Schiavo's father (Schindler) says she mouthed "I want to live" - CNN

[Wonk]

Just now on daybreak. ymmv. Reported that he said he saw that. Again, ymmv.

No link, sorry.

[Joe the Revelator]

1. i saw this to...

I'm no longer sure which member of the schiavo family has less brain function.

[LynneSin]

31. Schiavo or Schindler?

Schiavo is her married name. Her family name (and parent's name) is Schindler.

[rooboy]

2. But in 15 years she can't communicate anything else....

the most pathetic part of this story is the delusion that the Schindlers are holding on to. Letting their daughter peacefully go will do them a lot of good too, I think.

[lostnfound]

3. That would be THEIR decision to make, were she not married.

Why do Republicans hate marriage?

[rooboy]

7. Why do republicans hate marriage?

because it's an annoying necessity to them. They'd much rather be getting it on with an intern, a hooker or (if you're White House material) a 'dominant top'. :)

[Danmel]

35. Too bad she isn't a lesbian

Then her parents would have superior rights to her partner in Florida and there'd be no problem. Except if she was gay, they'd have probably let her die years ago and the media wouldn't care.

[ClintonTyree]

12. They can't..................

their raison d'etre would vanish. The popularity, the lights, cameras, reporters, celebrities.........their entire existence revolves around keeping Teri alive. In a flash, the entire circus would be gone, moved to another town. What the hell would these people do with themselves.
No, they want Teri alive for reasons other than life itself. Their daughter died 15 years ago. They need closure, but with the circus still in town, they'll never have that. Until she's gone.
They're the ones who are going to have a major adjustment to cope with when she dies. Their crusade will have ended. The emotional high that they've been riding the crest of is about to roll into shore and dissipate. Her death will hurt them more than it will her.

[rooboy]

13. Yeah, probably correct. Maybe Mel Gibson will make a movie about them. n/t

[AzDar]

52. Starring Patricia Heaton as Terri (not really a stretch for her ,hmm?) n/t

[gademocrat7]

36. Amen

A very good summary of the situation.

[Cooley Hurd]

45. ...and the monks will go home.

What will they do without their monk-crutches?:shrug:;)

[phylny]

4. Is ANYONE calling him on this?

What a liar. Complete nutjob.

[leftynyc]

41. He probably heard just what he wanted to hear

While I think Ms. Shiavo's husband should be making these decisions, I do understand this must be agony for her parents. I can't even imagine what it must be like for them and then to have all the wingers taking advantage of their situation...makes me sad and very, very angry.

[AngryOldDem]

51. I have a hard time believing him, too

They're in panic mode now, last-ditch-efforts galore. I don't know what they're thinking by again taking this to the Supreme Court. They are not going to prevail.

If there is a merciful God, He or She will let this madness stop soon.

[Blue Gardener]

5. The brother is just a delusional

He was saying something about her communicating over the weekend. These people really need to get a grip.
On a side note, that is going to be one circus of a funeral.

[skylarmae]

6. if I'm not mistaken, this statement was included in the papers filed

with the Supreme Court yesterday and presented to Justice Kennedy. Will these people stop at nothing?

[BlueManDude]

10. The answer to that is no.

[pf99]

8. Not an uncommon experience

Saw an expert and he said people in PVS will often make facial gestures that people will inturput as something else. Eg it looks like she is smiling

So I am sure that is what Mr Shindler thought but in reality it is not.

I feel bad for these poor parents. They do not want to bury there child. But I think once they stop fighting they will recognize a certain peace that their daughter will be in heaven.

[alcibiades_mystery]

11. Right

But you see no qualitative difference between "That looks like a smile to me" and "She mouthed 'I want to live.'" Apart from the complexity of the second operation, that is? Mr. Schindler would also believe that a thousand monkeys typing randomly would produce "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times," yes?

[theHandpuppet]

21. God called Terri home 15 years ago

It is man who keeps merely the shell of her body alive.

I really don't understand why so many Fundies -- or Terri's parents -- if they truly believe in heaven, why they so fear death! According to their own belief system the person who was Terri has already moved on to a beautiful place with a well mind and body. If they are truly believers then what they are doing is borne of selfishness and they are actually defying the will of God.

[Delphinus]

27. Exactly.

This has been my question (not just in this case) for years. I've yet to get a good explanation.

[sazemisery]

9. Here's the link

http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/03/24/schiavo/index.html

<snip>

According to the parents, "A miraculous event occurred during the weekend after Terri's feeding tube was removed, which fundamentally alters the manner in which Terri's claims are to be viewed by the federal courts."

<snip>

They don't expound on the particulars on the web site but on the tube it was said she tried to moth the words "I want to live." but couldn't do it but her father knew what she was trying to say.

Nest she will miraculously stand up and walk to the Supreme Court!!!

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

14. operative word is "tried to"

these parents are clutching at straws, I think. Too bad there wasn't another witness who was not a relative-say a nurse or attendant who saw this.

