I've laid out the procedural and clinical details of this case in an earlier post. This latest move by parents, at least one sibling, and various right-to-life and disability-rights groups is either "desperately needed . . . to protect the people of this state" (Rep. Sandy Murman) or a bill that "so oversteps our role . . . it turns democracy on its head" (Rep. Dan Gelber). At the risk of repeating myself, this is apparently all about politics as a contact sport, with Terri Schiavo as the football. According to the AP, the attorney for her husband/guardian "said he thinks the legislation would be unconstitutional. He said it is Terri Schiavo's right under the Florida Constitution to not be kept alive artificially."
A letter to the editor in today's Sarasota Herald Tribune entitled "Some Things Are Worse Than Death" provides some perspective on the struggle of Terri's parents. Still, it's hard to believe that after 10 years and countless expert opinions, the parents insist that a little more rehab will restore their daughter to even a minimum quality of life. With his permission, here is an e-mailed summary of Terri Schiavo's condition from Ron Cranford, a neurologist who has personally examined her:
Terri Schiavo is in a classic permanent vegetative state. I have personally examined her and testified at a 6 day evidentiary hearing in Tampa in October, 2002, where six doctors testified on her neurologic condition, chances of recovery, and any possibility of her responding to treatment. The trial court judge concluded Terri was in a persistent (permanent) vegetative state, there was no possibility of recovery, and no chance of her responding to any treatment, including vasodilator therapy and hyperbaric oxygenation. Terri's most recent CT scans (extensively reviewed during the evidentiary hearing) show massive atrophy of the cerebral hemispheres, and the cerebellar hemispheres and brain stem, findings typical for a patient with severe and irreversible brain damage secondary to hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy after 13 years in this condition. The trial court judge reviewed the videotaped examinations of the doctors testifying and completely rejected the opinion of the Florida neurologist representing the Schindler family that Terri showed signs of cognitive functioning. The one physician who was most likely persuasive in convincing Judge George Greer of Terri's neurologic condition was the neurologist from Cleveland, Ohio, who was the court appointed medical expert and thus not representing either the Schindler family and Michael Schiavo, the husband. Interestingly, not only did the 3 judge court of appeals agree with the trial court judge, but also reviewed the videotaped examinations of the doctors and agreed that Terri showed no signs of cognition.According to an attorney who appears to be close to this case, a Florida-based nonprofit organization -- The Advocacy Center for Persons With Disabilities -- has filed an action in federal court to block the state court's dehydration order. He says their action is based upon "29 U.S.C. § 794(E) [sic]" (I assume he means 29 U.S.C. § 794e, which is a funding mechanism à la Baby Doe (42 U.S.C. §§ 5106g, 5106i(b)) but without the substantive treatment standards) and 42 U.S.C. § 15043(a)(2)(b) (which confers no legally enforceable rights as far as I can tell). As of 10am (CDT) this morning, there was nothing on their web site about the action.
If you look closely at the short videotapes released by the Schindler family, and know exactly what you're looking for, you'll see that Terri does not have sustained visual pursuit, the classic finding for someone outside a vegetative state. In the close up views of the mother interacting with Terri, you'll notice that it "appears" at times for a few seconds that Terri is "looking" at her mother, but, if you look closely, her eyes are not really tracking her mother most of the time. And she definitely would be tracking her mother the vast majority of the time were she not in a vegetative state.
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