Fascinating - Top Neurologist's Report on Terri Released

Reprinted from NewsMax.com

Nobel Prize Candidate Neurologist's Report on Terri Released
NewsMax.com Wires
Wednesday, March 30, 2005
Here is a comprehensive report by Dr. William Hammesfahr, a world-reknowned neurologist, on Terri Schiavo's condition as of September 12, 2002:

Re: Terri Schiavo
I was asked to examine Terri Schiavo per the request of the Second District Court of Appeal. They requested that current information about her present medical condition be obtained. They also requested that an evaluation be performed to ascertain treatment options.
HPI:

Ms Schiavo was in her usual state of good health until 2/25/90, when her husband reported that he was awakened from sleep approximately 6 Am by her falling. He reports that she was unresponsive.

Paramedics were called, and aggressive resuscitation was performed with 7 defibrillations en route.

In the Emergency Room, a possible diagnosis of heart attack was briefly entertained, but then dismissed after blood chemistries and serial EKG's did not show evidence of a heart attack. Similarly, a pulmonary or lung cause of the disorder was ruled out in the Emergency Room after normal blood gases and Chest X-Rays were obtained. The possibility of toxic shock syndrome was also entertained. The diagnosis of the cause of her condition was unknown. Her admission laboratory studies showed low potassium level, markedly elevated glucose level, and a normal toxic screen without evidence of diet pills or amphetamines.

The abnormal potassium level and sugar level were found on admission to the Emergency Room and were successfully corrected by the hospital staff over the next several days. The patient had a difficult hospital course with the development of poorly controlled seizures and prolonged coma state requiring, for a time, ventilator support. However, the staff noted improvement, and it was recommended by several physicians that she be discharged to an intensive rehabilitation center.

She was eventually transferred to Mediplex in Bradenton for intensive rehabilitation. She was poorly responsive. However, after a brain stimulator was placed in 11/90, the staff started to report greater interactions of the patient with her environment, including intermittently apparently following commands, turning her head to voice, tracking visually, etc.

This pattern continued even after discharge to a nursing home, although her course from that time on included multiple medical problems including recurrent urinary tract infections and hospitalizations, at times with severely low episodes of blood pressure due to a lack of treatment of urinary tract infections ordered by the husband and subsequent urinary sepsis requiring hospitalization.

During 1998, she was evaluated by Dr. James Barnhill, neurologist, who testified that he examined her for ten minutes and determined that she had no chance for recovery, and was in a persistent vegetative state. He also identified that her skull was filled with spinal fluid; there was no brain present on the scans. All responses he identified were reported as "reflexes." He obtained no blood pressure nor did anyone else, apparently, on the day of his exam, the closest documented blood pressures being obtained two days earlier and five days later. No tests including Urinary Tract infection evaluations, blood tests, EEGs, evoked potentials, or new CT/MRI exams were ordered.

One year later he again reconfirmed his earlier diagnosis. He felt no tests of any sort were needed for evaluation. In the spring of 2000, three physicians, including Dr. Jay Carpenter, who is a former Chief of Medicine at Morton Plant Hospital, filed affidavits after observing Ms. Schiavo. All three physicians stated that it is visually apparent that Ms Schiavo is able to swallow and, in fact, does swallow her own saliva.

The patient continued with no physical therapy, communication or speech therapy, or routine medical screening evaluations and treatment such as dental care, mammography, gynecological exams or pap smears during this time.

In May 2002, access to the patient was allowed for two physicians appointed by the family. At that time, my observation of Terri Schiavo in person occurred, having previously viewed videotape that was first shown at her first trial.

The examination

Medical examination and evaluations were performed on Ms Schiavo on September 3 and 4 with videographers present. Medical reviews of the charts provided were carried out, from which the above history is obtained.

On September 3, I spent from approximately 11AM until 4PM with Ms. Schiavo, returning the next day to also observe Dr. Maxfield and complete my portion of the exam (which duplicated that of Dr. Maxfield, so I observed without myself specifically repeating that part of the exam that same day).

The exam was videotaped at my request.

The exam started with the setting up of the video camera by the videographers, with Mr. Michael Schiavo present. I then came into the room and introduced myself to Ms. Schiavo. The patient was looking at the ceiling in a chair. She had a wide-eyed look to her. She appeared to be aware of my presence with slight facial changes and tone changes in her body, She did not look at me, or turn to look in the direction of my voice, continuing instead to look directly forward. Her mother then entered the room, coming toward her and speaking her name. The daughter immediately showed awareness of the presence of her mother, looking for her, then finding her visually when the mother was approximately 8 inches from her face. She then smiled and made sounds. Her father also entered the room with further apparent recognition by the daughter.

The first part of this exam included observing her interactions with her mother and her father. Here she clearly was aware of them and attempted to interact with them: the sounds, facial expressions, and searching out and tracking them. There are several previous reports by medical personnel and others of her responding to live piano music. Accordingly, I asked the mother to bring a tape of piano music. Two separate pieces were listened to. The first she appeared aware of the sound, but would not sing or interact significantly. The second she did interact making sounds with the music. She stopped making these sounds, when the music stopped.