[sellitman]

15. We ALL feel awful for the parents but....

Their daughter has already passed on. Time to let her rest in peace. It's also time for these HORRID politicians to get back to the work they were supposedly elected too.

[DoYouEverWonder]

34. Speak for you self

I do not feel bad for these parents at all. They are sick, selfish people who are exploiting this poor woman for political gain. They could care less about her and what is in her best interest.

[leftynyc]

44. I don't think the parents are the ones doing the exploiting

It's the wingers who are taking advantage. It must be unbelievably tragic to watch this happen to one of your children.

[DoYouEverWonder]

46. Would you be all over TV

flashing pictures and videos of your child in this state? The parents are the ones that created and allowed the circus. All they have to do is tell the press to go away and the protesters to go home and it would be over.

[Jamastiene]

19. You DO realize

that the people who are mouthing their own version of "I want to live" for this woman are the types that always get their way, don't you?

"Next she will miraculously stand up and walk to the Supreme Court!!!"

In other words, I wouldn't doubt it at this point. They KILL me.

[Triana]

29. Lame...

...it isn't even a nice try. These "Christians" are either:

a) liars
b) delusional
c) both

[thebigidea]

16. sources claim she was actually trying to sing "Volare"

[mmonk]

17. I heard a doctor

who is an expert on persistive vegetative states say any facial expressions she may show are meaningless and involuntary. She is not conscious of her existence. The only functions come from the brain stem which only controls organ function.

[FrankieBud]

18. Next they'll find an image of the Virgin Mary

around her navel.

[Gin]

20. that would be the next logical, or illogical ,thing to happen....then

the miraculous feeding tube can be sold to the highest bidder on Ebay...who turns out to have the last name initial..B...the winning bid is 50k....and the icing on the cake is...it was bought and paid for with taxpayers money.

This is a national side show....so much for death with dignity.

[LostinVA]

22. Don't give them any ideas!!!

If they had unlimited access to Mrs. Schiavo, I'm sure stigmata or something would "miraculously" appear. These people, especially the Father & sister, have went round the bend. I get such a creepy vibe from him when he's on TV talking. It just makes my skin crawl.

[LiberalinNC]

23. Did she actually say that or did he want to see her say that?

The Schindler family is delusional...I believe the righties are telling them what to say - sorta like trying to "tug at our heart" to make the courts stop and allow the tube be reinserted. It's horrible - Terri is a shell, nothing more.

[LifeandDeath2]

24. Where does Mr Schindler

live? Disneyland?? Does he really think anyone in the United States is going to believe that?????

[bowens43]

25. And she did it while missing 70 to 90%

of her brain!! It's freakin miracle! Praise the Lord.

I feel sorry for everyone concerned but this is getting ridiculous.

[illuminaughty]

26. This delusional family will have her walking for Easter Sunday

Seriously, I pray she does not pass on Easter. Can you see the fundies? If people are buying Virgin Mary grilled cheese sandwiches on E-Bay, I don't even want to think what a freak show would ensue.

[truthisfreedom]

28. this is good news. if they keep her alive, they can't turn her into a

martyr for the religious right. and the only thing remaining will be the stink of rethugs in our homes, everywhere, at all times.

[DesEtoiles]

30. Please ban this man from all TV appearances-his behavior is shameful

[DesEtoiles]

32. A dKos diarist: Parents testified they would ignore Terri's wishes

The Schindlers, however, were not willing, under any circumstances, to let Terri die. This is some particularly tragic information and my hat is really off to the GAL who went to some pretty heroic lengths to write this both fairly and with kindness.


The Testimony provided by members of the Schindler family included very personal statements about their desire and intention to ensure that Theresa remain alive. Throughout the course of the litigation, deposition and trial testimony by members of the Schindler family voiced the disturbing belief that they would keep Theresa alive at any and all costs. Nearly gruesome examples were given, eliciting agreement by family members that in the event Theresa should contract diabetes and subsequent gangrene in each of her limbs, they would agree to amputate each limb, and would then, were she to be diagnosed with heart disease, perform open heart surgery. There was additional, difficult testimony that appeared to establish that despite the sad and undesirable condition of Theresa, the parents still derived joy from having her alive, even if Theresa might not be at all aware of her environment given the persistent vegetative state. Within the testimony, as part of the hypotheticals presented, Schindler family members stated that even if Theresa had told them of her intention to have artificial nutrition withdrawn, they would not do it. Throughout this painful and difficult trial, the family acknowledged that Theresa was in a diagnosed persistent vegetative state.


My take on all this is that the Schindlers are loving parents who don’t want their daughter to die. Michael is a loving husband who doesn’t want to see his wife forcefully kept alive against her will. (In the GAL report the GAL list four possibilities and one of them is a Johnny Got His Gun type in which the GAL hypothesizes she may be somewhat aware and unable to communicate and slowly going crazy trapped inside her own mind.) Since the only way to keep her alive is to demonize Michael, the Schindlers, a la mamma bears, are viciously attacking Michael. Kudos to him for staying out of that discussion and refusing to be drawn into it.


http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/3/22/194615/400

[CornField]

38. I read about this before the feeding tube was removed

To think that they would remove all of her limbs and then perform open heart surgery on what was left... well, it made me physically ill.

