Terri Schiavo has passed.....

[Erika]

It's a very sad story on both sides of the fence. I can tell you this- if I was in Terri's place, I would WANT my husband to move on with his life. 15 years is a long time. Whether he's right, whether he's wrong, the easier thing to do would have been to just divorce her and let the family deal with it, so I have to think he believes in what he has done. No amount of money is going through what he's gone through, and from what I hear, there is not very much left anyhow. I feel for him, I feel for her parents, her siblings, her friends- nobody wins.

I will say that I am so angered every time I see footage of her on tv. I would hope that my husband and my family would have more respect for me than to allow a camera into my hospital room like that.

 

[Robfasto]

I will say that I am so angered every time I see footage of her on tv. I would hope that my husband and my family would have more respect for me than to allow a camera into my hospital room like that.

I couldn't agree more. This is really the biggest gripe I have about this.

Why here? Why Now? Why Her? Why not my family?

Of course I really glad my family was kept out of the press and public, this as with any other type of decision like this should be left to the families and not swayed by outside sources.

 

[Number_6]

Both of my parents made decisions and expressed them to each other and to myself that if they were ever to a point where they had to be kept alive by a machine or other artificial means(couldn't breathe or eat of their own accord) that they would want to be allowed to die. Several years later, my father was diagnosed with lung cancer. Mere months after that, my mother ended up in the hospital with a failing liver and kidneys. After a month in the hospital, it was realized that she wasn't getting any better and at that point she just asked to be allowed to go home. She was at least able to express her wishes at that time and she died at home, in bed, the following morning. My father continued on with chemo for the next year and a half. At the end of that time, he ended up back in the hospital and it was found that the cancer had spread to his esophagus. He went comatose and I had to make a decision. Either try to keep him alive on a machine or let whatever was going to happen, just happen. I knew that he wasn't going to get any better at that point and I had to let him go. It was the hardest thing to do, and I cried for a long time afterward. In the case of the Schiavos, all I can say is that as a married couple, the final decision was the husband's to make. She may have been breathing on her own, but she could in no way feed herself or ask for anything. There was no evidence that she was aware of her surroundings and the doctors treating her felt there was no chance of her ever recovering. In that instance, I would make the same decision he made, every time.

 

[sillyspook13]

Theres a lot of talk about right wrong blame etc. But next to nothing about what constitutes life.

To me life is more than being present in the physical sense. and I hope Im never in the position where Ill be starved to death.

If you did that to an animal or pet youd be arrested for cruelty, but surprise surprise humans are not offered the same consideration.

If a pet, considered a member of the family, is sick they are euthanized. The animal no longer suffered. It's acceptable and considered the right thing to do. Yet any form of euthanization of a human family member is considered murder.

Makes no sense to me!

 

[TTATraveler]

Well, Teri is finally at peace. What really irks me the most is the media circus that went on during this whole ordeal. Every day people die from having their advanced life support removed or terminated due to personal wishes and the media does not spend one second talking about them nor do people protest outside the hospital. However, the attention that is case got is sickening. This should have simply been a family ordeal and not an national ordeal played out in the media, courts, and with politicians. I think the parents in a way egged on the whole situation by going from 1 court to another.

This is simply my opinion, but living in a permanent vegetative state with a feeding tube in me is not much of a life. I am not sure why people are attacking Teri's husband either. It is time for him grieve and to move on with his life and dealing with 15 years worth of this ordeal. He had the right to make a decision on removing the feeding tube. If he is so greedy and after money, then why didn't he have her tube removed after a month or a year of being in a vegetative state? Why wait 15 years?

I know the media circus is not over, and will continue for the next few days. I don't see the need for an autopsy either. Let this woman be in her final resting place in peace.

 

[speck76]

What really irks me the most is the media circus that went on during this whole ordeal.

What do you expect anymore....

News reports are no longer about content, they are about ratings.....Anything that will grab peoples attention (which most of the time means controversy) and keep them glued to the TV will be blown WAY out of proportion by the media.

