A promise is a promise

| 4 Comments

by Pamela F. Hennessy

Michael Schiavo made a promise.

According to him, he promised his wife more than 20 years ago that he would never let her linger on artificial life support. He has said that he and his young wife were watching a television movie that depicted a dying man who was attached to a ventilator when she turned to him and said: Dont let that happen to me.

I promise, responded Michael Schiavo.

Based on the promise he alleges he made to his 20-something wife, Michael Schiavo has sought for the authority to remove a gastric feeding tube from Terri Schiavo through the Florida courts. Doing so would cause her death by dehydration and starvation over the course of many days of suffering and anguish. The Florida courts believe Mr. Schiavo made that promise to his bride so many years ago and, because of that, have ordered that he have the authority to end his wifes life by a deliberate act of deprivation.

Four years after Michael allegedly promised his wife not to let her linger, Terri Schiavo collapsed under mysterious circumstances in the home they shared. She was unresponsive when rushed to the hospital and emerged many days later from that state to be left dramatically brain injured and dependent on others.

After being denied rehabilitation benefits from Terris insurance provider and unable to litigate against them, Michael Schiavo turned to sue the doctors Terri had been seeing at the time of her collapse. He testified to the court that he loved his wife and intended to care for her for the rest of her life. He promised.

She's my life and I wouldn't trade her for the world. I believe in my wedding vows, testified an emotional Michael Schiavo during the medical malpractice trial in 1992. I believe in the vows that I took with my wife, through sickness, in health, for richer or poorer. I married my wife because I love her and I want to spend the rest of my life with her. I'm going to do that.

Impressed with his pledge, the jury took pity on him and awarded him money that was placed into trust for Terris medical care and rehabilitation.

Soon after the money was in the bank, Michael Schiavo became intent on doing the precise opposite of what he promised the court he would do. He instructed doctors not to treat his incapacitated wife for an infection as early as 1993 and again in 1995. He would later testify that he knew doing so could be fatal to her.

Then, in 1997, Michael Schiavo sought out the services of right-to-die attorney, George Felos of Dunedin, Florida. In a letter to the court, dated May 14, 1997, Schiavo (through his attorney, Deborah Bushnell) asked that the court grant fee petitions against his wifes medical fund to employ and pay Felos to represent his legal interests in pursuing the removal of Terri Schiavos feeding tube.

Upon learning of this, Terri Schiavos parents and siblings objected, stating they would care for her and assume any financial responsibility for her continued care.

With that, one of the countrys longest and most contentious legal battles began. Throughout the years of litigation, Michael Schiavo has maintained his only motivation was a promise he made to his wife.

Which promise?

No one was witness to Michaels promise not to allow his wife to live on artificial life support, but more than 200 were witness to Michaels promise to love, honor and obey his bride in 1984 when they wed. Now, Michael is living with another woman and has two children by her, all the while refusing to end his marriage to Terri Schiavo.

The conditions of Michaels promise to end his wifes life arent particularly clear, but his promise to act as her guardian, file annual guardianship reports, take mandatory guardianship training and provide his wife with necessary medical care and rehabilitation are a requirement under Florida law. He has failed miserably in these commitments time and again since 1992.

The promise Michael made to a malpractice court and jury in 1992 to care for his wife for the rest of his life seems long forgotten as well. As soon as 1993, he was taking steps to end her life. Not since receiving her malpractice award has Schiavo allowed any rehabilitation or progressive therapy for his disabled wife.

Even the promises Michael made to Terris parents following her medical incident (he would bring Terri home, he would allow Terris parents to provide her care) have vanished into thin air.

Only one promise seems to hold any measure of importance in Michael Schiavos eyes the promise to end his wifes life. Flimsy as his story is, it is the one the courts have chosen to listen to, disregarding the legal obligations of his guardianship, his commitment to a malpractice jury and his overwhelming conflicts of interest.

In stark contrast to Michael Schiavo, Terris parents (Bob and Mary Schindler) made a different kind of promise when they brought her into this world. That was to place her before themselves from the moment of her birth until the end of time. Not once have they given anyone cause to believe they wouldnt make good on that promise. Not once have they denied their daughter because it was more convenient than loving her. And, unlike Michael Schiavos, their promise is believable.

4 Comments

Well done... Well done...Highly relevant and Terri needs us to keep getting the truth out...

Excellent post!!! You have said it all

Well said. She will remain in my prayers. I have faxed and emailed Gov Bush, Pres Bush and the Florida AG as well as the US AG, and a paper in Florida. Let's hope the rest of society understands the TRUTH in this case and wakes up to the injustice being done.

The only way you will get a dirtbag like Shiavo to give the rights back to the parents is to make the equation sit this way: Make it less profitable(money or livelyhood), worth more with her alive than dead. I know that he has turned down a lot of money to give the rights away, which can only lead to one conclusion. He is hiding something!
Figure this one out, it can be the only answer!
He doesn't want her to talk, and is obviously worried that she may someday.
Gregg


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