As the saying goes... if you love something, set it free.

[Crankie Avalon]

33. Each day I'm more and more grateful that people like the Schindlers...

...aren't my parents.

[Tippy]

42. This is all about political gain

No doubt about that at all, but I do feel sorry for her parents they lost their daughter 15 years ago and now they are going to lose her again...What makes matters worse is they are grabbing for straws...People are giving them false hope..No parent wants to lose a child let me tell you from experience it is the most painful experience one can go through. People are being so unfair to them to give them this false hope. And to do it for political gain is well I can not find the words to describe how terrible this is..

[maxrandb]

48. Want to Bet that Either the Mother or Father Seeks a Seat in Congress Soon

Why they can't just let her go is beyond me. Don't the fundies believe that she is going to a "better place"? or is that all just lip-service?

[Crankie Avalon]

53. When they said they didn't care what her final wishes were...

...and that they will keep her the way she is even though it's not what she wanted for herself...well, again, I'm thankful they aren't my parents.

[trapper914]

37. If She Were My Child

And I so desperately wanted her to continue living, I think I might spend every waking moment with her, knowing the end could be near. If my child were dying, I don't think I'd spend my time with Hannity.

[LisaL]

39. They are not allowed to spend every moment with her.

The are not allowed in while her husband is there.

[sonicx]

40. LOL. the Quackjob Jebby hired ADMITS Terri can't talk!!

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/24/national/24doctor.html?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1111640536-C2r3N9Vo7Zw2DsNJo9OzuQ

"Dr." William P. Cheshire Jr. -

"Although Terri did not demonstrate during our 90-minute visit compelling evidence of verbalization, conscious awareness or volitional behavior," he wrote, "yet the visitor has the distinct sense of the presence of a living human being who seems at some level to be aware of some things around her."

[fishnfla]

43. I think she mouthed

"I want to leave" or "I want you to leave"

[GiovanniC]

47. My Question

There are three kinds of declarative statements of "fact":

(1) The Truth
(2) A Lie
(3) Something untrue but which you believe is true

I am wondering if these guys are just making shit up or if they have deluded themselves so much that they now truly believe it.

[ProfessorGAC]

49. I Pick #3

This is about winning. It always has been. These two are selfish sociopaths who have decided that their route to salvation is to "save" their daughter from a death she desired rather than live like this.

Her wishes never mattered. They have to win because they've put all their eternal eggs into this basket. It's never had anything to do with her. It's always been about them.
The Professor

[Az]

50. The situation has created a delusional state the parents are living in

They cannot accept that their daughter is gone. Thus they cling to a lingering hope that she will recover. Because her condition allows her body to continue to exist their delusion has been allowed to take control of their life. It has grown overpowering. And now that the end is near they are growing desperate. The end is near for them and the healing can finally begin.

It is going to be ugly. Like an addict being forced to go cold turkey it is going to cause immense suffering. But it must be weathered for them to be able to return to some semblance of life.

[ernstbass]

66. Well said Az

I think that this family will require professional help to get on with the business of living their lives.

[arwalden]

54. How Is This Possible?

[Az]

55. One of two possibilities

Its a miracle or a delusion.

[arwalden]

60. Hmmm... Of Those Two Choices...

I'm thinking that "delusion" is the correct explanation. However, If "desperate outright lie" had been one of the choices, that would have been my first choice.

-- Allen

[Az]

64. A desperate mind

can create desperate outright lies and convince itself that they are true. That is a delusion.

[underpants]

56. He's not a lip reader now is he?

She would have probably said "you are using me"

[Solly Mack]

57. My hiney hole can whistle melodiously but I wouldn't exactly call it

proof of consciousness...


...I'm just sayin'

[mondo joe]

58. No, she mouthed "Fuck off, you dick"

He father is not much of a lip reader.

[leesa]

59. Man, these new fangled christians are liars. God must have told them it's

OK to lie.

[lonestarnot]

61. Do you think he is hallucinating from lack of sleep? Or willing it to be?

[CatWoman]

62. what the hell is "ymmv"???

[Bunny]

65. Your mileage may vary.

[PaDem]

63. well, that demonstrates that he is not being honest in this

process.

[kskiska]

67. If she could do that, why can't she communicate yes or no

in some manner – blinks, hand squeezes, etc.? Then she could answer everyone's questions.

[jandrok]

68. She really whispered "Hey Ho, Social Security has got to go!"

It was miraculous!

[Toots]

69. Isn't that "Bearing False Witness"?

I do believe that is one of the Commandments these fanatics want to force in everyone's lives. How easily they can cast aside one of those pesky commandments if it interferes with their desires of the moment....