Neurologists Say: Recording of Terri Shows She's Not PVS

You'll recall the audio recordings of Terri and her father which were posted at the Matt Drudge and the Family Research Council websites earlier this week. These recordings (actually two different versions of the same recording) were made last year, and include Terri's father, Bob Schindler, talking to Terri, and Terri making noises which seem to be efforts to respond.

I sent the recordings to the four neurologists I interviewed for my National Review Online article from last week, "Starving For A Fair Diagnosis": Dr. Mack Jones, a neurologist in Florida; Dr. Thomas Zabiega, a neurologist in Chicago; Dr. William Bell, a professor of neurology at the Wake Forest University Medical School; and Dr. Peter Morin, a neurologist researching degenerative brain diseases.

Three of the four neurologists reported that they believed that Terri was responding to her father, and was attempting to form words. The fourth, Dr. Peter Morin, demurred, saying that he did not want to venture an opinion based on an audio recording without accompanying video.

The remaining neurologists all expressed confident opinions regarding what they heard in Terri's recording. Dr. Mack Jones said "She does appear to be responding to her father's questions and attempting to form words." Dr. Bell concurred, saying that Terri "did respond [to her father's voice] as she seems to pace her vocalization to his voice and not the reverse (his voice to
her vocalizations)."

Dr. Jones added: "If she responds in a like fashion to other close members of her family and not to strangers, it would be even more convincing that she recognizes her family and therefore demonstrates evidence of higher brain function."

According to the neurologists, if Terri verbalizes, that is, attempts to form words, that is clear evidence that she cannot be in a PVS. Dr. Bell explained:

Verbalization in general requires two phonemes with the intent of communication. "Papa" is two syllables and two phonemes and so is a verbalization regardless who is present to hear it, but "pa" would be meaningful if she said it if only her father was in the room. Just vocalizations that do not have set phonemic patterns are problematic, but if there is a definite vocalization to a question and silence when there is silence then this becomes a pattern in itself and this suggests at least conscious awareness and responses compatible with the minimally conscious state. The minimally conscious state suggests that portions of the cerebral cortex are still functioning.

Dr. Bell said that at one point he believes that Terri did verbalize, saying "hi". He added that "none of this is surprising," since, in his judgment, "she is not PVS, but in a minimally conscious state, despite what the courts say."

Dr. Zabiega expressed the strongest opinion, saying:

I believe she is making verbalizations on the tape.  In fact, around 45 seconds, when she is asked "How are you doing" she definitely changes her voice and says "good".  She appears to say "yeah" several times... then at the end of the tape when she is asked "do your ears hurt" she definitely says "no". Even if none of the words were discernible, the fact that her voice changes during the tape to different questions suggests she is understanding what is being said to her.  A patient in PVS does not respond and does not have any changes in verbal output. 

Dr. Zabiega adds, "Any clear-headed neurologist would rule out PVS just based on this audio tape. What she may actually have is aphasia, an inability to respond to questions which she understands.  Many people who are completely functional have aphasia after a stroke, and it can be tragic how they cannot communicate with others.  But we don't put them to death for it."

Indeed we don't , doctor. At least, not yet.

As It wrote in my NRO article, the history of the Terri Schiavo case is that of Michael Schiavo, George Felos, and Judge Greer attempting to prevent additional information from being presented and considered by the authorities. For the 2002 evidentiary hearing, the Schindlers submitted affidavits by speech pathologists who testified that Terri did try to speak. Now these neurologists say much the same thing. Will they too be ignored?

Updated! New Version of Terri's "Exit Protocol"

With Additional Pages and Information

Documents Now Available for Download

Terri Now Without Food & Water for 135 Hours

I have received an updated version of Terri's "Exit Protocol", the document prepared by the staff of Hospice of the Suncoast, the organization that runs the Woodside Hospice where Terri is kept. the documents have been re-scanned, and the new scans are more complete. They now include the signatures of the clinical pharmacist and the doctor who prepared them.

There are also some pages that were not included in the original scans that were sent to me. the additional pages are:

The clinical pharmacist's notes of her conversation with Terri's physician of record, Dr. Victor Gambone.

The orders for medications signed by Dr. Victor Gambone

These documents are now available for download, so you can examine them for yourself. The links to the documents are included toward the end of this post.

Michael and Felos have appeared on national television several times, and told viewers that Terri wasn't going to be starved to death, but that she was going to be "allowed to die". I suppose in some Orwellian alternate universe that might be true, but now, in regards to Terri, it is a monstrous, flat out lie. Michael Schiavo said that Terri would peacefully slip away. That too is false. Terri will die a horrible, prolonged death. The documents I reproduce below demonstrates that.

