One more chance for Terri Schiavo This week Robert and Mary Schindler’s roller coaster ride to save their daughter’s life was on an upswing. The same judge who has repeatedly decided that their daughter Terri should die, tossed them some good news. Judge George Greer told Terri’s husband, Michael, that he cannot remove his wife’s feeding tube until the Schindler’s find out whether they can win a new trial. The story of Terri Schiavo and the decade-long battle between her parents and husband is both sad and scary. The story has been portrayed in the mainstream Canadian media as a struggle between a grieving husband, Michael Schiavo, trying to fulfill his wife’s wishes not to be kept alive in a vegetative state against her grieving parents, who in their denial of reality, will support endless medical interventions to keep their hopelessly non-responsive daughter alive. Here are a few of the facts of the case. Just for the record, this information is from www.terrisfight.org, a website set up by Terri’s family to explain their view to the world. It includes court documents, affidavits, video clips of Terri responding to her mother and a host of other information. Terri Schiavo collapsed in her home in 1990 at the age of 26. No one is clear why she collapsed but she suffered major brain injury that has left her unable to talk, walk or feed herself. In a subsequent malpractice suit, Terri’s husband argued that his wife needed rehabilitative therapy and she was awarded over $1 million. Michael told the court that, as her legal guardian, he planned to use the money to help her recover. The following year, 1993, her refused to allow rehab therapy for Terri and posted a Do Not Resuscitate order on her medical chart. For the next several years, Schindlers and Schiavo battled. Schindlers brought a suit to have him removed as guardian. They lost. He denied them any medical information and several times barred them from visiting Terri. In 1998, he went to court to have her feeding tube removed on the grounds that Terri had once in a dinner conversation said that she wouldn’t want to be kept alive artificially. Terri left no directive and no on in her family had ever heard her make such a statement. Michael’s brother and sister-in-law corroborated his story. Michael had not mentioned that conversation during the malpractice suit. Doctors appointed by Michael have said Terri is in a “persistent vegetative state (PVS)” and does not respond to any stimulus. His lawyer, George Felos, a right to die activist, has compared her to a “houseplant.” Felos has received almost $500,000 of Terri’s trust fund in payment for legal actions to end her life. Terri’s family, on the other hand, have video clips of Terri (posted on the website) responding to them during visits. They also have affidavits from nurses and workers at the nursing homes describing Terri as smiling and responding to them. Since 1998, Terri’s feeding tube has been removed twice to hasten her death and twice Terri’s parents have gone to court to have it reinserted. Last year, Terri was without food or hydration for six days until Governor Jeb Bush introduced a law to order the tube reinserted and a review done on the case. Fourteen medical professionals have said, some of them in sworn testimony, that Terri is not in a PVS and would respond well to therapy, particularly therapy that would allow her to eat without a feeding tube. Michael will not allow such therapy. The ten-year battle is documented in a timeline at terrisfight.org. It is exhausting just to read. Why, one wonders, would Michael Schiavo continue this fight? Is he so devoted to his wife and her wishes? In 1997, Michael announced his engagement to Jodi Centonze, a woman with whom he was living. He has since had two children with her. He refuses to divorce Terri, and as her legal guardian, he would have to give his permission for her to divorce him. Terri’s parents have asked to be made her guardians and have said they want no money for her care. They just want to ensure that she receives therapy. The judge who has heard most of these suits between the two groups does not seem to consider Michael Schiavo to be in a conflict of interest, even though he has control of the money left to Terri, has set up a new household with another woman and will be left with whatever money remains in the account, should Terri die. The case has become a battleground, not just between Terri’s parents and husband, but between pro-life and pro-death supporters. Many disabled activists and pro-life groups have rallied around the Schindlers to argue the case for Terri’s right to live and right to treatment. The euthanasia, death with dignity and right to die groups have been vocal in their support of removing the feeding tube and killing Terri. Do not think for a minute that Terri’s case is exceptional. It is exceptional only because of the public attention. It’s a safe bet that Terri is still alive only because of this high profile fight and the dogged persistence of her parents and family. I have no doubt that there are cases every day in our country where people—be they elderly or disabled—are denied treatment. There have already been cases in Canada where the medical officials ignore the family’s wishes. Sometimes, doctors can override even an advanced directive. As our health system becomes further strained and our respect for the sanctity of human life ever more debased, these vulnerable people will be more at risk. Let us pray that each and every one of them has someone—family member, friend, advocate—to fight for their right to life.
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