During this time, she would move her head and track her head and eyes to the sound of music, or her mother's voice. I started my exam first on her right side, introducing myself and then examined her contracted right arm, the goal being to get a blood pressure, as neurological abilities are very sensitive to blood pressure. She looked at me and would track me with voluntary facial and upper torso movements. I later moved to the left arm and attempted to release contractures there. In order to get significant relaxation of the arm to a degree necessary to obtain a blood pressure, I worked for approximately 35 minutes to release the contractures enough to get arm extension to approximately 140 degrees. During this time, the patient would track the mother or the father, depending on who was interacting with her. Interestingly, she appeared to respond to her mother or father by tone of voice. At one time, after working on her arm for approximately 20 minutes, and no further extension of the elbow was to be had, the father walked up and started speaking reassuringly to his daughter. The elbow immediately extended approximately another 20 degrees. This was during a time period that I had been talking with Ms. Schiavo, and the music was also running. Yet with neither the addition of the music nor my voice did the elbow extend. With the father coming to his daughter and speaking, she immediately extended the arm further. At other times, he would speak more sharply to her, and she would immediately tighten, and appear to lose her spot of visual focusing, and her expressions would change. At times during and immediately after this part of the exam, she would also appear to voluntarily move her right upper extremity.

Multiple takes of her blood pressure were taken, and there were several readings of "error." During the reading of her blood pressure, I also palpated the median artery at the wrist. In general, the systolic readings on the blood pressure cuff correlated well with the wrist palpations. Thus, the systolic readings are probably fairly accurate, although the diastolic readings cannot be independently confirmed. Three readings were successfully obtained 96/65 pulses of 70, 107/78 pulse of 72, and 101/71 pulse of 70. The pulse was erratic by both machine and palpation. The blood pressure errors occurred due to spasticity in the arm being evaluated.

A general physical exam was also performed, although pelvic, breast, rectal, fundoscopic, sinus and ear exams were not performed. Technical difficulties prevented the fundoscopic exam from being performed.

The general physical examination and the neurological examination tended to be performed in an extremity-by-extremity fashion, as her cooperation was best by focusing on specific regions, and then not coming back to those regions at a later time. Moving rapidly and from side to side tended to result in apparent confusion and stress in the patient, manifested by increased tone and less facial interactions, eye contact, and less accessibility to her limbs due to the increased tone causing contractures to redevelop.

The general facial exam was significant for acne, probably due to a chronic stress induced steroid responses. No bruits were identified. Cranial nerves were intact, and the patient was able to swallow and handle all secretions.

The neck exam was abnormal. She had severe limitation of range of motion in the flexion, and to a lesser degree in extension. Indeed, I was able to pick up her entire torso and head and neck area with pressure on the back of her neck in the suboccipital region. These findings of cervical spasm and limitation of range of motion are consistent with a neck injury. No bruits were identified.

Lung exam showed scattered wheezes in the right lung fields. No rhonchi or rales were identified. Cardiac exam was normal to my exam. Interestingly, the significant arrhythmias identified by the electronic cuff, as well as my palpation of her wrist exam was not identified during this cardiac portion of the exam, suggesting the arrhythmia is intermittent.

Abdominal exam showed good GI sounds throughout, and was non-tender. No masses or aneurysms were palpated.

Extremities exam showed severe contractures in all four extremities. On the left upper extremity, she initially showed 4/4 on the Allen's spasticity scale about the wrist, fingers, and the elbow. However, with approximately 40 minutes of massage and release, the exam in this upper extremity showed spasticity on the Allen's scale, and at times, later in the exam, would show 2/4 on the Allen's exam.

The right upper extremity also showed 4/4 on the Allen's scale, and also improved with efforts at muscular tension release. However, time did not allow me the same degree of effort on her right upper extremity, and thus I am unsure of the degree of relaxation available in this area.

In the lower extremities, she has 2/4 about the hips and the knees, meaning full range of motion, but spasticity still present. However, about the ankles, she is 4/4 and I could obtain no improvement in the range of motion.

With levels of 3/4 and 4/4 spasticity, it is frequently difficult to determine the degree of voluntary control if any a patient has over an extremity. The internal spasticity and stiffness of the limb, makes gauging voluntary efforts very difficult.

Efforts that may be easily seen or felt in a patient with no spasticity may be completely missed or only able to be identified from sophisticated testing in a patient with 3/4 or 4/4 levels of spasticity.

Spasticity generally is due to neurological injuries, and is aggravated by lack of physical therapy and muscle stretching. To understand spasticity, it is important to understand what is normal with muscle activity

In a normal person, a leg, arm, or other part of the body moves because a muscle contracts and moves a nearby bone. However, muscles exist on both the front and the back of joints. When the muscles in the front of the joint move, the bone moves forward. When the muscles on the back of the joint move, the bone moves backwards. If the bone is your arm, then when the biceps contracts, the arm bends. When the triceps contracts, the arms straightens. Another characteristic of normal is that when one set of muscles contracts, the opposite muscles relax. Thus, when the biceps contracts, the triceps relaxes and vice versa.

In spasticity, that relaxation of opposing muscles does not occur. Thus, even if the biceps tries to contract to move a muscle, the opposing contractures of the triceps, prevents motion. In severe cases, like Ms. Schiavo, the contractures of the opposing muscles may be so severe, that voluntary motion appears very weak or non-existent. In fact, in some of her muscle groups, the severity of the contractures has grown so severe, that even an outsider cannot move the joint.