The document I reproduce below was prepared by the hospice at which she resides, by their own doctors and pharmacists. It was produced in anticipation of the first time Terri's feeding tube was removed, in 2001. Anyone reading it with a rudmimentary knowledge of medicine will recognize that in Terri's case, and the cases of many others in similar situations, the so-called "treatment" that is given is in fact not treatment at all. It is a regimen of medication intended to perpetrate an illusion: the illusion that someone is peacefully "slipping away", when in fact they are dying in a painful and brutal way.

The document was given a name by those who wrote it. They called it Terri's "Exit Protocol".

I first published this document last September, when it first came to light. I republish it here so that all can see the truth of what is being done to her.


Terri's "Exit Protocol" Discovered In Hospice Documents

Cheryl Ford, RN, a nurse from Tampa who has been very active in the efforts to save Terri's life, recently undertook, on behalf of the Schindlers, a review of medical records from when Terri was first admitted to Woodside Hospice. Woodside Hospice is run by Hospice of the Florida Suncoast. It is of interest to note that Michael Schiavo's attorney, George Felos, was a member of the Board of Directors of Hospice of the Florida Suncoast until the Terri Schiavo case began to attract widespread public attention a few years ago.

In her research, Ms. Ford found a document titled "Exit Protocol" in Terri's file. The document is on Hospice of the Florida Suncoast "Patient Care Notes" stationery, and "Symptom Management Orders" stationery. It is dated April 19 & 20, 2001. This document lays out, in clinical detail, the procedures to be followed in bringing about Terri's death by starvation and dehydration.

I reproduce here the contents of this document. They are presented verbatim, except in several places where the notes duplicate themselves. It was sent to me in the form of an Adobe PDF document. The links for downloading it appear toward the end of this post.

The text of the document is in black type, my comments and explanations will be presented in red type


Exit Protocolxxxxxxxxxxxx00038

Patient Care Notesxxxxxxxxxxxxx The Hospice
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxOf The Florida Suncoast

Date

4/19/01xxxxxxxxxxxxxClinical Pharmacy
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxRe: Medication review and symptom management


Pt. is a 37 yo woman in a vegetative state with no apparent signs of distress. Enteral tube-feeding to be discontinued on 4/20/01.

Current Medications:

1. antacid suspension 1-2 tablespoons prn [prn = "as needed"]

2. Naproxen suspension 375 mg Q8* prn menstrual cramps. [Q8* prn = "every 8 hours as needed". Naproxen is a pain-relieving and anti-inflamatory drug. ]

3. Vitamin liquid daily.

Upon discontinuation of enteral feeding the following signs/symptoms may or may not occur. The following is a brief list of symptoms for which to monitor and recommended interventions.

1. d/c ["discontinue"] antacid. d/c Naproxen suspension.

2. d/c Vitamin liquid

3. Monitor symptoms of pain/discomfort. If noted, medicate with Naproxen rectal suppository 375 mg Q8* prn.

Wait a minute! George Felos, Michael Schiavo, and all the other advocates of feeding-tube removal have been saying repeatedly that dying by denial of nutrition & hydration is "peaceful" and "painless". They've both said so in interviews and press conferences, such as on Larry King Live. So if dying by denial of nutrition and hydration is, as Michael said, "painless and probably the most natural way to die", then why is medication needed for pain and discomfort?

4. Signs of compromised skin integrity — continue vigilant skin care, provide moistener to lips, consult wound-care specialist if needed.

As the body dehydrates, the skin loses its tone and dries out. Left untreated, this will lead to cracking and bleeding. The lips are even more sensitive in this respect. "Vigilant skin care" is the liberal use of lotions and moisteners to mask these symptoms. The lips must be continually swabbed with special moisteners, and have lip balm applied to them. In the last stages, though, in spite of such measures, skin breakdown often occurs. Because of the body's debilitated state, normal healing mechanisms do not function. Hence the need to consult wound-care specialists to deal with ulcers and open sores.

5. Signs of dehydration
(A) dry lips, mouth. Swab saliva substitute inside mouth prn. (see next page)

After a few days without water, the body stops producing saliva, necessitating the use of a "saliva substitute" to avoid ulceration in the mouth, and a characteristic foul odor on the patient's breath. The cessation of salivation also leads to other complications which appear in the "pulmonary" section.


xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx00039

Patient Care Notesxxxxxxxxxxxxx The Hospice
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxOf The Florida Suncoast

Date

4/19/01xxxxxxxxxClinical Pharmacy Note — continued

xxxxxxxxxxxxxSigns of dehydration — continued

(B) decreased urinary output - no change in care plan.

