past year who for almost two weeks was only holding onto this world by a respirator and LOTS of prayers. She miraculously pulled through-and now she is as healthy as ever and we have to pinch ourselves sometimes to remind ourselves the situation she/we were in just a few months ago! If she had a living will that said no life support at all in any circumstance, she would not be with us now.







That fact FREAKS me out. So I want a reasonable time frame before someone pulls my plugs...but it is NOT fifteen years! I can't imagine that husband/kids/parents of Terry waking/sleeping every day for 15 years with her in that condition in the backs of their minds. Even if the parents can't admit it right now, there is a part of them that has to feel some relief.


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## puppylucy (Jan 8, 2005)

ohh wow. rest in peace









i heard about that on the plane; we were watching the news on those little satellite tvs and it was all breaking news







i feel terrible for her family.. but i for one am glad (? sounds like the wrong word) that she is gone.. i believe that a life like that is just NOT worth living. i mean, 15 years in a coma.. even if suddenly by some miracle she sprang out of bed how could she psychologically cope with that? i mean, that has GOT to be crazy weird.. so much has happened since her accident. just a new perspective on the issue.

i have nothing but sympathy for her family and everyone who was close to her







although they knew it was coming, it still probably came as a shock.. such an awful finality.

nevertheless, i believe she is in a better place now, and probably thrilled to finally be out of the coma that gripped her for 15 years....


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## Toby's Mom (May 7, 2004)




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## puppylucy (Jan 8, 2005)

aww i hope she didn't feel pain























but i agree. why is it "legal" to administer a lethal injection to a criminal but it's "murder" to do it to a person who is a vegetable? and what makes yanking the feeding tube up "legal"? it's kind of mind boggling.. like.. it just makes no sense.

i feel that if it's legal to slowly starve and dehydrate a comatose person, it should be equally as legal to administer an injection that will cause a lot less pain for both the recipient and the people involved.


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## Sunshine (Aug 20, 2004)

my thoughts too. It should be the opposite way. Someone who is given a lethal injection for criminal activity does not deserve a painless death. I would have thought that a judge could approve euthanasia in certain circumstances. I'd class this as one of those circumstance.


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## paris'mom (Jul 14, 2004)

I'm not sure if everyone here is aware of the entire history on this subject. Did you know that her husband was offered between 1 and 10 MILLION dollars to give up his guardianship rights? He refused. Terri has been in this stage for a VERY long time and the arugment is over her mental state- is she totally defined as clinically persistent vegetative state or not... sure she cries and smiles sometimes, but not w/o outside stimuli...

this whole case made my husband and I establish our living wills... and one of the items is what to do if we were pronounced brain dead or vegetative..

husband- Do not revive or maintain life after 3 months. Trust me, this was very hard to accept, but I respect his wish. He does not want his condition to weigh me down emotionally or fianancially. I am trying to get him to move that time up to 6 months at least... I want to know that I have tried it all before I gave up.

Me- One year.

I understand how the parents are bound by their religious believes and mostl love for Terri to keep fighting for her, but at some point, you must let go. She's not really living...just in limbo of heaven and earth. 

I do, however, think that the removal of the feeding tube was a cruel thing to do... euthanization would be much more humane. Instead of the slow death she had to suffer as her organs stopped functioning...

Hope they find peace.


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## saltymalty (Sep 14, 2004)

From what I have read, she did not suffer any pain in her death.


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## Holliberry (Feb 5, 2005)

Has anyone read that her husband was a control freak? Checking mileage on her car if she went anywhere? That she was planning on leaving him? And that could be why he would not give up his rights? And that there was a medical report that showed she had broken bones the night she was admitted that was never admitted into evidence. These are her parents!

Apparently the judge was going on the fact of whether or not she would have wanted to live without considering how she got in that state. 

I dont think her husband was in it for her best interest, I think it became a game after the first couple of years. I think he is afraid of someone finding out he did this to her. millions of dollars is alot of money to give up unless you really have something to hide. I just have a very bad feeling about that guy.