When is the last time you saw a newscast spend a decent amount of time reporting something positive?

taken from http://www.tvsurveys.com

News Should Be Factual — "Focus on what the facts are...It should be facts, not television drama...A lot of it's not based on 100% fact. Some of it might be true, but a lot of it's innuendo or suggestive truth, but not absolute truth...I don't trust sensationalism as being accurate...News is facts, and tabloid is not facts. It hasn't been proven either/or...In the old days, they had the facts. Who, what, when, where, why. Maybe that's not exciting, but that's what I'm really looking for...It spreads misinformation and hearsay, and people come up with the wrong conclusions and sometimes act on the wrong things...Don't bring personality into it...I can't see any reason why they should broadcast anything but the absolute truth. And if they're embellishing it with their own agenda, and not telling the truth about it, then they shouldn't be on there...You listen to the news to hear the facts about what's happened, not to get a sensational broadcast...Before they find out exactly what the story is, they're already reporting it. They get maybe half the story, and then have to retract a week or two later."

News Should Be Relevant — "Is it something I need to know or not? If it's gossip, rumors or sensationalism, I don't need to know. Give me the facts. We don't care what those people's lives are like. I don't care what they do in their own personal life...If it's not talking about my community, or weather, or something around me, I don't wanna hear it. Information about other people's lives is not important...Sensationalism isn't news, it might as well be a soap opera...They run stuff that's not really news, it's just sad or heartbreaking, and they use it to draw viewers...It's hype, and it's gossip, and it's rumor, and doesn't serve any positive purpose for anybody...It's not newsworthy. It's trying to turn fiction into truth, and you're not getting to the meat of the story, you're just getting fluff...Most of the things don't really matter...I just don't feel [sensationalism] has a place in the news. It's not the appropriate thing to be brought out...I used to appreciate the news when it was really news. The types of things that were important to know. Now, I mostly read the paper for the news...Especially in New York City, they really do sensationalize the news. It's so sensational, it has nothing to do with my life at all...I want the real story, what goes on in real, everyday life with real people, no gossip column."

I Really Resent All the Hype — "They should eliminate it because they're journalists, and they should leave that to the tabloids. We should get a balanced view of what's going on...They're there to report the news, and most reasoning people don't really want the news reported in a tabloid way...They don't just report the news, they put a spin on it to try to sensationalize it...It doesn't need to be on the local news...They hype a lot of things, and I've found some of it quite distorted. I've seen them take things out of context and change it around to look like more than it is...It's all hyped up, especially about the actors and actresses. I don't really believe what they say. It's just all scandal...There's just too much hype over certain things. A murder is a tragedy. Instead of reporting, it's more like it's ratings driven...Report the news as it is, don't try to put their own twist on it...They blow it up and run trash stuff."

I Feel Exploited by Misleading Promotion — "They made it out to be some big ol' thing and it's not. They made everybody stay up 'til the 11:00 newscast, and it was just an itty-bitty blurb...They advertise things in a way when they're trying to get people to watch that misleads them as to the importance of the story."

Sensationalism Only Makes Problems Worse — "I don't think the negative aspect of society has to be pointed out, especially as a role model for behavior for children...The Colorado incident gives teenagers ideas...If it's a crime, it makes it worse...They exploit people and give our children the impression that if they do something wrong instead of something good, they're gonna make headlines...If it's a crime, it makes it worse...They broadcast [certain stories] for 3-4 days and bombard us continuously with it, so now you have copycats."

Repetition Adds to the Sensationalism — "For 2-3 days at a time, they run the same thing over and over...They overemphasize things, and report it TOO much...They shouldn't be on fifteen times a day with `Joe Blow hasn't got the chair yet,' and they recreate the scene over and over and over again constantly...It's harmful to everybody to keep publishing things. The President should've been fired. It was all over television for a MONTH...It has more of a negative effect because of the way they build things up. They dwell on it too long."

It Makes Stations Seem Less Professional — "To me, it lessens their credibility. It makes it seem more like entertainment as opposed to a news story...There are other shows that do tabloid stuff, it doesn't have to be on the news...Like the William Shatner story that came out recently about his wife drowning? Where they played the 911 tape? That was sensationalism, that wasn't really necessary...The newscasters seem more like entertainers than newscasters...It's news that says everyone out there has an IQ of 10. It also reinforces people's fascination with that which is superficial."

Sensationalism Shows a Lack of Sensitivity — "It's how much gore can you possibly get in, in a half-hour or an hour? Like the gory stuff you see when they put on a wreck. I wouldn't want my family, if they were in a wreck, to be shown all over...When the media reports things, they should consider family feelings first before they announce it. My niece was killed in a car accident. It's not too pleasant to see it on TV before you know it happened...They'll harp on the crying people. Why interview these people that're in agony, even if they say it's okay? That's not what viewers are looking for."