While there may be "no change in care plan", one of the effects of dehydration is incontinence. The patient's diapers or "chux" pads will need to be changed more frequently, until such output ceases entirely.

6. Pulmonary
(A) Inability to clear secretions - reposition and swab mouth, consider scopolamine patch behind ear every 3 days.

Dehydration causes the natural mucus secretions of the mouth, nose, and throat to thicken, as the body struggles to protect these delicate membranes. The lack of saliva exacerbates this problem, preventing the normal swallowing of these secretions. These thick deposits can interfere with breathing. The use of the scopolamine patch promotes drying of these secretions, which prevents their build-up, but hastens the breakdown of the tissues.

(B) dyspnea ["difficulty in breathing"] — nebulize low dose 2-5 mg morphine sulfate Q4* prn.

In the last stages of dehydration/starvation, the patient's breathing will become difficult and labored. He or she may even begin gasping for breath, as even the lungs' ability to effect transfer of gases is compromised. Morphine nebulized into a fine spray relaxes bronchial passages and relieves these symptoms. However, because of the resultant decrease in respiratory efficiency, this may hasten death.

7. Multifocal myoclonus or terminal agitation (sometimes caused by electrolyte imbalance). Consider diazepam rectal administration 5-10 mg. May repeat in 4 hours if not resolved then daily - twice daily as needed.

Myoclonus is twitching or spasm of the muscles. Multifocal means "occurring in many different parts of the body". This is usually the result of imbalance in electrolytes, the chemicals, such as salt, potassium, and calcium, which make your bodies internal electrical "batteries" work. Nerve impulses and muscle contractions are governed by electro-chemical reactions utilizing these chemicals. Dehydration causes these chemicals to be out of balance, interfering with normal nerve and muscle function. This can result in nerves and muscles "firing off" uncontrollably, causing spasm. The patient will writhe and become extremely agitated. If you have ever had muscle cramps resulting from strenuous exercise (especially when you have sweat profusely), you have some idea what this feels like. Imagine having this happen all over your body, repeatedly. Diazepam (more commonly known as Valium) is a muscle relaxant

8. Grand Mal seizure, which is highly unlikely given current conditions and lack of contributing factors (meds). Recommend diazepam 15 mg rectally as indicated in seizure management orders.

In the final stages of starvation and dehydration, the same electrolyte imbalances which can cause muscle spasm can also lead to uncontrolled firing of neurons in the brain, according to a similar mechanism. This results in seizures.

Thank you for the opportunity to collaborate regarding this patient's care.


Date: 4/19/01xxxxxxxxxxPatient Name: Schiavo, Theresa

Physician/Staff Name/Title (print) Lisa Miller xxxMedical Record # 123235

Physician/Staff Signature (signed) Lisa Miller, Pharm. D
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxTeam Woodside


[Document 2]


Clinical PharmacyxxxxxxxRe: communication with physician

This document essentially reiterates some of the points which preceded, including:

2. Naproxen 375mg suppositories; 1 rectally Q8* prn signs of discomfort.
Once again Terri is prescribed pain medication.

3. Saliva subsitute to swab dry mouth prn. DO NOT SPRAY IN MOUTH. Presumably, this instruction is intended as a precaution against Terri aspirating the saliva substitute.

4. Rectal Diazepam 5-10 mg may repeat in 4 hours then once or twice daily prn multifocal myoclonus or terminal agitation.
Again, the possibility of "terminal agitation" would call into question the "peaceful" death that Felos and his water-carriers have rhapsodized about.


[Document 3— Symptom Management Orders]

This document is the actual medical orders, dated 4/20/01, 1:00 PM, submitted by Terri's physician of record at Hospice of the Suncoast, Dr. Victor Gambone. He is the same doctor that, in 2001, "certified" that Terri was terminally ill, and likely to die within six months. This document has a series of check boxes for different treatments under different headings. In certain places Dr. Gambone has added written remarks/instructions.

Pain

[checked] Morphine (MSIR) 5-10 mg IM (IM = intra-muscular; that is, injected into a large muscle such as the buttocks.) or by rectal suppository.

[checked] If no relief after reaching upper range, repeat dose in 1 hour and increase subsequent doses by 50% q 3 hour prn.

This goes beyond the use of morphine for improving breathing, as mentioned above. Here morphine is specifically being prescribed for pain — the pain she isn't supposed to be feeling.


Anxiety/Agitation

[checked] Lorazepam (Ativan) 0.5 - 1 mg IM q 6 hours prn.


