The Schiavo case.Clearwater, Florida Clearwater is a city located in central Pinellas County, Florida, USA, nearly due west of Tampa. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 108,787; however, according to the 2005 U.S. Census Bureau's estimates, the city's population fell slightly to 108,687. -- A 39-year-old Florida woman, Terri Schiavo Theresa Marie "Terri" Schiavo (December 3, 1963 – March 31, 2005), from St. Petersburg, Florida, United States was a woman who suffered brain damage and became dependent on a feeding tube. , suffered a heart attack in 1990 resulting in brain damage that has left her in what court-appointed doctors describe as a "permanent vegetative vegetative /veg·e·ta·tive/ (vej?e-ta?tiv) 1. of, pertaining to, or characteristic of plants. 2. concerned with growth and nutrition, as opposed to reproduction. 3. " state. She is unable to swallow or eat and, until recently, received nourishment by means of a feeding tube feeding tube n. A flexible tube that is inserted through the pharynx and into the esophagus and stomach and through which liquid food is passed. . Her husband, Michael Shiavo, who presently lives with another woman with whom he has a child, stands to inherit $750,000 if she dies as his wife. This is the balance of a medical malpractice Improper, unskilled, or negligent treatment of a patient by a physician, dentist, nurse, pharmacist, or other health care professional. settlement obtained after she became ill. Terri never made a "living will" to cover her situation, but Mr. Schiavo contends that, under these circumstances, she would not have wished to continue to live. As her legal guardian, he brought a court case to have her feeding tube removed and this request was granted mid-October, 2003. Michael Schiavo's case has been opposed all along by Terri's parents, Mary and Bob Schindler, who volunteered to take over the care of their daughter, supported by many Florida pro-lifers. Six days after the tube was removed, when the process of leaving Terri to die slowly from starvation and dehydration was underway, the Florida legislature The Florida Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida. The Florida Constitution mandates a bicameral state legislature with an upper house Florida Senate of 40 members and a lower Florida House of Representatives of 120 members. rushed through a law permitting intervention by the governor in such cases. It was signed into law within an hour by Governor Jeb Bush. As Terri was being removed from her hospice to another hospital to be started on an IV as a preliminary to reinserting the tube, her husband's attorney was already filing an injunction to oppose the procedure. This was rejected on technical grounds, but Mr. Schiavo seems determined to continue the legal battle to end his wife's life. Since October 21, when the law was passed, Schiavo has filed suit to sue Governor Bush, legal documents on both sides have proliferated, and the very constitutionality of the new law is also being challenged. In the meantime Adv. 1. in the meantime - during the intervening time; "meanwhile I will not think about the problem"; "meantime he was attentive to his other interests"; "in the meantime the police were notified" meantime, meanwhile , Terri remains in hospital, her feeding tube reinserted, while her family and many supporters continue with their prayers. Her parents are now advocating the appointment of a fair, impartial guardian to replace Michael Schiavo. |
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