The Allen's scale is a 0-4 scale with 0 as normal or no spasticity. The scale is as follows:

0 Normal, no spasticity

1 Slight spasticity, palpated by the physician, but full range of motion of a joint.

2 Moderate spasticity, but full range of motion. Here the examiner may be allowed to use a great deal of his own muscle contraction to straighten a joint. If the joint can be straightened to its full range of motion, this is a 2.

3 Severe spasticity, but some motion can be identified. Full range of motion does not exist.

4 Severe spasticity, no range of motion.

Pulses in these extremities were symmetrical. Skin was intact in these areas.

The patient wore a diaper, and this was not removed for the exam.

Back exam was carried out and there were no evident areas of tenderness, masses, or other abnormalities seen.

The first two hours of the exam, focusing on cognitive awareness of her surroundings, was carried out in a chair. The last one hour on videotape was carried out in her bed. In neither position did she have difficulty handling any saliva or secretions. Only briefly, for a few minutes at a time, did she appear to tire and lose the ability to respond, track or interact with her surroundings.

She had no tube feedings or water during the entire time of the exam.

Alertness: The patient was alert throughout essentially the entire exam.

Responsiveness:

The patient would immediately respond to sound, tone of voice and to touch and pain. With respect to responding to those around her, she had limited responsiveness to me personally until approximately 45 minutes into the exam. She started to look at me, against her traditional right gaze preference, about the same time that we started getting significant relaxation in her contracted left arm (the arm that had been contracted for several years.) She appeared to identify the sound of my voice, with the relaxation of the arm. From that point, she would generally look toward the sound of my voice when heard, attempt to find me visually, then track the sound of my voice in its movements, or track me if I was within approximately one foot of her eyes. Prior to that time, she did not track me, or try to locate me visually. When playing music, she had a clear preference to the specific sound track played, and would listen to piano music, but change levels of listening depending on the track played. Her attention to the music would not wander during the track she preferred. She would pick out her mother's voice or her father's voice separate from the music or other voices or sounds in the room, and re-fix her gaze to those people. She would tend not to blink when watching those people. She ignored her husband's loud foot-tapping that went on for approximately five minutes at one point. She also ignored his voice and did not try to seek him out visually when he would at times interject comments during the exam or immediately afterwards.

During various portions of the exam, she would be moved or have her position readjusted. She continued to handle her saliva during this time, never being observed to choke on her saliva.

Following Commands: At various times during the exam, I asked her to close her eyes, or open her eyes widely, look towards her mother, or look towards me. At times, she appeared to properly follow these commands. Interestingly, some of the commands, such as close your eyes, open your eyes, etc. she tended to do several minutes after I gave her the command to do so. She had a delay in her processing of the action. However, when praised for the action, she would then continue to do the action repetitively for up to approximately 5 minutes. As we had moved on to other areas of the exam, at times she was continuing to do the previous command, then at inappropriate times since the focus of the exam had changed. During different portions of the exam, I would ask her to squeeze my hand on command, or, in the lower extremities, to pick up her right lower leg to command.

The upper extremities are contracted and weak. She appeared to squeeze my hand, and then relax her grip, in the upper right extremity, possibly in the upper left extremity. I am unsure if she was doing it to verbal command, or in response to body language; however, it was voluntary activity and not reflex. In the lower extremities, she showed these same abilities, marked on the right and to a lesser degree on the left (voluntary control over the ankles could not be determined due to the severity of the contractures there). However, in the right lower extremity, I again gave verbal commands, but also noted that she would oppose activity voluntarily. Thus, moving a hand against a thigh would elicit an equal and opposite reaction from her. She would gauge the degree of pressure, and counteract it equally. This is not a reflexive movement. With respect to her lower leg, we were able to clearly show that on videotape. I had her push her lower leg against my hand; my hand was on the top of her leg. Removing my hand suddenly, allowed her leg to suddenly continue voluntarily rising up and be seen on videotape. We had her do this repetitively on videotape.

Her right lower leg is quite strong. Other areas are either not as strong, or have such high spasticity brought on by neglect that voluntary activities are able to be felt, but difficult to show large degree of motion that are represented on videotape so well. The voluntary control is there, but does not show up well on videotape, as the range that the motion goes through is less.

Cranial Nerve Exam: Cranial nerve function is present and appears normal in all groups tested. The fundoscopic exam and ophthalmic nerve function could not be tested directly. She tracks well and voluntarily. She does not exhibit "Doll's Eye" motion, an abnormality seen in coma patients whose eyes move back and forth like a doll's when their head is moved.

Coma patients cannot direct their gaze to specific things and maintain their gaze on those things regardless of head motion or motion of the object.

She can do these things. She appears to see things best at approximately the.8-12 inch area. She was best able to track large reflective objects like aluminum balloons or sparkling lights (for which a focal length limitation is not an issue.)

This is a patient who has very poor language abilities. Her interactions with the world, as well as her ability to convey thought will depend in large part on her visual abilities and limitations. Thus a complete opthamological exam and evoked potential exam needs to be performed. This needs to be performed in comfortable situation and the patient needs to be comfortable with the examiner and the examinations. I would estimate that at least one day should be allotted for the exam and should be carried out her in room.