Physician Name (please print)Victor Gambone xxPt. Name Theresa Schiavo

Date 4/20/01 (signed) xxxxxxxMedical Record #123235
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxTeam Woodside


These documents can be downloaded as two Adobe PDF files. You can obtain them here:

Terri's Exit Protocol Part One

Terri's Exit Protocol Part Two — With Medical Orders

It seems to me that this document, especially in it's fuller form here, when taken in conjunction with Dr. Gambone's certification that Terri was "terminal", is at least suggestive of a tendency for the people involved at Hospice of the Suncoast to play fast and loose with the facts. Personally, I think it is suggestive of far more, because of the potential deception involved. Could this be evidence of a conspiracy to commit medical homicide?

I would observe, in conclusion, that most of the "treatments" described in this Exit Protocol are in fact not directed at easing the patient's true condition, but in masking the symptoms of dying by starvation and dehydration. These treatments are designed to create the appearance of a peaceful "slipping away", when nothing of the sort is happening. The medications hide the fact that the patient undergoes a lengthy and painful deterioration, in which his/her body wastes away cruelly. Remember this the next time you hear or read someone say that Terri should be "allowed" to die.

Would An Anullment Help Terri?

A number of people have e-mailed me over the last couple of days asking if an ecclesiastical anullment of Terri's marriage to Michael would help.

There are several problems with such an approach:

Firstly, tribunals in the United States ordinarily require that a civil divorce have been granted before the proceedings for an anullment may begin. I'm pretty sure that's just a procedural norm rather than anything essential. That's a good question for someone like canon lawyer extraordinaire Pete Vere to weigh in on, though.

Secondly, in order for an anullment to be granted, Terri or Michael would have to petition for one. Terri obviously can't, and I don't see how Michael could be induced to seek one. Michael is not Catholic, and I doubt he cares one whit what the Church thinks of his marriage.

I am unaware of any possibility of a mechanism by which an anullment may be sought for someone by proxy. Once again, that's a question a canonist like Pete Vere could answer.

Finally, though, and most crucially, an ecclesiastical anullment has no effect under civil law. Pronouncements by Church tribunals simply have no standing in the eyes of the government. So the Church could anull Michael and Terri's marriage, and in the eyes of the State of Florida, they'd be just as married as ever.

Another Explanation For Refusal To Restore Feeding Tube

A reader writes me to provide an alternate explanation for Judge Whittemore's refusal to restore Terri's feeding tube:

"If he denies motion, there can be immediate appeal with an almost automatic order to reinsert feeding tube."

Either that, he says, or Whittemore wants to avoid giving an opinion on the case. If he avoids making a substantive judgment, then he won't be on the record regarding his views on Terri's case.

"In short, he's a coward", my reader says.

Terri's 14^th Amendment Rights Are Being Violated

In a post at NRO's The Corner this morning, O. Carter Snead, general counsel for the President's Council on Bioethics, says that the federal judge's ruling this morning violates Terri's fourteenth amendment right to due process:

The state of Florida, through its judiciary, has ordered the termination of Terri Schiavo's life. This is an interest clearly protected by the due process clause of the 14th Amendment. Thus, before Florida can order such action, it must accord Schiavo with the full measure of process that is due to her. Unfortunately, a review of the record shows that such process was never provided...

...The procedural irregularities that tainted the handling of Ms. Schiavo's case include:
The court's failure to appoint a guardian ad litem (following 1998);
The court's usurpation of the guardian's role (in direct violation of Florida law)...

These irregularities make it impossible to conclude that T. Schiavo's wishes under the present circumstances were proven by "clear and convincing" evidence, particularly in light of the presumption (under Florida law) that she would have chosen to receive life sustaining treatment...

And, most importantly for present purposes, it empowers the federal court to determine, DE NOVO, "any claim of a violation of any right of T. Schiavo within the scope of this Act, NOTWITHSTANDNG ANY PRIOR STATE COURT DETERMINATION AND REGARDLESS OF WHETHER SUCH A CLAIM HAS PREVIOUSLY BEEN RAISED, CONSIDERED, OR DECIDED IN STATE COURT PROCEEDINGS."

Thus, its seems highly improper for the federal court to determine on the basis of a two hour hearing that the Schindler family would not likely be successful on the merits in an entirely new trial, complete with extensive discovery, etc.

The law passed was intended to give Terri a de novo hearing — that is, one which would re-open all the issues of the case for consideration. It would seem that once again a judge is attempting to frustrate the intent of a duly elected legislature.

The Guardian's Report and Terri's Bedsores

Several people have e-mailed me, and a couple of bloggers, Bill McCabe and Steve Ely, have been arguing, about an apparent conflict between Jay Wolfson's guardian ad litem report and my National Review Online article.