This whole case is horrifying. I am going to try to find time to read up on alot more of this case but as it stands what kind of country are we when we actually REFUSE to give someone water when they cannot help themselves? Her parents had to sit back and could not even put a washcloth in her mouth with water? People could not even TRY to help her. 

For all we know Terri was on cloud 9 in that hospice. I have said it before and I'll say it again, we have all the time in the world to be dead. Unless she was in terrible pain I see no reason to rush it if there were people who wanted to care for her. 

We can see how he is acting now not letting her family know where she will be buried. Cremating her. He has another family for heaven's sake. 

There is something really wrong here.


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## Pippinsmom (Nov 29, 2004)

I can see both sides of the story...I guess the big question is this....just because the medical community can keep someone alive...does that mean they should and at what point do you say enough? Depending on how you look at it...Terri herself, the things that made her uniquely herself....were gone long ago. Her physical body was kept alive...I don't know if I could bear to see someone I loved in a vegetative state for 15 years, their body functioning but everything else about them irretrievably lost. I have already told my family that if this ever happens to me...I don't want to live like a vegetable...just let me go to a better place. For that is where Terri is right now...and at least we can take some small comfort in that.


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## saltymalty (Sep 14, 2004)

I am not sure of all the facts on this case, but I do know that it is the husband who has called for an autopsy. I'm just guessing here, but I think part of his motivation to do this is exonoration? I think we may never know the facts and truth of this case. I feel sorry for everyone involved. Now we can sit back and wait for the "tell all" books and tv movies to start. To me, that should be a crime. No one should profit from this poor woman's death.


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## Holliberry (Feb 5, 2005)

An autopsy is required because she died in a hospice- but an outside coroner (cyril wecht) has been denied permission to be there as requested by Terri's parents. I heard he himself say that on the radio this morning. 

I dont know everything either and I hope I didnt come across as I think I do. This case is very complicated. I want all the facts I can get on both sides, and when I see contradicting pieces of info it makes it all the more confusing, but I keep digging. I have been known to change my mind but this is one tough call









If nothing else comes out of this, I hope everyone thinks about making their wishes known after what we have all witnessed. I personally am very scared to think about being in a situation where it would take weeks for me to die. We can say we think we know what she is going through, but how is that really possible.


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## Zoes mom (Jan 22, 2005)

To me the whole thing was WRONG, WRONG, WRONG, WRONG. What people need to understand is that this was not a person who was brain dead and living on a respirator, but a person who was brain damaged and breathing on her on. Who had feelings, emotions, a sleep and wake pattern and could not do for herself. How can someone just wake up one day and say ok enough we're going to stop feeding her and for the courts to uphold such a thing is just horrific. How many children are born brain damaged and we still provide medical care and we feed and take care of them, didn't Terry deserve the same !!! And what about her husband who has obviously gone on with his life, is living with another woman and has children by her. To me he abandoned the marraige the moment he moved on with someone else and because of that fact should have gone on and relinquished custody to her parents who wanted to care for her. So yes I believe it's a control issue also. And he still doesn't stop, he wants an autopsy, why to make himself feel better for ordering her killed !!! And then he wants to cremate her. It's just unbelievable.


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## saltymalty (Sep 14, 2004)

> _Originally posted by Holliberry_@Apr 1 2005, 01:28 PM
> *An autopsy is required because she died in a hospice- but an outside coroner (cyril wecht) has been denied permission to be there as requested by Terri's parents.  I heard he himself say that on the radio this morning.
> 
> I dont know everything either and I hope I didnt come across as I think I do.  This case is very complicated.  I want all the facts I can get on both sides, and when I see contradicting pieces of info it makes it all the more confusing, but I keep digging.  I have been known to change my mind but this is one tough call
> ...


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I don't know the law in FL, but I can say that when my father passed away there was no autopsy just because he was in a hospice. We knew his cause of death, and there was no need for court battles. He had a living will, we talked about his death often (he had an inoperable brain tumor), and we were able to donate most of his organs because his tumor was a primary brain. 

