Kate Adamson is the mother of two who suffered a double brain stem stroke and was in a coma for 70 days. She was completely unresponsive to stimuli and was diagnosed as being in a persistent vegetative state. Doctors finally pulled her feeding tube and, for eight days, she lay dying. Instead of being unconscious as the doctors believed she was aware of everything.
During an interview on the O'Reilly Factor in 2003 she recounted the dehydration experience:
O'REILLY: When they took the feeding tube out, what went through your mind?Bob & Mary Schindler have invited Kate Adamson to address the Florida State House Committee on the Judiciary and share her remarkable story. Adamson, author of "Kate's Journey" and a renowned disability rights activist, hopes her story will change the way Terri is being perceived by those who hold her life in their hands.ADAMSON: When the feeding tube was turned off for eight days, I thought I was going insane. I was screaming out in my mind, "Don't you know I need to eat?" And even up until that point, I had been having a bagful of Ensure as my nourishment that was going through the feeding tube. At that point, it sounded pretty good. I just wanted something. The fact that I had nothing, the hunger pains overrode every thought I had.
Due to a catastrophic brain stem stroke, Kate was dependent on a feeding tube for all her nourishment and had the tube turned off for over a week. She, unlike most others, can understand what Terri is going through. Doctors had given up hope that Kate would ever recover, but she is now fully functional except for some paralysis on the left side of her body.
"I have a unique understanding of what Terri is feeling. I could feel everything that the doctors did to me, and I could do nothing. I was at the complete mercy of others, and they couldn't hear me. I have been given the opportunity to speak on behalf of one that has been robbed of her voice. We are praying that God will move on the hearts of Governor Bush and the Florida Legislature to stand up and protect the right of Terri not to be starved to death."
Kate's testimony at the Hospice this Saturday
was most compelling! She is a priceless
witness for Terri.
She is beautiful, has a charming Australian accent and is totally media savvy!
She gave a great interview to a bank of TV cameras
but I never saw any coverage of her on the local stations.
I hope I just missed it.
Media black out?
Today I am fasting and praying on behalf of Terri. I have asked others to join me in asking God to have His will in this case. If they can try to starve her to death, the least I can do is starve her to life for one day. Continue to pray and fast if you are medically able to do so. God bless each of you.
I haven't had anything to eat yet today and it is 3pm.
I may have dinner as I work tonight.
We'll see if I can make it through the whole day.