 

[Slipknot]

I will say that I am so angered every time I see footage of her on tv. I would hope that my husband and my family would have more respect for me than to allow a camera into my hospital room like that.

Actually it is mostly home video from the parents. The only news footage of her is when she is outside her room and the building she was at some years ago.

 

[Slipknot]

What really irks me the most is the media circus that went on during this whole ordeal.

It has only been in the news for a few of the 15 years. That is hardly the "WHOLE ORDEAL."

 

[TTATraveler]

What do you expect anymore....

News reports are no longer about content, they are about ratings.....Anything that will grab peoples attention (which most of the time means controversy) and keep them glued to the TV will be blown WAY out of proportion by the media.

When is the last time you saw a newscast spend a decent amount of time reporting something positive?

taken from http://www.tvsurveys.com

News Should Be Factual — "Focus on what the facts are...It should be facts, not television drama...A lot of it's not based on 100% fact. Some of it might be true, but a lot of it's innuendo or suggestive truth, but not absolute truth...I don't trust sensationalism as being accurate...News is facts, and tabloid is not facts. It hasn't been proven either/or...In the old days, they had the facts. Who, what, when, where, why. Maybe that's not exciting, but that's what I'm really looking for...It spreads misinformation and hearsay, and people come up with the wrong conclusions and sometimes act on the wrong things...Don't bring personality into it...I can't see any reason why they should broadcast anything but the absolute truth. And if they're embellishing it with their own agenda, and not telling the truth about it, then they shouldn't be on there...You listen to the news to hear the facts about what's happened, not to get a sensational broadcast...Before they find out exactly what the story is, they're already reporting it. They get maybe half the story, and then have to retract a week or two later."

News Should Be Relevant — "Is it something I need to know or not? If it's gossip, rumors or sensationalism, I don't need to know. Give me the facts. We don't care what those people's lives are like. I don't care what they do in their own personal life...If it's not talking about my community, or weather, or something around me, I don't wanna hear it. Information about other people's lives is not important...Sensationalism isn't news, it might as well be a soap opera...They run stuff that's not really news, it's just sad or heartbreaking, and they use it to draw viewers...It's hype, and it's gossip, and it's rumor, and doesn't serve any positive purpose for anybody...It's not newsworthy. It's trying to turn fiction into truth, and you're not getting to the meat of the story, you're just getting fluff...Most of the things don't really matter...I just don't feel [sensationalism] has a place in the news. It's not the appropriate thing to be brought out...I used to appreciate the news when it was really news. The types of things that were important to know. Now, I mostly read the paper for the news...Especially in New York City, they really do sensationalize the news. It's so sensational, it has nothing to do with my life at all...I want the real story, what goes on in real, everyday life with real people, no gossip column."

I Really Resent All the Hype — "They should eliminate it because they're journalists, and they should leave that to the tabloids. We should get a balanced view of what's going on...They're there to report the news, and most reasoning people don't really want the news reported in a tabloid way...They don't just report the news, they put a spin on it to try to sensationalize it...It doesn't need to be on the local news...They hype a lot of things, and I've found some of it quite distorted. I've seen them take things out of context and change it around to look like more than it is...It's all hyped up, especially about the actors and actresses. I don't really believe what they say. It's just all scandal...There's just too much hype over certain things. A murder is a tragedy. Instead of reporting, it's more like it's ratings driven...Report the news as it is, don't try to put their own twist on it...They blow it up and run trash stuff."

I Feel Exploited by Misleading Promotion — "They made it out to be some big ol' thing and it's not. They made everybody stay up 'til the 11:00 newscast, and it was just an itty-bitty blurb...They advertise things in a way when they're trying to get people to watch that misleads them as to the importance of the story."

Sensationalism Only Makes Problems Worse — "I don't think the negative aspect of society has to be pointed out, especially as a role model for behavior for children...The Colorado incident gives teenagers ideas...If it's a crime, it makes it worse...They exploit people and give our children the impression that if they do something wrong instead of something good, they're gonna make headlines...If it's a crime, it makes it worse...They broadcast [certain stories] for 3-4 days and bombard us continuously with it, so now you have copycats."