Sensory Exam: The patient was tested to light touch, pressure, and sharp touch and pain in all four extremities and on her face. The pain portion in the extremities was conducted by pinching the nail beds of her hands and feet. She clearly feels pain as the videotapes show.

On the face, noxious stimulation including cotton swab up the nose and gag sensation and papillary touch with cotton evidenced a pain response. These were more than just reflexes, as she appeared to be annoyed by these painful responses long after they had stopped, and would not smile at me again for the rest of the day.

She certainly feels pressure, as was discussed earlier, and opposes pressure with voluntary motor activity. When using a sharp piece of wood, which she found uncomfortable, and going over her entire body (except diapered areas and breast areas), we found that sensation is present everywhere. Sensation on the right side as evidenced by moaning or tightening up muscles or withdrawal and was more prevalent than on the left.

We found that she had two sensory levels. The first is the side-to-side asymmetry, where she feels more on the right than the left. The second is a major increase in pain approximately C4 and cephalic to the head. This is consistent with a spinal injury and spinal cord injury near this level.

Motor Exam: As discussed earlier, it is difficult to measure motor strength on the classical scales. The classical motor strength scale is a 0-5 scale and is described as patient's voluntary motor strength score /normal which is represented as a 5. Thus a person with no voluntary motion would be 0/5 and a person with normal voluntary motion is a 5/5. Normal motor strength requires relaxation of the muscles around the muscle being tested. Thus, if grip squeeze is being tested, the muscles that straighten the fingers must relax in order to have a good squeeze. Ifthose muscles don't relax, they tend to keep the fingers straight, and thus give a weaker squeeze than if they did relax. When the muscles near the area being tested don't relax, that is called spasticity, and makes the exam less accurate. At times the spasticity is so severe that a muscle tested may not be strong enough to overcome the opposing muscles, and no evidence of voluntary muscle movement is seen even though there is in fact voluntary control over those muscles.

This is the problem that we have with Ms. Schiavo. She clearly has voluntary control that is good control over her facial musculature. Formal testing of those cranial nerves showed no weakness or facial asymmetry.

In the upper and lower arms, however, the spasticity is severe. She at times would voluntarily move her right arm/ hand complex against gravity, which is considered a strength of 3/5 or greater by convention. When squeezing my hand and relaxing on the right side, she had approximately a 2-3 (-)/5 but range of

activity was severely limited by spasticity. On the left side, it appeared weaker. In the upper extremities, she would oppose pressure on her, or try to move her arms with approximately 3/5, but not to command (probably due to the aphasia). The right side was stronger than the left.

The leg motion on the right was generally approximately 2-3/5 in all groups except around the ankle. However, when opposing my hand in the lower leg, she was 3+ -4-/5 and the voluntary action caught on videotape was clearly a strong 3/5 or better. On the left side the strength appeared to be more of a 2/5 range in all groups, but due to the difficulty of the exam, may actually have been stronger than this.

The convention of the 0-5 scales for testing voluntary motor strength is as follows:

0 No voluntary movement

1 Trace movement able to be felt

2 Movement of an extremity if gravity is removed. Thus if movement of a leg occurs in a bed while a patient is lying down, but he cannot move that same area up off of the bed, this is considered 2/5.

3 Movement against gravity

4 Movements against examiner's actively resisting the patient's muscular activity

5 Normal

The scale has some additional aspects, in that a - or + sign may further allow an examiner to delineate a specific number into sub-gradations. Reflexes: Were 2+ throughout on the left side, and slightly brisker on the right side.

The reflexes to my exam were slightly brisker in the upper extremities than in the lower extremities. These reflex findings may be related in part to differing level of tone due to spasticity. No clonus was identified. The reflexes at the pectoralis muscles were 2++ and symmetrical. Reflexes at the ankles could not be obtained due to the severe contractures. Babinski exam did not show abnormal reflexes, probably due to the severity of the contractures in the feet. Both glabellar and palmomental reflexes were mildly abnormal.

Impression:

The patient is not in coma.

She is alert and responsive to her environment. She responds to specific people best.

She tries to please others by doing activities for which she gets verbal praise.

She responds negatively to poor tone of voice.

She responds to music.

She differentiates sounds from voices.

She differentiates specific people's voices from others.

She differentiates music from stray sound.

She attempts to verbalize.

She has voluntary control over multiple extremities

She can swallow.

She is partially blind

She is probably aphasic and has a degree of receptive aphasia.

She can feel pain.

On this last point, it is interesting to observe that the records from Hospice show frequent medication administered for pain by staff.

With respect to specifics and specific recommendations in order to carry out the instructions of the Second District Court of Appeal:

From a neurological standpoint: The patient appears to be partially blind.

She needs a full opthamological evaluation and visual evoked potentials done to flash and checkerboard patters. The opthamological examination is to evaluate her retina and her ophthalmic nerve to try to determine the cause of her visual limitations and if any treatment exists. The evoked potentials looks at the nerve between the eye and the visual centers in the brain, to see if there is treatable damage and the type of damage, if any in these areas. This is important, as for individuals to interact with her, and possibly teach her better ways of communicating with others, they must know what sort of limitations she has. This even extends to whether she can see people or objects in specific areas of her vision, and what size objects need to be to be accurately seen. Additionally, if one were to properly examine her, it would help if one knew the full extent of these test results.

