[Apologetics] The Catholic position on Terri, and timeline

[Stuart D. Gathman]

I have tried to create a timeline of Terris struggle.  Please correct with 
any errors.  This is way too late to help Terri, but at least it could 
help after she is dead by

o warning that bulimia is a dangerous behaviour
o showing the need to protect the severely disabled from those who would
  kill them, Terri is not the only one.

The Catholic position seems to be that removing food and water is murder even
for true PVS.  Removing artificial life support in the case of full brain
death is permitted, but food and water are not artificial life support.  
That is why the Pope can annouce that withholding Terri's food and water
is a grave sin (i.e. a mortal sin when committed with full knowlege),
without having to establish whether she is PVS or MCS.

However, the distinction between PVS and MCS is important for non-Catholics,
especially non-Christians, and Catholics should give it some attention.  
Distinguishing MCS from PVS is an Intelligent Design question.  Was
that eye blink a random signal from the lower brain, or an intelligent
choice?  When there is 2 way communication, no matter how restricted, properly
designed tests with specific requests and response can make this distinction to
any desired degree of certainty.

This is the time line I have pieced together:

YEAR 0
15 years ago, Michael and Terri were in trouble.  Michael was seeing
another woman.  Terri was bulimic.  One day she collapsed in the bathroom
with a heart attack caused by potassium imbalance while "purging" after a
meal.  This is a common cause of death with bulimia.  Apparently, she also
choked, explaining the bruises on her neck.  (Some have suspected Michael 
of foul play, i.e. strangling, but I think this is due to demonization 
rather than the evidence.)  Prolonged lack of oxygen to the brain resulted 
in extensive brain damage.

For three years, Michael and Terri's family were allies.  Both believed at
the time that Terri was in a PVS (Permanent Vegetative State), and brain
scans confirmed this.  But they continued to care for her according to
Catholic belief (which forbids withholding ordinary care from anyone not
on artificial life support) while they sued for malpractice.  However, as
soon as Michael was awarded the money for Terri's long term therapy and
care as her legal guardian, he put her cats to sleep, melted down her
rings, and refused to allow any further therapy.

YEAR 3 In those three years, however, Terri had made remarkable progress.  
Her parents, and neurologists who examined her personally, saw intelligent
choice, and an ability to see and hear behind her responses: opening and
closing her eyes on request, speaking a few simple words, tracking objects
mentioned verbally with her eyes.  Neurologists who initially agreed with
the PVS diagnosis after seeing the brain scans taken after her collapse,
changed their mind after meeting her in person.

Michael was not happy with this turn of events, and refused to allow any
further therapy or tests.  Although Terri was now able to swallow liguids
on her own, Michael ordered that she be fed only through a feeding tube
and that the tube remain connected at all times (thus preventing her from
speaking any more of those simple words).  Terri's parents began demanding
in court that Michael spend the $700000 he had been awarded on therapy as
agreed.  They accused Michael of just wanting the money.  Michael obtained
permission from the court to use the money on lawyers to defend himself.  
The parents also challenged the finding of PVS in court.  The court
appointed 3 experts to examine Terri - two appointed by Michael, and none
by her parents.  Those experts confirmed the PVS diagnosis.  Since then,
33 experts have signed avadavits challenging that finding, and claiming
that Terri had progressed to MCS (Minimally Conscious State), and could
likely improve her communication with therapy.

YEAR 7 After nearly four years of this wrangling, Terri had a medical
emergency, and was admitted to the hospital with nearly fatal low blood
sugar.  Her nurse testified in court that she had found Terri emotionally
distraught (inconsistent with PVS, by the way), after a closed door visit
with Michael.  Terri then fainted.  The nurse found needle marks on her
body, and part of the wrapper for an insulin cartridge.  The nurse also
testified that Michael had said to her, "Why doesn't the bitch die!"  
This was not a cause for investigation, because Terri had already been
found to be PVS, and because of that, Michael as her legal guardian had
the legal right under Florida law to terminate her by any means at his
discretion.  (The insulin was certainly more humane than the means he is
using now.)