In his report, Jay Wolfson wrote, as evidence of his belief that Terri had high quality care, that "It is notable that through more than thirteen years after Theresa's collapse, she has never had a bedsore."

Whereas I wrote: "She also developed decubitus (skin) ulcers [bedsores] on her buttocks and thighs... The presence of these easily preventable ulcers is a classic sign of neglect."

These statements would certainly appear to be in conflict. But this conflict is only apparent.

Jay Wolfson issued his report on December 1, 2003. He may very well have been completely accurate in his contention about Terri having had no bedsores up to that point. I will not dispute that.

However, Terri did develop bedsores, and I reported that fact, in March of 2004. This was over three months after Wolfson issued his report. So there is in fact no conflict.

Also, in relation to the larger charge of neglect, I think the evidence for that is substantial, as both my NRO piece and the blog post linked above make clear. For the neglect I do not fault the hospice: I fault Michael, for the hospice acts upon his instructions.

Federal Judge Declines To Rule Immediately:

Terri Now Without Food & Water For 74 Hours


Judge James Whittemore, after a more than 2 hour hearing, said he would not rule immediately on the Schindlers' request to re-insert her feeding tube pending new litigation. He did not indicate when he would issue his ruling.

Frankly, I am not surprised by this turn of events. I didn't think the judge would issue an immediate ruling. At the very least, one has to admit that the judge has had a great deal thrown at him in a very short time.

But what does disturb me is this quote from the judge:

"I will not tell you when, how or how long it will take,'' Whittemore said.

Do I detect a little judicial arm-flexing here? I'm certain that many judges, even those uninvolved in the Schiavo case, resent the hell out of Congress' legislation last night. But I'd like to believe that the judge isn't posturing while a woman's life hangs in the balance.

Haunting Audio of Terri's Voice

Matt Drudge and the Family Research Council have an mp.3 file of Terri making noises, which seem to be in response to her father's promptings. The recording was made last year.

Right now both the FRC and Drudge sites are loading very slowly, probably due to the heavy traffic of everyone trying to download these large files. Because of that, I'm linking to an alternate download site here, until the traffic on FRC and Drudge lets up. The mp.3 I link to is the FRC version, which is higher in quality and clearer. Thanks to Austin's Blog for the alternate source.

Now, I am no speech expert or neurologist, but in my opinion:

A. Terri does seem to be responding to her father's promptings. The noises she makes seem to be in response to her father's statements. They do not seem random. IF they are truly responses to her father, no matter how inarticulate, Terri cannot be in a Persistent Vegetative State.

B. Based on my conversations with the neurologists I have interviewed, Terri's noises seem consistent with their descriptions of vocalizations. True vocalization cannot be reflexive because it involves several different commands involving several different brain centers, all of a higher order.

I have sent the audio file to the neurologists with whom I consult, and asked for their opinion. When I receive replies, I will post the results.

Congressional Source: Bobby Schindler Was "Very Persuasive"

I have developed a couple of sources in Congress of late, and one of them was in a meeting of about 15 Congressmen last night with Terri's brother, Bobby Schindler. He has been in Washington for the past week lobbying for legislative action to save Terri.

My source said that Bobby was "very persuasive" in his meeting with the legislators. As he laid out the details of Terri's case, several times audible gasps could be heard in the room as they heard of the string of injustices and errors which have led to the judicially-ordered starvation of an innocent woman.

I have no doubt about Bobby's persuasiveness: He's a sharp guy, and knows the issues in his sister's case backwards and forwards. He could stand his ground with just about anyone in a debate about Terri. And the fact is, he's a genuinely good man.

Not to mention, he has the truth on his side.

House Passes Bill — Terri Can Get A New Hearing

I'm sure by now most of you have already heard, around 12:30 AM this morning, the US House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 686, "For the Relief of the Parents of Theresa Marie Schiavo".

The vote was 203 for, 58 against.

Take note of the 58 against, and remember those names come election time...

I personally would have been happier with a broader bill, similar to the original House version, which remedied the status of a larger class of persons who are in situations similar to Terri. But, on the whole, this is a victory.

Now the Schindlers have to convince a Federal judge to order the re-insertion of Terri's feeding tube, and to agree to hear the merits of their case.

And there will almost certainly be a constitutional challenge to this law. But in the meantime, the Florida legislature can repair the defects in Florida law which are the underlying reason for this whole situation.

It's not over yet...

Terri's Starvation Commences:

Terri's "Exit Protocol" Begins

THIS POST HAS BEEN MOVED

I have moved the information in this post, since it has been updated.

