Okay... I did a bit of research about this, and I have to say it's not looking very convincing on the side of the folks, but I'll put out what I know and reference what I can, a lot is coming from a <a href="http://abstractappeal.com/schiavo/infopage.html">Florida Law Blog</a> on the subject, after 1998, the story is pretty well publicised, so I'm not going to get into it.
- Terry Schiavo (nee Schindler) originally had weight problems through her childhood and into her adolesence. She went on a "strict" diet, and lost considerable weight and muscle tone. There is speculation that she was crash dieting.
-She met her soon to be husband in 1984 at the age of 19. After 6 months they were married.
- In 1990, due to extremely low blood potassium levels due to bulemia, she goes into cardiac arrest, and due to oxygen starvation, about 50-60% of the areas responsible for consciousness and thought in her cerbreum dies.
- In order to facilitate rehabillitation and therapy, Michael Schiavo trains for accreditation to become a Registered Nurse with concentrations in emergency room, physical and mental rehabillitation therapies.
- As well in 1990, Michael and the Schindler family raise enough money to pay for Terry to undergo experimental stimulation probe surgery and therapy in California. After the surgery and therapy course, Terry's condition does not improve. During this time, Michael and the Schindler family seek out at least 10 neuro surgeons and brain specialists' counsil on how to deal with her condition. Also during this time, she undergoes at least 15 EEGs, and 5 MRI scans as well as several PET scans to determine the extent of the neurological damage Terry suffered.
- in 1993, the Schindler family and Michael Schiavo file suit against Terry's physician and for failling to diagnose and treat her bulimia. While on appeal, the suit is settled for about 1.2 million dollars. About half is awarded to Michael for the loss of spousal priviledge, and the other half marked for payment of therapy and other expenses relating to treatment and rehabillitation for Terry (eventually, the entire amount of the settlement will have been given over for housing treating and legal fees regarding the suit against the doctor).
- After 8 years, and continuing therapy, as well as several doctor's consultation (bringing the number of doctors consulted to 15) over 8 years, with supporting affadavits regarding Terry's wishes (namely, Michael's brother) as well as the treating doctors' expert examination reports and other testimony from staff that treated Terry, Michael petitions Florida state courts to have Terry's nutrition tube removed, stating that she would not choose to live with that tube inserted. Terry's parents rebut the suit saying she would choose to live with the tube inserted.
Much of the back story is related to The Terry Schiavo Story Broadcast on A&E, to be fair, there was pretty even coverage given to both sides of the debate, and it was left up to the viewer to decide... One thing I can honestly say that I like about Towers' productions and A&E on the whole.
Here's the thing that's striking me as at best hinkey, and at worst bloody selfish of the family: The Video that Terry's family released, the one where she seems to laugh, follow a balloon, recognises her mother... etc... the thing is, that video (which was released against order of the court, because the case was still being heard by the Florida state supreme court) is only about 80 seconds worth of positive looking video.. There was a WHOLE LOT more attempts where she didn't do anything, much less move or follow any commands that require a cognitive response.
I've seen the EEGs, the CAT scans (bilateral) and MRI's (section images) and the extent of the brain damage is at best, significant. I'm no Neurological specialist, but when there are 2 large black areas that penetrate the cerebral cortex (the large lumpy lobes in the top and front of the cranial cavity) and basically leaves less than 30% of the brain unaffected, I doubt that anyone could recover, especially 15 years after the fact.
I don't think that there is any question that Terry is ending up the loser in this because either way, she's been through enough. Irrespective of whether or not others have recovered (the ones that get cited a lot didn't have the exensive damage Terry sustained, and were in a locked in state, or have had relatively minor interruptions with aggressive rehabillitation with modern methods within hours of recovering conciousness) Terry has been found to be not likely to recover by all the doctors that have examined her. I have seen and heard of the other doctors that say she can recover, and I honestly wonder if they are in posession of all the facts. She's been evaluated, and re-evaluated in good faith by her husband and family... recovery isn't an option.
The other thing that PCS touched on that disturbs me greatly, is that there is sworn affadavits by at least 3 people (Michael, his Brother, and a friend that Terry knew before she met Michael) stating that Terry didn't want to live in the state she's currently in, yet her parents are not repsecting her wishes. The problem that I see developing is that a whole lot of people are making it their business (ie. MEDDLING... that means her parents, her brother, the nurse that joined the parents side after Michael gave her hell for not doing the prescribed treatment properly or at all (she was fired from the hospital, so she has an axe to grind), Jeb Bush and the rest of the Florida state legislature, as well as anyone that has tried to force the court to do anything that was against Terry's expressed wishes), where they really have no say at all.
I also find it disturbing that throughout most of the literature that I've read from Terry's parent's side, she's constantly referred to as their "Child." She's 41 years old... child stopped being an applicable term 23 years ago. The language states a lot about the way she's being treated.. Sure, she's still her parent's DAUGHTER, but she was grown up enough to decide to marry, she could make her own decisions.
I see a lot of subterfuge and forcing of outside issues into this case by the parents' side. Not that I blame them, but you'd think after 23 times at bat, they'd get the hint, and respect her wishes. I can't imagine what it's like to outlive a child... But, it happens every day, and I don't think the parents want to have to deal with that.
Just another reason to think things through before you make a major decision in your life, and make plans ahead of time. A will, a living will and life insurance.. and communicate your wishes to those that can make decisions for you if you can't for yourself. It's macabre, but it has to be done.
Transeat In Exemplum: Let this stand as the example.