I didn't mean to say that you knew everything, instead, I have found your comments very helpful and comforting. I'm sorry if I came across that way. I agree that this is a very tough call. We were fortunate that when my father died, he died from a complication rather than the cancer itself. Had he lived (he only had weeks left), he would have eventually slipped into a coma. When he left us, he still had control of his bodily functions and movements, but his speach was limited and he could not comprehend what was said to him. Interestingly, his final words were in Latin.


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## k/c mom (Oct 9, 2004)

> _Originally posted by Zoes mom_@Apr 1 2005, 01:40 PM
> *To me the whole thing was WRONG, WRONG, WRONG, WRONG.  What people need to understand is that this was not a person who was brain dead and living on a respirator, but a person who was brain damaged and breathing on her on.  Who had feelings, emotions, a sleep and wake pattern and could not do for herself.  How can someone just wake up one day and say ok enough we're going to stop feeding her and for the courts to uphold such a thing is just horrific.  How many children are born brain damaged and we still provide medical care and we feed and take care of them, didn't Terry deserve the same !!!  And what about her husband who has obviously gone on with his life,  is living with another woman and has children by her.  To me he abandoned the marraige the moment he moved on with someone else and because of that fact should have gone on and relinquished custody to her parents who wanted to care for her.  So yes I believe it's a control issue also.  And he still doesn't stop, he wants an autopsy, why to make himself feel better for ordering her killed !!!  And then he wants to cremate her. It's just unbelievable.
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I'm in agreement with you 100%.*


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## k/c mom (Oct 9, 2004)

> _Originally posted by Holliberry_@Apr 1 2005, 01:28 PM
> *An autopsy is required because she died in a hospice- but an outside coroner (cyril wecht) has been denied permission to be there as requested by Terri's parents.  I heard he himself say that on the radio this morning.
> 
> I dont know everything either and I hope I didnt come across as I think I do.  This case is very complicated.  I want all the facts I can get on both sides, and when I see contradicting pieces of info it makes it all the more confusing, but I keep digging.  I have been known to change my mind but this is one tough call
> ...


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I thought I heard on NPR today that the Gov. chose the person peforming the autopsy. ???


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## k/c mom (Oct 9, 2004)

> _Originally posted by Holliberry_@Apr 1 2005, 10:52 AM
> *Has anyone read that her husband was a control freak?  Checking mileage on her car if she went anywhere?  That she was planning on leaving him?  And that could be why he would not give up his rights?  And that there was a medical report that showed she had broken bones the night she was admitted that was never admitted into evidence.  These are her parents!
> 
> Apparently the judge was going on the fact of whether or not she would have wanted to live without considering how she got in that state.
> ...


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Very well said. 

The newspaper said that her problems occurred due to a potassium imbalance due to bulimia. I had heard that people with eating disorders often have them because they want a sense of control over something in their lives. That makes sense then that the husband was controlling... so possibly indirectly he caused this in the first place....

I think he is a total jerk.


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## Holliberry (Feb 5, 2005)

Ok I shouldnt have said the hospice thing without double checking it. I thought that was what I read but it is definately a requirement due to her situation based on Florida law. I had a link and lost it, but it sites suspicious circumstances, and if the body is going to be cremated and maybe other things that might fit. What makes me angry is that his lawyer is flat out saying he requested it (?). 

As far as who does it, I think its the medical examiner of the county and there really is no choice. I hope you're right. I wish they brought in someone totally independant. As it is, its only going to be used to determine cause of death, so who knows if they will even be looking for anything other than at the brain damage.

I wish I had more time but its friday and I want to get out of this place. Work stinks


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## shay (Mar 20, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Kallie/Catcher's Mom_@Mar 31 2005, 01:42 PM
> *This makes me very sad. I think I was one of the few people who did not want her to be denied nourishment and water. I wanted her parents to take charge of her care and her future.
> 
> This whole story is just so very heart wrenching......
> <div align="right">index.php?act=findpost&pid=47847*


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I agree it is so sad!


