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Terri’s gasp for life
By now, you’ve probably heard that Congress passed and the president signed a bill that would give federal courts jurisdiction over Terri Schiavo’s case. It remains to be seen what action the court will take.
But, going back a couple of days, it appears that the story about Terri’s lawyer prompting her to say “I want to live” is true.
The most dramatic event of this visit happened at one point when I was sitting on Terri’s bed next to Suzanne. Terri was sitting in her lounge chair and her aunt was standing at the foot of the chair. I stood up and learned over Terri. I took her arms in both of my hands. I said to her, “Terri if you could only say ‘I want to live’ this whole thing could be over today.” I begged her to try very hard to say, “I want to live.” To my enormous shock and surprise, Terri’s eyes opened wide, she looked me square in the face, and with a look of great concentration, she said, “Ahhhhhhh.” Then, seeming to summon up all the strength she had, she virtually screamed, “Waaaaaaaa.” She yelled so loudly that Michael Vitadamo, Suzanne’s husband, and the female police officer who were then standing together outside Terri’s door, clearly heard her. At that point, Terri had a look of anguish on her face that I had never seen before and she seemed to be struggling hard, but was unable to complete the sentence. She became very frustrated and began to cry. I was horrified that I was obviously causing Terri so much anguish. Suzanne and I began to stroke Terri’s face and hair to comfort her. I told Terri I was very sorry. It had not been my intention to upset her so much. Suzanne and I assured Terri that her efforts were much appreciated and that she did not need to try to say anything more. I promised Terri I would tell the world that she had tried to say, ”I want to live.”
Read the whole story. I defy you to prove to me this woman is a vegetable.
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COMMENTS
Thanks to Amy Wellborn at “Open Book” I read the congressional arguments as Terri’s bill made it through the House last night. It took a liberal Catholic Democratic representative from Ohio, Marcy Kaptur, to make one of the most repulsively stupid comments on record:
“Everyone loves Terri. But her being belongs not to us, but to God and to her family. Only Terri’s family has watched the profound journey of accompaniment with her for the last 15 years. The decision does not belong with the congress or with the courts, but with the family, even if they can’t agree.”
“Everybody love Terri.”!? Is the Hon. Kaptur a caricature of a sitcom writer, a stand-in for Pontius Pilate, or just a run-of-the-mill new American Catholic the likes of which haunt many of our once orthodox religious institutions?
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 03/21/05 at 08:49 AM Would you believe that a CNN admittedly unscientific “poll” shows that about 67% of Americans voting think that the feeding tube should remain out? ABC news reporters speak of the “right to die.” Isn’t it the “right to LIFE?” I fear that America is becoming a nation where euthanasia will closely follow abortion in our throw-away society. We need to pray!
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 03/21/05 at 09:52 AM I wish I could tell you the name, but last night on the news, some congress person said “My constituents didn’t send me to Washington to decide matters of life and death.”
Oh, really? What did they send you there for? Abortion, war, Social Security, health-care, capital punishment; not matters of life and death?
300 million people in the United States and this is the best we can do for a representative? God help us!
Thought for the day: If separation of church and state is such a good idea, why does Congress take two weeks off for Easter?
At the HOUR OF DIVINE MERCY
U.S. District Judge James Whittemore in Tampa, Florida, set a hearing for 3 p.m. (2000 GMT) to consider a request from Terri Schiavo’s parents to have feeding resumed for the 41-year-old woman.
Please stop and pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet at 3pm
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 03/21/05 at 10:52 AM Culture of Death alert, man all stations ... follow up with the Rosary tonite…we are facing down Satan directly on this one.
Did anyone see the ABC Nightly News? They spent the first 15 minutes of their half-hour broadcast on the Schiavo story, siding with the pro-death bunch the whole way, including a doctor at the very end who said that death by starvation, for someone in Terri’s state, would be painless.
I prayed my Chaplet of Divine Mercy at 3:00. Thanks for the suggestion!
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 03/21/05 at 04:48 PM Dear Midwestmom: You are a very brave woman indeed to watch ABC Nightly News! The thought of Peter Jennings live on a television set would frighten even my two big dogs. I have just enough courage to read and pray.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 03/21/05 at 04:58 PM John - Eliz. Vargas was filling in for Pete tonight. He probably called in sick after the legislation passed last night.
Actually, I don’t ever tune into the nightly news but the opening preview - something about ABC laying out all ‘the facts’ - piqued my interest. As soon as I heard that I knew what I was in for!
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 03/21/05 at 05:04 PM I was perplexed by Terri’s attorney telling Judge Whittemore (Greer clone) that removing her feeding tube would be a mortal sin for her. Can someone clarify?
IS it a mortal sin for a Catholic to state in a living will that they would want nutrition and hydration withheld if they were in a similar state?
I think the only one guilty of mortal sin at this point is Michael Schiavo (Hemlock Society’s “Husband of the Year” award winner).
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 03/22/05 at 07:33 AM midwestmom,
According to the US Bishops, “Morally even the patient making decisions for himself or herself is bound by norms that prohibit the directly intended causing of death through action or omission and by the distinction between ordinary and extraordinary means.”
This whole thing is very complex. I suggest you read the entire bishops’ document at http://www.priestsforlife.org/magisterium/bishops/92-04nutritionandhydrationnccbprolifecommittee.htm The “Priests for Life web site has a lot of information and links on the subject.
Is anyone else ever-so-slightly annoyed that the U.S. bishops have come out NOW on the death penalty business? Where is their joint statement on the Schiavo case?
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 03/22/05 at 10:35 AM Commenting is not available in this weblog entry.
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