The new post is available here: New Version of Terri's "Exit Protocol"

I have kept this post here as a marker in order to preserve the comments thread.


After a roller-coaster night and day, in which Congress first appeared to have abandoned Terri, then in which some Congressmen intervened in a last-ditch effort to prevent the feeding tube removal, and Judge Greer again demonstrated his singleminded intent to have Terri die, it comes to this.

According to reports at Blogs For Terri and from the Schindlers, Terri's feeding tube was removed at about 2:00 PM this afternoon.

Congress may intervene next week, but may not. What is certain is that from this moment on, unless someone can unsuccessfully undo the work of Michael Schiavo, George Felos, and Judge Greer, Terri begins dying.

House Passes Incapacitated Persons Protection Act —
Senate Passage Will Be Difficult

Last night, in a move that infuriated some anti-life Democrats, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Incapacitated Persons Protection Act, which would give Terri Schiavo and others under threat of judicially-ordered death the right to a habeas corpus review in the federal courts.

However, in a phone conversation with Mary Schindler, she informed me that there is some oppositon to the measure in the Senate, and Bobby Schindler, who is in Washington lobbying for the bill, reports that Senate passage may be an uphill battle.

The ringleader of the opposition to this law, according to Bobby, is none other than Senator Ted Kennedy. That's right, the senior Catholic senator from Massachusetts is leading the opposition to a law that would give Terri the same rights as condemned criminals.

I suppose he's just being consistent, though. After all, since he champions the "right" to kill the innocent unborn, he would have to support the right of husbands and judges to order the deaths of innocent women.

To urge your senator to vote for The Incapacitated Persons Protection Act, go here.

Torturing Terri Schiavo

That's the title of an excellent article at National Review Online today by Andrew McCarthy.

McCarthy points out that Terri will be subjected to inhumane treatment that we would not be permitted to inflict even on known terrorists:

On Friday afternoon, unless humanity intervenes, the state of Florida is scheduled to begin its court-ordered torture-murder of Terri Schiavo, whose only crime is that she is an inconvenience. A nuisance to a faithless husband grown tired of the toll on his new love interest and depleting bank account — an account that was inflated only because a jury, in 1992, awarded him over a million dollars, mostly as a trust to pay for Terri’s continued care, in a medical malpractice verdict.

Michael Schiavo and George Felos went on national television Tuesday night to rhapsodize about the peaceful, painless death that Terri will experience when her feeding tube is removed. People who have actually undergone this process, like Kate Adamson say differently. She described her own feeding tube removal ordeal as "sheer torture".

Michael and Felos have uttered so many falsehoods in such rapid succession that one doesn't know where to begin in refuting them. But I'll have more to say about that later...

Terri Schiavo is Starving For a Fair Diagnosis

Today I have a new article on Terri Schiavo published in National Review Online.

The article, titled "Starving For a Fair Diagnosis", addresses the likely prospect that Terri has been misdiagnosed as being in a Persistent Vegetative State, and the failure of the courts both to ensure she was examined by fair and unbiased doctors, and to recognize the evidence of misdiagnosis when it has been presented.

I'll have some more stuff posted later in the day... so check back!

I'm Being Interviewed Today

This afternoon during the 4:00 PM (Eastern Time) segment, I'll be interviewed on KFUO Radio in St. Louis, concerning my article appearing today in National Review Online.

KFUO is a Christian station affiliated with the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod.

The show is hosted by Pastor Todd Wilken.

For those of you outside of the St. Louis area, you can Listen Live On the Web (requires Windows Media Player).

I hope you'll tune in!

Crucial Hearings Today and Tomorrow

On Wednesday, the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) will go before Judge Greer regarding their motion for a stay on the removal of Terri's feeding tube pending their investigation of abuse charges against Michael Schiavo. Some have theorized that Judge Greer is legally bound to grant the stay, but what Greer will actually do is anyone's guess.

This afternoon at 3:00, the Schindlers attorney David Gibbs will once again go before Judge Greer, this time to request that further testing be done on Terri to ascertain her real condition. The Schindlers, as well as a number of doctors, have long disputed Judge Greer's ruling that Terri is in a Persistent Vegetative State (PVS).

To back up their request, the Schindlers have affidavits from a number of doctors and other professionals with expertise in diagnosing and treating brain injuries. The Terris Fight website reported last weekend that 17 doctors had come forward to support the call for new testing. However, the Schindlers attorneys inform me that they will have more like 29 affidavits to present to Judge Greer today, some of them from well-respected neurologists.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, neurologists I have spoken to have all registered disbelief and dismay upon learning that Terri has never had MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) or PET (Positron Emission Tomography) scans of her brain. Most neurolgists regard these tests as standard diagnostic tools for evaluating the extent of brain injuries.