Communication: She can communicate. She needs a Speech Therapist, Speech Pathologist, and a communications expert to evaluate how to best communicate with her and to allow her to communicate and for others to communicate with her. Also, a treatment plan for how to develop better communication needs to be done.

Rehabilitation Medicine: The patient has severe contractures. She needs a specialist to evaluate these and develop a treatment plan.

Endocrine: The patient has clinical evidence of an abnormally functioning endocrine system. Her blood pressure is abnormally low. Many patients with severe neurological injury have low blood pressure due to an abnormally functioning endocrine system. The reason for this should be determined and corrected, as with a more normal blood pressure, she is likely to have even better neurological functioning. She has facial acne consistent with hormonal abnormalities.

ENT: The patient can clearly swallow, and is able to swallow approximately 2 liters of water per day (the daily amount of saliva generated). Water is one of the most difficult things for people to swallow. It is unlikely that she currently needs the feeding tube. She should be evaluated by an Ear Nose and Throat specialist, and have a new swallowing exam.

Mammography needs to be performed.

Spinal Exam: The patient's exam from a spinal perspective is abnormal. The degree of limitation of range of motion, and of spasms in her neck, is consistent with a neck injury. The abnormal sensory exam, that shows evidence of her hypoxic encephalopathic strokes (right side sensory responses are different from left) also suggests a spinal cord injury at around the level of C4. Her physical exam and videotapes also suggest a spinal cord injury is also present, as she has much better control over he face, head, and neck, than over her arms and legs. This reminds one of a person with a spinal cord injury who has good facial control, but poor use of arms and legs. It is possible that a correctable spinal abnormality such as a herniated disk may be found that could be treated and result in better neurological functioning. This should be looked for, as may be treatable. Thus, there may be an injured disk or spinal cord; the disk injury is more treatable, the spinal cord injury, if present without a disk injury, may be more difficult to treat. A person with a spinal cord injury and hypoxic encephalopathy will need different treatment and rehab recommendations than one who just has a hypoxic encephalopathic.

Interestingly, I have seen this pattern of mixed brain (cerebral) and spinal cord findings in a patient once before, a patient who was asphyxiated.

A urological consultation should be obtained: I disagree with Dr. Gambone's view that the patient's bacteria in the urine may be ignored. In my experience, colonization of the bladder can very distinctly affect the patient's neurological status and affect their rehabilitation. The patient needs a urological consultation both to examine the bladder issue, resolve if there are possibly colonized and kidney stones (that may be the source of recurring bladder infections). Also, one significant mechanism of diagnosing and finding and diagnosing spinal cord injuries is through sophisticated bladder EMG and other testing. This should be done.

The neurosurgeon who placed the implant should be contacted for recommendations. A neurological examination can only be carried out in the context of a complete understanding of the patient's physiology, including current blood tests. Thus the tests that Dr. Gambone did months ago, before we had access to the patient, should immediately be repeated.

EEG: I have reviewed the EEG recently obtained. The EEG has large amounts of artifact. The technician's attempted to remove artifact by filtering. Unfortunately, filtering also affects and reduces evident brain electronic activity. This EEG is not adequate and should be repeated. It should be repeated at the patient's bedside, with the patient in a non-agitated state.

SPECT scan: A SPECT scan prior to and after several days of Hyperbaric Trial should be obtained. Such a Hyperbaric Oxygen trial does not constitute treatment, as the length of time of such hyperbaric is inadequate to render any treatment. However, it is a useful technique to assess the likelihood of improvement using hyperbaric oxygen. I would defer to Dr. Maxfield on the specifics of testing, but believe that it is generally accepted by those in the field who have experience with hyperbaric treatment, that Dr. Maxfield's recommendations in this area are accurate.

William M. Hammesfahr, M.D.

www.heavenlyhands.net/terrislinks.html


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The coming days... Spiralling in on us. Terri Schiavo saga is indicative of the Spiritual Battle between Good and Evil going on right now.

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'LIVE' VERSUS 'EVIL': BEHIND SCENES IN CASE OF SCHIAVO IS DYNAMIC OF A SPIRITUAL WAR
http://spiritdaily.com/schiavospiritdynamic.htm

Behind the scenes in the Schiavo case is a spiritual dynamic that is of course totally ignored by the mainstream press -- which still hovers towards support for Terri's badly misguided husband and a judge who has indicated all but complete spiritual blindness.

Those are not assessments we like to make, and we won't judge the people themselves, but we will say that they have been at least deceived by the dark side. When we spoke to him recently, Terri's father expressed concern over an actual feeling of evil in the courtroom when motions are filed in this case, causing him to invoke the Archangel Michael. Let us note as we have so often that this is a classic case of how the devil tries to reverse the word "live" into "evil."

At least one prominent person on the side of removing Terri's tube has been reported to experience strange and radical personality shifts, and another to have a pronounced engagement with the New Age.

Meanwhile a lawyer who has fought to keep Terri alive, Pat Anderson, a strongly believing Christian, told Spirit Daily that she felt the spiritual resistance of evil and also the help of the Holy Spirit as she battled for more than three years in the case. It has been presided over by a judge who she said has ignored a mountain of evidence that should have given him pause in constantly ruling against Terri's parents, the Schindlers, who have fought so gallantly to keep their daughter -- severely disabled since 1990 -- from a painful death via removal of her feeding tube (all she needs to live).