Michael and Terri's parents were now bitter enemies.  At this time,
Michael testified for the first time in court (7 years after her
collapse), that Terri had once told him she would not want to live as a
vegetable.  Terri's parents began trying to convince the court that Terri
was no long PVS, but had progressed to MCS (so that Michael no longer had
the right to kill her), and that Michael had a conflict of interest with
his mistress, whom he had been living with and fathered two children with.

For the next 8 years, they struggled.  Michael spending down Terri's award
money intended for her therapy on lawyers instead, Terri's parents
spending their own money, supplemented by donations, on lawyers.  During
this time, Michael actively prevented any further test or therapy.  On
three occasions, Terri's feeding tube was removed, with Michael citing
Terri's alleged verbal wishes, and food and water withheld, only to have
the tube reinserted after a new round of appeals.  All this wrangling over
the feeding tube served to give the general public the impression that
Terri was dependent on the tube to survive - which is completely untrue.  
She is capable of swallowing on her own, and able to live on a liquified
diet just like any infant.

YEAR 13 On October 21, following the 3rd attempt at starvation and
dehydration (with accompanying fanfare about "disconnecting tubes" to give
the public the impression that Terri was dependent on some sort of machine
for survival), after seeing videos of Terri, the Florida legislature said
"that doesn't look like someone who is comatose" and passed "Terri's law",
giving the governor the authority to spare the life of any alleged PVS
patient about to be terminated - just as the Governor can pardon condemned
criminals.  Jeb Bush immediately "pardoned" Terri, and Michael continued 
to petition the court to let him kill her.

YEAR 15 The Florida Supreme court declared "Terri's law"
"unconstitutional". It is apparently one of those inalieable rights hidden
in the penumbras of the Florida Constitution, that everyone not only be
allowed to, but be guarranteed the right to kill those under their
guardianship whenever a court has declared them to be in a PVS.

Michael's award money had been spent down to $50000 - all on lawyers.  He
offered this as proof that he was not in it for the money, and pledged to give
all that remained to charity when Terri was finally dead.  (One wonders what
charity: Right to Die?)  Judge Greer ordered the feeding tube removed for the
last time.  Somehow, this order also meant that a 24 hour police guard was
needed to prevent anyone from giving Terri food or water.  Dozens of people
were arrested attempting to sneak in a drink for Terri, including 4 children as
young as 10 years old.

The Florida legislature met, and passed another law requiring more
scrutiny before an alleged PVS patient can be terminated.  Judge Greer
immediately declared it "unconstitutional", citing the aforementioned 
inalienable right to kill.

Congress issued a subpeona to Michael and Terri, requiring them to testify
before congress on the issue (thus delaying her execution).  Judge Greer
thumbed his nose and stuck out his tongue.

Congress met in an emergency session, and passed a law, signed by
President Bush, giving advocates for disabled patients about to be
terminated the right to appeal to the Federal courts.  The Schindlers
immediately appealed, and the Federal district court refused to hear their
case.  They appealed to the Supreme Court, and the Supreme Court refused
to hear their case.

Jeb Bush, Governor of Florida announced that he had the authority to take 
Terri into protective custody, and dispatched a National Guard unit to do 
so.  But then he changed his mind and called them back, saying he didn't 
really have that authority.

Meanwhile, witnesses of the final removal of Terri's feeding tube 
testified before Judge Greer that Terri had uttered 4 more simple words 
after its removal: "I want to live".  Lawyers for Michael dismissed this 
as "unconscious groans consistent with PVS".

QUESTIONS

Who, ultimately, do the police putting Terri to death take orders from?  
Are they following those orders because they believe Terri is actually
PVS?  Or are they just afraid of losing their jobs?  Or have they never 
considered the issue?  Is Terri dead yet?

CONCLUSION

Once you're labelled as PVS, you're a goner.


-- 
	      Stuart D. Gathman <stuart at bmsi.com>
    Business Management Systems Inc.  Phone: 703 591-0911 Fax: 703 591-6154
"Confutatis maledictis, flamis acribus addictis" - background song for
a Microsoft sponsored "Where do you want to go from here?" commercial.