Reading through the doctors' affidavits on the Terri's Fight website, one finds that many of these doctors say the same thing: Terri should be given the MRI and PET scans. They also make mention of the Functional MRI and SPECT tests, which are capable of actually measuring and mapping the function of the brain.

Will Judge Greer actually consider this evidence? Given his track record, one has little cause to be hopeful. But any reasonable person, seeing all of these doctors calling for the same thing, would be inclined to say: "Why not do these tests?" The question for Judge Greer isn't why these tests should be done, but why any reaonable person would refuse to allow them.

Judge Greer Rules Against Schindlers Across the Board:
Seems Intent on Her Death

Corrected and Updated 3/8/05, 1:50 PM EST: Based on a news story from the St. Petersburg Times and a follow-up call to Mary Schindler, I've made a few corrections. Thanks to Media Culpa for the heads-up.


I spoke with Mary Schindler on the phone last evening, and she gave me some discouraging news on yesterday's hearings in front of Judge Greer.

Firstly, Judge Greer is holding true to his stated intention to entertain motions only pertaining to Terri's "death process" and her final disposition:

Judge Greer denied, without hearing arguments or evidence, the Schindlers' motion to compel Michael Schiavo's deposition.

Judge Greer denied, without hearing arguments or evidence, the Schindlers' motion for a divorce of Terri from Michael.

Judge Greer denied, without hearing arguments or evidence, the Schindlers' motion to remove Michael as guardian.

Judge Greer heard, but did not rule on, arguments that Terri should be fed by mouth once the feeding tube is removed March 18.

Judge Greer denied, without hearing arguments or evidence, the Schindlers' request that Terri be allowed to receive Viaticum (Holy Communion for the dying) by mouth. Judge Greer ruled that if Terri is to be given Communion, it must be done via her feeding tube.

Judge Greer denied the Schindlers' motion to allow their daughter to die at their home, noting the parents can visit the Pinellas Park hospice where she lives.

Judge Greer denied the Schindlers request to have Terri's intact body interred: He confirmed Michael's order that Terri is to be cremated upon her death.

He denied the Schindlers motion to allow Terri to be buried in Florida. Michael intends to inter her cremated remains in Pennsylvania.

Judge Greer's rulings against the Schindlers on the matter of feeding by mouth and viaticum seem to me most indicative of his frame of mind: By precluding attempts, as a "last ditch" measure, to feed her by mouth, the Judge shows that his object is not merely to stop what he might argue (erroneously) is an "extraordinary" means of support, but to see to it that she dies. One might make an analogy to someone on a respirator: frequently respirators are removed from patients, but sometimes they continue to breathe on their own without support. It is as though a judge were to order not only that a respirator be removed, but that the patient's mouth and nose be sealed with duct tape, just to make sure he can't get any air by any means.

Judge Greer's order makes him an active accomplice in directly intending Terri's death. It becomes harder and harder to see how this can be described as anything but judicially ordered homicide.

And by confirming the order to have Terri cremated, thus precluding an autopsy, he certainly give the appearance of cooperating in an effort to make sure that the full truth of Terri's condition is never ascertained.

The order regarding Viaticum, besides being cruel and bizarre (only the tiniest fraction of the Host or the tiniest drop of the Precious Blood need be placed on her tongue), serves to preserve Michael Schiavo and George Felos' contention that Terri cannot receive anything by mouth. Of course, they have never permitted a swallowing test, so we just have to take their word for it. The last thing they want is the spectacle of Terri taking anything by mouth, as that might cause people to start wondering if Terri might just be able to eat.

From George Felos' standpoint, though, that should hardly make a difference: In Terri's '98 hearings, Felos infamously advocated what he called the "spoon test". The test of whether one is a person with a full right to life, he said, is whether he/she can raise a spoon to his lips unaided. If you have a relative who is paralyzed or otherwise unable to feed himself, watch out: In George Felos' world, they're fair game for his tender advocacy of their "right" to die.

If George Felos and Judge Greer get their way, Florida will be a very, very bad place in which to be unlucky enough to get sick, have a stroke, or become incompetent. Someone will be standing by, ready to relieve you of the burden of your existence.

A Medical Fraud

That's what the doctors in Michael Schiavo's employ, and Hospice of the Florida Suncoast seem to have perpetrated in order to get and keep Terri Schiavo in hospice care for over five years.