Repetition Adds to the Sensationalism — "For 2-3 days at a time, they run the same thing over and over...They overemphasize things, and report it TOO much...They shouldn't be on fifteen times a day with `Joe Blow hasn't got the chair yet,' and they recreate the scene over and over and over again constantly...It's harmful to everybody to keep publishing things. The President should've been fired. It was all over television for a MONTH...It has more of a negative effect because of the way they build things up. They dwell on it too long."

It Makes Stations Seem Less Professional — "To me, it lessens their credibility. It makes it seem more like entertainment as opposed to a news story...There are other shows that do tabloid stuff, it doesn't have to be on the news...Like the William Shatner story that came out recently about his wife drowning? Where they played the 911 tape? That was sensationalism, that wasn't really necessary...The newscasters seem more like entertainers than newscasters...It's news that says everyone out there has an IQ of 10. It also reinforces people's fascination with that which is superficial."

Sensationalism Shows a Lack of Sensitivity — "It's how much gore can you possibly get in, in a half-hour or an hour? Like the gory stuff you see when they put on a wreck. I wouldn't want my family, if they were in a wreck, to be shown all over...When the media reports things, they should consider family feelings first before they announce it. My niece was killed in a car accident. It's not too pleasant to see it on TV before you know it happened...They'll harp on the crying people. Why interview these people that're in agony, even if they say it's okay? That's not what viewers are looking for."

You are 100% correct Speck, and eventhough I know this is the case, it still irks me that it is all about the ratings. I don't know how many different people the Today show interviewed and still fealt to ask the same questions over and over. Yes, she had her feeding tube removed and it will only be a matter of time before she passes away, yet you would have thought that something drastic was changing day by day with all the coverage. I wonder how much media coverage the Pope will receive since he too has a feeding tube in place and is not doing to well.

I think there is usually 1 positive story, and they like to end with it. If I was a senior citizen and was confined to my home, I would really be scared to leave my house since the world is so "dangerous".

 

[TTATraveler]

It has only been in the news for a few of the 15 years. That is hardly the "WHOLE ORDEAL."

I realize that, but I think the media certainly made up for the years that Teri went unreported and unnoticed, sort of like other everday citizens who have been removed from advanced life support without 1 second of coverage by the media.

 

[Erika]

Actually it is mostly home video from the parents. The only news footage of her is when she is outside her room and the building she was at some years ago.

You are right on the home video- I still don't think it's fair to her that any of that was on the air. Show the older pictures, where she knew she was being photographed- that I have no problem with. But with the other footage, I really felt that she was being exploited.

 

[DizkneeBoi]

Today, is a very tragic day in our great nation. Terri Schiavo has peen pronounced dead at 41 years of age today. Personally, I think this may be the biggest tragedy since 9/11. To deny a person food and water is absolutely rediculous. I mean, assisted suicide is so looked down upon in our culture, and yet how is this situation not assisted suicide?

Another thing that really angers me about this whole situation is accroding to the lawyer of the Schiavo's, Terri Schiavo's husband has had an on going relationship with a another women after Terri was injured. And he was the one who gave the consent to pull the feeding toube!! REDICULOUS!

This was a homicide in my book. In no way could this death be justified as anything else.

This is a sad day in American history. It amazes me, supposively our society has "come so far" and yet we still haven't learned anything!

The worst tragedy since 9/11? Get real this kind of stuff happens all the time. It's the same thing when someone is in a coma and they decide to pull the plug. What really sickens me about our society is not that they supposedly "starved" this woman, but all the hype it has received. BTW it's spelled RIDICULOUS! Comparing this to 9/11 is just absurd and ignorant if you ask me....

 

[DDuckFan130]

The worst tradedy since 9/11? Get real this kind of stuff happens all the time. It's the same thing when someone is in a coma and they decide to pull the plug. What really sickens me about our society is not that they supposedly "starved" this woman, but all the hype it has recieved. BTW it's spelled RIDICULOUS! Comparing this to 9/11 is just absurd and ignorant if you ask me....

If you're going to post with the same kind of attitude as the OP and even have the "cojones" to criticize his spelling, spell correctly yourself.

It's tragedy and it's received. :wave:

 

[DizkneeBoi]

If you're going to post with the same kind of attitude as the OP and even have the "cojones" to criticize his spelling, spell correctly yourself.