Terri herself shows specific attention to a priest who regularly visits and reacts to prayer, witnesses have told us. She has also uttered words such as "mommy" and "help me."

Relics of Padre Pio and Mother Teresa of Calcutta have found their way into her hospice room, and the Blessed Sacrament is touched to this poor woman who seems to be a "victim soul" in the huge battle over life issues in the U.S.

Then there is the matter of Clearwater, Florida -- which, as the location of one hospice that Terri stayed in, and also the residence of her "husband," Michael, is interesting because it is also where a famous image of the Blessed Mother seemed to manifest in the reflection on an office building [see archives].

It was right around the corner where Terri was kept during the last close call, when the tubes were actually removed from Terri before the intervention of Governor Bush -- whose wife is devoted to Our Lady of Guadalupe and who with her husband visited the shrine near Mexico City.

The Clearwater image uncannily resembles the image of Guadalupe (which is associated with pro-life issues) and was smashed by a disturbed young man just before the Schiavo case first burst into national prominence.

It was first spotted on December 17, 1996, by a woman customer at what was then the Seminole Finance Corporation Building. As one newspaper noted, the image, two floors high, glowed and shimmered, turning from green to blue, to red, and there was a distinct outline of a head, a hooded robe and most of a torso. Skeptics claimed it was caused by a reflection of the sun's rays bouncing off water left by sprinklers, but that hardly explained how its glow often increased at night -- although [see below] it went dark just before September 11.

The 1996 time frame is when the dispute between the Schindlers and Michael Schiavo intensified, and when dark suspicions arose concerning Terri's care. In 1998, Michael petitioned the court for removal of her feeding and hydration tubes. His lawyer is described by some as a "yoga guru" attorney with strong New Age tendencies.

Whether or not it bears relevance, Clearwater is also headquarters for the Church of Scientology -- which teaches "prosperity for the able," with obvious implications. "Many Florida politicians and government officials have an accommodative relationship with Scientology," claims one website, citing alleged attendance at a Scientology anniversary gala of "over 540 dignitaries and guests from throughout the Tampa Bay area" on January 18, 2003. The area is also home to headquarters for the Shriners, if that bears any relevance. The courthouse for the judge in the Schiavo case is right next to the Scientology headquarters.

Has this brushing up against anti-Catholic had a spiritual effect? And is Clearwater also not clearly a spiritual battleground, pitting traditional Catholics against the move toward euthanasia?

Here, in the state of hurricanes (or "hurucans," the Indian word for "evil wind"), is where the prayers are needed, and here -- not in the court, not in the state legislature, not even in the U.S. Congress -- is where, in coming days, the real battle will be lost or won.



Left to right, day (8/5/01), during typical dark (2/5/02) and, right, September 5, 2001
Go to http://spiritdaily.com/schiavospiritdynamic.htm to see photos!

[resources: spiritual warfare books]

[resources: The Last Secret]

Terri bill passes in Florida House!

THANK YOU GOVERNOR BUSH

AND THANK YOU FLORIDA SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES!



Excerpts:

Florida Gov. Jeb Bush said the state has a responsibility to act.

"It breaks my heart we're in a situation where it's possible this woman could starve to death," the governor said.

"If we don't act or if somebody does not act, a living person who has a level of consciousness, who is self-breathing will be starved to death here in the next two weeks," Frist said.



http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=43361
LIFE AND DEATH TUG OF WAR
Florida House
passes Terri bill
Lawmakers intervene 1 day
before feeding tube removal


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Posted: March 17, 2005
5:00 p.m. Eastern



© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com

Florida's state House passed a bill to keep Terri Schiavo alive one day before her life-sustaining feeding tube is to be removed by a court order.

As lawmakers moved to beat the scheduled removal at 1 p.m. tomorrow, the Senate began debating a scaled-down version of the House bill, which would block withholding of food and water from patients in a persistent vegetative state who didn't leave a written directive.


The Senate bill would apply only to cases in which families disagreed on the patient's wishes.

The Florida House bill passed 78-37. The U.S. Congress also was considering legislation to move the case to the federal courts.

In addition, Schiavo's parents, Robert and Mary Schindler, appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, and Pinellas County Circuit Court Judge George Greer heard a request from the state to stop removal of the tube.

Florida Gov. Jeb Bush said the state has a responsibility to act.

"It breaks my heart we're in a situation where it's possible this woman could starve to death," the governor said.

Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that would delay removal of Schiavo's feeding tube by moving such a case to federal court. Senate Democrats blocked the legislation, but Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., said he would try to pass a separate bill.

"If we don't act or if somebody does not act, a living person who has a level of consciousness, who is self-breathing will be starved to death here in the next two weeks," Frist said.

The Florida Legislature's move marked the second time in less than two years the state lawmakers are prepared to intervene in the case.

In 2003, "Terri's Law" enabled Bush to intervene the second time Terri Schiavo's feeding tube was removed. The law later was ruled unconstitutional, however, by the Florida Supreme Court, which said it violated the legal separation between the three branches of government.

Michael Schiavo won a court order in 2000 to have his wife's feeding tube removed, claiming she was in a "persistent vegetative state" and had declared orally she wouldn't want to live in such a condition.

