We are in total agreement on this point, Peg. I truly believe that it is the right of the guardian to make medical decisions for their charges. What I don't believe, in this particular case, is that Michael is being up front and honest with anyone. His testimony shows that. If Terri really wanted not to be kept alive artificially, then why did he wait until after the malpractice trial to start witholding treatment? Why didn't he say in the beginning that medical malpractice had put his wife into a situation she had stated she did not wish to be in?
Personally, I think he thought that she would die sooner of some complication if he just didn't let anyone give her therapy or other treatment. When it came about that she could live a lot longer than he had planned, then Michael suddenly decided that SHE never wanted to live this way in the first place. If he made a bad decision in the first place, then I think he should have to live with that decision. Had he even said, in the early trials, that HE wanted to keep Terri with him and take care of her even though she may have preferred otherwise, then I would be all for his stance now. He didn't do that.
I also think that his lawyers saw a patsy coming on this one and have kept it going in order to get the rest of the money. Follow the money is not a bad adage in things like this. Without the lawyers, without all of the media attention, I think that Michael may have been amenable to just taking a settlement amount and walking away. This case has been blown all out of proportion. I think it is because Mr. Felos wants to make a name for himself and to spend down or out the money won in the medical malpractice suit.
Oh, and putting food into a feeding tube is not a matter of just liquifying one's dinner and shoving it into the tube! Tube food comes in either hanging bags or cans and has to be either pumped in or put in via a 60cc syringe using either gravity feed or a slowly assisted feed. It is not a natural operation and how to do it, including how to flush the tube, keep it unclogged and give meds through it as well as keeping enough fluids going in and the electrolytes balanced is no mean feat for an adult. Some patients also pull their tubes out and the tube has to be changed every 60 to 90 days or so. Medicare will pay for one every 90 days on home care but nursing homes usually switch them out at 60 days. A tube can be out for about 12 to 24 hours before it means surgery to reinsert it. Usually it is removed and another one immediately inserted in the stoma. Surgical jelly is used to lubricate the new tube and its balloon is filled with sterile water. This must be checked and refilled sometimes every week and often the balloon deteriorates so that keeping the tube from slipping out is also necessary. I usually have to tape my husbands to his chest using special hypoallergenic tape which breathes. The stoma, too, must be cleaned of stomach juices that gather there and form a scablike thing which is a skin irritant and can make it impossible to move the tube without causing pain.
Nomatter how the Schiavo case comes out, Terri will go through a lot of pain. My greatest fear is that she is aware of that. For that reason I am glad that someone said they will allow her pain relieving drugs in her last days.
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Re: More re: feeding tubes.
Date: 2005-03-25 12:56 am (UTC)Personally, I think he thought that she would die sooner of some complication if he just didn't let anyone give her therapy or other treatment. When it came about that she could live a lot longer than he had planned, then Michael suddenly decided that SHE never wanted to live this way in the first place. If he made a bad decision in the first place, then I think he should have to live with that decision. Had he even said, in the early trials, that HE wanted to keep Terri with him and take care of her even though she may have preferred otherwise, then I would be all for his stance now. He didn't do that.
I also think that his lawyers saw a patsy coming on this one and have kept it going in order to get the rest of the money. Follow the money is not a bad adage in things like this. Without the lawyers, without all of the media attention, I think that Michael may have been amenable to just taking a settlement amount and walking away. This case has been blown all out of proportion. I think it is because Mr. Felos wants to make a name for himself and to spend down or out the money won in the medical malpractice suit.
Oh, and putting food into a feeding tube is not a matter of just liquifying one's dinner and shoving it into the tube! Tube food comes in either hanging bags or cans and has to be either pumped in or put in via a 60cc syringe using either gravity feed or a slowly assisted feed. It is not a natural operation and how to do it, including how to flush the tube, keep it unclogged and give meds through it as well as keeping enough fluids going in and the electrolytes balanced is no mean feat for an adult. Some patients also pull their tubes out and the tube has to be changed every 60 to 90 days or so. Medicare will pay for one every 90 days on home care but nursing homes usually switch them out at 60 days. A tube can be out for about 12 to 24 hours before it means surgery to reinsert it. Usually it is removed and another one immediately inserted in the stoma. Surgical jelly is used to lubricate the new tube and its balloon is filled with sterile water. This must be checked and refilled sometimes every week and often the balloon deteriorates so that keeping the tube from slipping out is also necessary. I usually have to tape my husbands to his chest using special hypoallergenic tape which breathes. The stoma, too, must be cleaned of stomach juices that gather there and form a scablike thing which is a skin irritant and can make it impossible to move the tube without causing pain.
Nomatter how the Schiavo case comes out, Terri will go through a lot of pain. My greatest fear is that she is aware of that. For that reason I am glad that someone said they will allow her pain relieving drugs in her last days.