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## MalteseJane (Nov 21, 2004)

We have more mercy for our dogs then for human beings. When our dogs have an uncurable disease we euthanize them to stop their suffering and send them to the Rainbow Bridge for a better live. And we say it's because we love them and want the best for them. 
I don't think Terry Shiavo's parents know what really LOVE is. Real love is willing to let a person go for their better good. They did not think about the well being of their daughter, but rather thought only about themself. Selfish love is not love. They kept a body a life for 15 years with artificial means and thus trapped her soul in a body he could not longer use. 
They came up with charges of abuse after all else failed. Abuse here is hard to believe, because laying in a bed for 15 years WITHOUT getting any bed sores speaks for itself and shows how much Michael Shiavo was behind the staff in the hospital to make sure she got the best of care. If he really wanted to get rid of her, just let her have bed sores that get infected and she would die from it. The hospital at one time even got a restraining order against him because he was asking so much of them. Have you already forgotten about Christopher Reeves ? He died because of infection of bed sores, and he sure had the money to get the best of care and was not even laying in a bed all the time like Terry Shiavo. 
I know that we all think about the removing of a feeding tube as starvation. But apparently it is not painfull and even if it is they can take the pain away with other drugs. Personally I am more in favor of a lethal injection then removing a feeding tube. But unless our laws are changed there is no other alternative.
And yes it's Michael Shiavo who asked for an authopsy and he did not choose who will perform it.


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## msmagnolia (Sep 8, 2004)

This is really a volatile issue. As I've previously stated, I have very mixed feelings about the whole situation. This much I do believe - the "real story" in this case have almost certainly been blown out of shape and there are too many "rumors" to count. For some unfortunate reason people who should have been united in Terry Shiavo's best interests are at odds, perhaps over monetary issues. I think that both sides will do anything to hurt the other. For this reason I don't think we can put much faith in rumor. I continue to hope that the autopsy will be accepted as unbaised and that it will clear the many questions that remain. I sincerely hope that the families of this woman will eventually get some peace.


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## Zoes mom (Jan 22, 2005)

> _Originally posted by MalteseJane_@Apr 1 2005, 11:58 PM
> *We have more mercy for our dogs then for human beings. When our dogs have an uncurable disease we euthanize them to stop their suffering and send them to the Rainbow Bridge for a better live. And we say it's because we love them and want the best for them.
> I don't think Terry Shiavo's parents know what really LOVE is. Real love is willing to let a person go for their better good. They did not think about the well being of their daughter, but rather thought only about themself. Selfish love is not love. They kept a body a life for 15 years with artificial means and thus trapped her soul in a body he could not longer use.
> They came up with charges of abuse after all else failed. Abuse here is hard to believe, because laying in a bed for 15 years WITHOUT getting any bed sores speaks for itself and shows how much Michael Shiavo was behind the staff in the hospital to make sure she got the best of care. If he really wanted to get rid of her, just let her have bed sores that get infected and she would die from it. The hospital at one time even got a restraining order against him because he was asking so much of them. Have you already forgotten about Christopher Reeves ? He died because of infection of bed sores, and he sure had the money to get the best of care and was not even laying in a bed all the time like Terry Shiavo.
> ...


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She wasn't just a body but a person, she was brain damaged not brain dead.
I could probably understand if she had been living on a respirator all that time or something. But to starve someone to death simply beacause "you don't want to be selfish" is ridiculous. And they got a restraining order on Micahel Schiavo because he would go to the nursing station and read the nursing notes everyday which you are not allowed to do and would take anything written positive about her (whether the nurse said she smiled etc.). He was stealing the notes, doesn't that tell you something. He should have given her back to her family, like I said in my other post he already has moved on with another woman and has children with her. And let's not even get into the nurse that was caring for her that he was sleeping with. This guy is no saint by no means. Would you tell someone who suffers from MS or cerebral palsy once they can no longer communicate or do for themselves that they should be euthanized ? And how can you say that her parents didn't love her? That's cruel, those people suffered, to have a child in that condition I'm sure was no picnic.


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## k/c mom (Oct 9, 2004)

The Schiavo case "hit" me in the same way it did Zoes Mom. I don't know why I feel this way; but it is at the gut level and it is hard to see the "other side". If she were on life support and it was removed that is one thing.... because there would be the possiblity that she could live without it. But to withhold food and water is to bring on certain death. 