The Schindlers, however, insist their daughter, while severely handicapped, is responsive and demonstrates a strong will to live.

Terri Schiavo is not hooked up to any machines, but she requires the small feeding tube for nourishment and hydration. She collapsed under disputed circumstances Feb. 25, 1990, suffering severe brain damage when her heart stopped momentarily. Michael Schiavo attributes the collapse to an eating disorder, but the Schindlers strongly suspect he tried to strangle her.

The Schindlers have pleaded with Michael Schiavo to divorce their daughter, pointing out he has been living with another woman for 10 years, with whom he has two children..

Florida state Sen. Dan Webster, R-Winter Garden, the bill's sponsor in the Senate, said the new legislation avoids the constitutional problems found in "Terri's Law" -- violation of separation of powers and that it was retroactive and narrowly applied to Schiavo.

But Michael Schiavo's attorney, well-known "right-to-die" lawyer George Felos, predicted the Supreme Court will strike down this law as well.

"This is purely a knee-jerk response to the growing political clout of the far right, and it's tragic, to say the least, that legislators don't have any concern about the constitutionality of the acts they pass," he told the Florida Sun-Sentinel.



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Court documents and other information are posted on the Schindler family website.

Links to all "Terri briefs" regarding the governor's defense of Terri's Law are on the Florida Supreme Court website, public information.

Recent stories:

Lawmakers ready to save Schiavo

Michael Schiavo rejects $1 million

Man offers $1 million to save Terri Schiavo

Federal bill introduced to save Terri Schiavo

Judge to hear abuse claims in Schiavo case

Judge's error to save Terri Schiavo?

Terri Schiavo backers hopeful

Judge Greer orders Terri's starvation

Terri Schiavo's life in balance again

Stay extended in Schiavo case

Clock running out for Terri Schiavo

U.S. Supreme Court refuses Schiavo case

Terri Schiavo saved again

Judge spares Terri Schiavo – for now

'Terri's Law' struck down

Florida high court hears 'Terri's Law'

Recent commentaries:

Supreme ignorance

A right to live ... not to be killed



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Read WorldNetDaily's unparalleled, in-depth coverage of the life-and-death fight over Terri Schiavo.



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17 Doctors call for new tests for Terri Schiavo

Subject:


Press Release

For Immediate Release – 03-04-05 3:30 PM (GMT-5)



17 Doctors call for new tests for Terri Schiavo



New testing and therapeutic methods asked for by family, doctors agree



Clearwater, FL – Attorneys for Bob and Mary Schindler have filed 17 affidavits in support of their motion asking Judge Greer to allow medical evaluations be performed on Terri in light of recent advances in medical technologies.



The affidavits are from neurologists, physicians and other experts in the medical field. They are urging that Terri be retested based on the fact that new evaluation and therapeutic technologies can significantly impact brain damaged and disabled persons. Many of them have stated that there is a strong likelihood that Terri is in a minimally conscious state.



More affidavits are expected to be filed next week in support of the Schindler's motion. As of this writing, the following have submitted affidavits:





Dr. Ralph Ankenman, MD

Dr. Pamela Hyikn, SLP

Dr. Beatrice Engstrand, MD

Dr. Jill Joyce, PhD

Dr. Alyse Eytan, MD

Dr. Philip Kennedy, MD, PhD

Dr. Harry Sawyer Goldsmith, MD

Dr. Kyle Lakas, MS, CCC, SLP

Dr. Jacob Green, MD

Dr. Richard Neubauer, MD, PA

Dr. Carolyn Heron, MD

Dr. Ricardo Senno, MD, MS, FAAPMR

Dr. David Hopper, PhD

Dr. Stanley Terman, MD, PhD

Dr. Lawrence Huntoon, MD

Dr. J. Michael Uszler, MD

Dr. Richard Weidman, MD





Please visit www.terrisfight.org to view these documents in their entirety in PDF format.



###


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Visit Terri's site: www.terrisfight.org

Cheryl Ford, RN (Fight4Terri@aol.com) is not affiliated with any other group and works as an independent volunteer promoting the protection of Florida's disabled community.

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The Justice Coalition's Founder Considers Terri Schiavo Victim; Pledges Assistance

Jacksonville News Conference: The Justice Coalition's
Founder Considers Terri Schiavo Victim; Pledges Assistance
March 01, 2005
by Anthony Salvatore
and David Kirkland

Jacksonville, Florida | Much was learned from attending the news conference that was held at 1:30 PM Monday, at the US Courthouse, to take a peek at the future surrounding Terri Schindler-Schiavo days and years to come. It was inspiring and had the flavor of a motivational circling of the wagons.

The press conference was organized and held at the request of The Justice Coalition, founder Ted Hires, who is also owner of several Sonny's Real Pit Bar-B-Q restaurants. Being a victim of a violent crime, Ted found the criminal justice system worked harder for the criminal than the victim. As a result of Mr. Hire's experience, he formed a (501C3) nonprofit organization, The Justice Coalition, and is making an effort to reprove the judicial system for the better.

Hire's nonprofit organization which defends victims, in recent days has announced the entrance of his Victim's Justice organization to help save Terri Schindler-Schiavo. There were many news reporters and cameras from at least two local TV stations including WJXT-TV4. Approximately 100-125 people attended.