It's tragedy and it's received. :wave:

Thank you for pointing that out to me! Misspelled words and bad grammar are actually two of my biggest pet peaves. I guess I was in a hurry typing! BTW, sorry about the "attitude" but comparing it to 9/11 really es me off and is a slap in the face to all of those who died. *PS I edited my above post. hehe*

 

[DDuckFan130]

Thank you for pointing that out to me! Misspelled words and bad grammar are actually two of my biggest pet peaves. I guess I was in a hurry typing! BTW, sorry about the "attitude" but comparing it to 9/11 really es me off and is a slap in the face to all of those who died.

I understand. That is why I pointed out the tsunami thing.

 

[Laura]

I also don't understand why the man didn't just get a divorce so he could move on with his life and let Teri's parent's take on the full responsibility. I highly doubt that in this country you are "forced" to remain married to someone forever under these circumstances.

My real gripe is that she starved to death. I find that to be truly inhumane. Here's what I don't understand. When they removed the feeding tube everyone KNEW she was going to die. Humans can only be deprived of food and water for so long. So why such a terrible, painful death? I think once the decision was made to basically "kill" Teri, they should have done it humanely. If your beloved pet becomes very ill do you just let it starve to death? No, because that would be cruel. So why do it to a human being? It would have been more humane to shoot her in the head than it was to let her starve like that.

So my stance is - I think that euthanasia should be an option for people who end up in permanent vegetative states and such, so long as it was requested in their living will. But denying someone food and water is just awful.

With Teri I would have to side with the parents - since Teri didn't have a living will she should have been provided with food and water until she died a natural death, regardless of what she discussed with her husband. And I feel terrible for her poor parents who had to go the last several days knowing that their daughter was suffering.

But the bottom line is, its none of my business. But I am glad there is now a widespread awareness of the importance of a living will.

 

[Slipknot]

You are right on the home video- I still don't think it's fair to her that any of that was on the air. Show the older pictures, where she knew she was being photographed- that I have no problem with. But with the other footage, I really felt that she was being exploited.

Only one way for home videos to be put on TV, the owners (her parents) took a lot of money by the news companies. So if anyone is to blame, it is her parents. And I have seen plenty of photos of her before it happened, which would have to be bought too. So again, her parents got a helluva lot (way too much, probably) of money for them.

 

[Slipknot]

I realize that, but I think the media certainly made up for the years that Teri went unreported and unnoticed, sort of like other everday citizens who have been removed from advanced life support without 1 second of coverage by the media.

Whatever... And not to be rude or anything but her name is spelled with 2 r's.

 

[Halfling418]

Yes, I am somewhat tired of hearing of this. The media should give the story a break soon, and let Terri be at peace.

Yes, I think the story is upsetting, but I'm going to play devil's advocate for a bit.

If people are upset that you are "playing God" when you take away feeding tubes, is it not also "playing God" when you put someone on life support, someone who would have died naturally, a person who had reached his or her time--only to have them lie there without being able to think or feel?

I do think the fact that she was starved is distrurbing, but, if you believe doctors (and I have no reason not to so far), they say since she does not have feeling, she could not experience the pain of starvation.

But yes, the situation is complicated. If I was in her family, I don't know what I'd do. I'd be feeling pretty helpless.

...People are dying every day, of all causes. Bombs are going off, tsunamis wipe out countless, and we should mourn for all of these losses, the ones covered by the media, and the ones nobody will ever hear about.

 

[speck76]

My real gripe is that she starved to death. I find that to be truly inhumane. Here's what I don't understand. When they removed the feeding tube everyone KNEW she was going to die. Humans can only be deprived of food and water for so long. So why such a terrible, painful death? I think once the decision was made to basically "kill" Teri, they should have done it humanely. If your beloved pet becomes very ill do you just let it starve to death? No, because that would be cruel. So why do it to a human being? It would have been more humane to shoot her in the head than it was to let her starve like that.
.

From my understanding, people in her condition have no sensation or feeling of pain.....so while it seems inhumane, she may have not felt anything.

You bring up a good point too.

I grew up in Metro Detroit during the trials of Dr. Jack Kevorkian, who assisted over 100 terminally-ill people in Michigan commit suicide, and stop their suffering.

He was later convicted on 2nd degree murder charges, and is currently in jail.

Humans should have a way to end their suffering.......it goes back to my theory on quality, not quanity of life. Personally, I would rather live for 20 more years and be happy and healthy, than 30 more years and be sick or bedridden for the last 10.