I heard or read something that was so good... I wish I could remember the source but the person was saying why not just have him smother her to death or shoot her. That would be faster and what is the difference.... he is doing the same thing, basically. Society would not condone that... yet what he did is considered OK.

IF she were in a coma; IF she showed no signs of life at all; IF she could not breathe on her own; IF she didn't have any family to look after her; IF she had a written living will.... then maybe I could understand what was done to her. As it is... I just don't.


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## sheila2182 (Nov 28, 2004)

I totally agree with both Zoes mom and K/C mom.


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## Caesar's Mommie (Apr 8, 2004)

> _Originally posted by Zoes mom+Apr 3 2005, 09:46 AM-->
> 
> 
> 
> ...


She wasn't just a body but a person, she was brain damaged not brain dead.
I could probably understand if she had been living on a respirator all that time or something. But to starve someone to death simply beacause "you don't want to be selfish" is ridiculous. And they got a restraining order on Micahel Schiavo because he would go to the nursing station and read the nursing notes everyday which you are not allowed to do and would take anything written positive about her (whether the nurse said she smiled etc.). He was stealing the notes, doesn't that tell you something. He should have given her back to her family, like I said in my other post he already has moved on with another woman and has children with her. And let's not even get into the nurse that was caring for her that he was sleeping with. This guy is no saint by no means. Would you tell someone who suffers from MS or cerebral palsy once they can no longer communicate or do for themselves that they should be euthanized ? And how can you say that her parents didn't love her? That's cruel, those people suffered, to have a child in that condition I'm sure was no picnic.
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I have to say I agree with you. She was able to breathe without help of machines, her heart beat just fine, she just needed nourishment. I saw on CNN that one of her doctors who was fighting for her to live said that she is able to swallow. Asked the Florida courts if she could receive food and water by mouth, but they refused saying they were with holding all food and water. If that was the case and she could swallow, just not receive adequate nutrition, I could maybe understand giving her oral food and then if she doesn't receive the adequte nutrition to survive, to pass away that way. I do not feel it was right to completely deny her of both food and water. She was brain damaged, not dead. I can understand he may have been exhausted in dealing with it, but I don't understand why he didnt allow her parents to take over her care and the cost. When elderly patients are no longer able to care for themselves and are having to be on bedrest, we dont deprive them of food and water. Also Kevorkian (spelling) got in trouble for aiding people in their death when they asked him to because they knew it would be a matter of months (Terri could have lived years) until their death and he did it in a much more less stressful way than depriving them from food and water. All I can say is this was definantely an ethical dilemma and I am glad I was not involved.


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## Caesar's Mommie (Apr 8, 2004)

> _Originally posted by Kallie/Catcher's Mom_@Apr 3 2005, 09:59 AM
> *IF she were in a coma; IF she showed no signs of life at all; IF she could not breathe on her own; IF she didn't have any family to look after her; IF she had a written living will.... then maybe I could understand what was done to her. As it is... I just don't.
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I agree! Also on the coma comment, in Kansas City we had a woman who was in a coma for 20 years. SHe was walking home from school with a friend and a drunk driver hit her. She woke up a few weeks ago, talks and remembers what happend!!! Pretty amazing!


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## HappyB (Feb 28, 2005)

We had a situation in our family last year where someone was taken off food and water at her request. My son-in-law's grandmother suffered a severe stroke, and the doctors, as well as testing showed the family there was no hope for any type recovery. She had a living will requesting no intervention as she had also experienced having her own father on life support for several years. It was very hard to follow this wonderful lady's wishes, but her family did. It took her two weeks to go. During that time, many priests visited, her daughters lay in the bet and hugged her, they had soft music playing and they continued to talk with her and tell her funny stories. On the night she died, my son-in-law's parents were with her. They had just finished evening prayers. The last thing said to her was in the prayer about now, go with God. She closed her eyes and that was the end. It was an extremely hard two weeks for a lot of people, and having this situation go on now has just brought a lot of the heartache back to them.


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