Dr. Victor Gambone of Tampa certified, on March 3 of 2000, that Terri was terminally ill, and that the course of her disease could be expected to end her life within six months of that date. (The document is not available online, but I will e-mail a copy of it to anyone who e-mails me and asks for it.) Dr. Gambone signed his name to the statement "I expect this patient has a limited life expectancy of six (6) months or less, if disease continues to take its usual course, and hereby certify this patient as eligible for Hospice care." 

The problem, of course, is that Terri was not then suffering from any disease process which could have been expected to end her life in the forseeable future. Nor does she suffer from any such disease process now. If she dies, it will be because she is starved and dehydrated to death upon the orders of her husband.

In order to be eligible for hospice care, ordinarily one must have a life expectancy of less than six months. So how did Hospice of the Florida Suncoast come to accept Terri as a patient when she didn't meet the criteria?

Oh, that's right... Michael Schiavo's attorney and "death-with-dignity" advocate George Felos was, until recently, thechairman of the Board of Directors of the Hospice.

You know the saying, it's not what you know but who you know...

New E-Report: A "Window" On The Faith & Culture

Deal Hudson was a thorn in the side of the Catholic Left during his tenure as publisher of Crisis magazine. With his new E-Report, called "The Window", he promises to continue to confound those who confuse their Liberalism with their Catholicism.

The inaugural issue of The Window is an analysis, in the wake of the '04 election, of "How the Catholic Left and Pro-Abortion Democrats Are Preparing for the 2006 and 2008 Elections." Make no mistake, those who would like to transform our Faith into something more closely resembling leftist ideology are wasting no time preparing for the next go round in the battle over Catholic witness in the Public Square.

Hudson, in this issue, offers a list of initiatives that "progressive" Catholic are undertaking even now. Among these initiatives are:

Overturn the Legacy of John Paul II — Left-wing Catholics and dissidents tell themselves that the papacy of John Paul II is a temporary set-back. They view the Catholic Church inevitably going "beyond" its dependence on the authority of bishops and the teaching of the Magisterium.

Hudson is spot-on here. Liberal Catholics have been saying for years that the pope is trying to "turn back the clock" to the pre-conciliar period, that he is "absolutist", etc., ad nauseam. Within a month after Pope John Paul II goes to his eternal reward, the NCReporter, America, and designated acceptable Catholics in the mainstream media, will be publishing articles calling for a more "flexible" Pope, who is more "in tune with contemporary society" (read: more accepting of contraception and homosexuality), who will "moderate" the Church's conservative turn under JPII. The articles are already sitting on their word-processors, waiting to go to press.

Leading Pro-Abortion Democrats Reach Out to Pro- Lifers — We have already heard messages along this line from Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, Senator John Kerry, and new DNC chairman Howard Dean.

Of course, this is a smokescreen, but in order to prove their sincerity, the Democrats will

Showcase a Pro-life Candidate — A February 16th poll was released showing that Pennsylvania State Treasurer Bob Casey, Jr., son of the late Governor, would beat Senator Rick Santorum by five percentage points.

Bob Casey will be the poster boy in the Democrats "We Don't Want To Kill Every Unborn Child" campaign. There are already a fair number of pro-life Democrats at the local and state levels. But they have no influence whatsover in setting the Party's agenda. The proof of the Dem's sincerity will be their willingness to entertain any meaningful restriction on the abortion license. I'm not holding my breath waiting for that to happen. You shouldn't, either.

Build a Virtual Fence Around Parishes before Elections — We already saw this happen last year. Many parishes and some bishops constructively banned voters' guides which pulled no punches about the priority of life issues in Catholic teaching, such Catholic Answers "Voters' Guide For Serious Catholics". They will work all the more diligently in the next election cycle to see to it that the Catholic faithful continue to receive milk & water and pablum.

To subscribe to "The Window", you can send an e-mail to The Window at MorleyICC dot com .

Fast For Terri!

Greg Popcak over over at the Heart, Mind and Strength Blog has a great idea!

Greg says, rightly, that we need a miracle to save Terri. So let's stand at the gates of heaven and ask for one:

In this season of Lent, a time of repentance in which we reflect on the generous suffering Christ endured for our sake, I suggest we do as St. Paul suggests (Col 1:24).  Let us "join our sufferings to the cross of Christ" and offer those sufferings for Terri's sake.

I propose that from today to March 18--and perhaps beyond--all those reading this who are physically able, participate in a fast for Terri.  Let us offer our hunger to God so that she might be spared of the hunger that will kill her.

As this is a Friday in Lent, when we are called to fast and abstinence, I can't think of a better day on which to start.

To paraphrase Our Lord, some victories can only be won through fasting and prayer.