There was an all-star cast of enthusiastic people. In addition to Hires, Terri's mother, father, and brother were there. Bishop Galeone, Bishop of the Diocese of St. Augustine (Jacksonville is in this diocese) was there, along with a couple of other priests, and other area clergymen. Two local politicians Don Davis and Jerry Holland attended.

State Senator Stephen Wise was there, which appeared to give the crowd a real big boost. He was speaking when I got there, so I missed the very beginning of his statements, but this appears to be something significant. It was announced that he is sponsoring a companion bill to that of Rep. Dennis Baxley's HB-0701. While it appears to amend Florida law 765 so receiving food and water via a feeding tube or any method possible would be considered an ordinary means of sustaining life and essential for life itself, therefore it could not be denied intentionally.

Readers are encouraged to be precisely informed by going to www.myforida.com and searching for the 765 Statutes and this House Bill 0701 and becoming informed. One only has to look to Florida law s825.102(3), the Florida Constitution, and to the US Congress who long ago adopted the UN Human Rights laws which say the same -- denying nutrition from any person is criminal, shall be prosecuted and not tolerated.

People will no doubt draw from this event and get mobilized now. Letters, e-mails and phone calls to all state representatives, state senators, Governor Bush and Attorney General Crist undoubtedly will continue to keep flowing with intensity.

The issue rising from its core, whether causing a persons death by denying them any one of the three basic essentials for life -- food, water and air -- is permitted by man or only by natural course, some say God, is the taking away of life; the killing of that person? Even without religion, for us all, the law does say -- Thou Shalt Not Kill.

There were several other initiatives mentioned also. A request is being made to the Governor and the Attorney General for an investigation into the circumstances of Terri's injuries. Some in law enforcement continue to suggest that any pertinent statute of limitations have run out on bringing criminal charges. Have they all run out? That would seem to imply that there was a crime or multiple crimes. Is this one of the inconsistencies that the masses focus their complaints?

The Schindler's, along with hundreds of thousands of other people who are flooding the system with verbal and written inquiry, appear to be asking the same question of law enforcement -- Exactly on what date did the crime[s] happen they infer were committed upon Terri Schindler-Schiavo?

With law enforcement consistently inferring that statute of limitations have run out, but not being specific to which crimes were committed and when, this admission to thousands who complain may be one of the items the DCF Attorney and the Governor are interested in and show their concern. Especially, if it means law enforcement has been sitting on this and not seeking prosecution.

That brings questions of whether departments and agencies of state are participants in abuse. However, this Governor, now with DCF seems committed to getting to the bottom of the breakdown or appearing criminal blockade by some who may have abused their positions, to facilitate this Judicial ordered death. By getting to the truth and prosecuting any public officials who may be found to have participated in any criminal victimization of Theresa Marie Schiavo, this Governor will certainly be living up to his Campaign Slogan -- Champion of the Disabled.

This is one of many of the points that can be found in the suits the Schindler's and their growing numbers of attorneys from around the country, in their justifications for removing Michael as guardian. That Terri Schindler-Schiavo is the Victim of abuse, by many, and across many sets of hands.

DCF is investigating. Schindler's attorneys are asking that DCF place Terri under their protective custody. They are also trying to get Judge Greer removed, plus the Schindler's attorneys are going to try to get Terri divorced. Some of this may work. If the system is forced to follow the laws it may all work. As the law should.

The actions of the Governor of late appears to have also brought a renewed confidence in disabled people and the Disability Advocacy Community that has given energy and hope that the disabled complaints of discrimination in services and uninvestigated occurrances of criminal abuse, neglect and exploitation of them by those who take advantage of their disabilities is finally going to be addressed by this administration and Legislature.

Disabled persons and their advocates appear more motivated and vocal than ever before with confidence in their Governor to stand up to the threar they perceive from a disastrous and improper outcome to this what seems to be the deliberate and criminal caused death of a member of their community.

For more info about Judge Greer's growing problems, the appearance of gross improprieties and violations of law, and view his Campaign TV commercial which used government personnel who may be blocking the criminal investigations, you can go to the NY news of: www.theempirejournal.com -- and also visit Terri Schindler-Schiavo's parents website www.terrisfight.org for documents and video of Terri. There are now 10's of thousands of other websites and a uniquely constructed and growing http://www.blogsforterri.com network of over 400 linked Blogs posting information, public documents and links to even more related topics and issues. Additionally, Internet brower's merely need to type in her name and GO!

Permission is granted by the authors Anthony Salvatore: Asalva1526@aol.com and David Kirkland: Drk4The1@aol.com for purpose of reprint, copy and distribution in other places of this article when done in complete form to which copyright protection is claimed (c)2005. This permission statement must be included in any reprints.

Terri giggles and laughs APPROPRIATELY

It takes an aware human being to do this. This will make you smile!

See Terri respond with appropriate laughter, giggles and nostalgia with her Dad's talking to her in this .wmv file:

http://gordonwatts.com/ConversationWithTerri.wmv

or:

http://hometown.aol.com/GordonWWatts/myhomepage/ConversationWithTerri.wmv

This is no 'vegetable'.. this is a lovely woman who deserves a chance at LIFE and THERAPY!