Schiavo autopsy: brain shrunk to half the size, even if given water would have died

[Uiler]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050615...Tndyl4A;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl

Autopsy results have been released for Terri Schiavo. The main points:

- no evidence of physical abuse such as being strangled as her parents had accused her husband.

- "after her feeding tube was removed, she would not have been able to eat or drink if she had been given food by mouth, as her parents' requested.

"Removal of her feeding tube would have resulted in her death whether she was fed or hydrated by mouth or not," Thogmartin told reporters."

- the vision centres in her brain were dead and hence she was blind.

- the brain was half the size of a normal human brain and "This damage was irreversible, and no amount of therapy or treatment would have regenerated the massive loss of neurons."

- the cause of her initial collapse is a mystery and he could find no evidence for the eating disorder theory.

The BBC adds:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4096256.stm

She was incapable of surviving without her feeding tube, Mr Throgmartin said, adding that she was blind and incapable of thinking, feeling or interacting with her environment.

"This damage was irreversible, and no amount of therapy or treatment would have regenerated the massive loss of neurons," he said.

To add further, if the protestors had actually managed to get water or food to her they would have killed her:

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1118842392937_114251592/?hub=TopStories

He also said that Schiavo would not have been able to live without a feeding tube, and that trying to eat or drink orally would have resulted in aspiration.

 

[Mark1031]

I believe that this was quite clear from the MRIs and any reputable Neurologist not influenced by personal or political considerations would have known this. It was a cruel and disgraceful show. I don;t blame the protesters or parents but the few medical professionals (like Frist) that suggested that there was hope or that she could eat or drink on her own.

 

[CoolioVonHoolio]

i saw a report on this on ABC. this is just a sad reminder of terrible things...
i dont like reports like this, but nowadays trajedys is all that is on the news...

 

[Yom]

This is no news to me, really.

 

[De Lorimier]

This is no news to me, really.

This is no news to any rational logically thinking person.

Then there's Bill Frist a.k.a the stupidest elected official in the United States.

 

[eyrei]

I would just like to say how happy I am that our elected officials held an emergency meeting of congress to try to save this woman's 'life'.

 

[Elrohir]

And this is news....how?

 

[blackheart]

And this is news....how?

It isn't to those who already knew, but perhaps it is to those who were on the opposite side.

 

[pawpaw]

It isn't to those who already knew, but perhaps it is to those who were on the opposite side.

Her parents state they don't execpt the results

 

[Sims2789]

This is hilarious! I need not make a sarcastic comment as I am sure that the so-called "pro-life" people are already flushed with embarrasment and denial of facts in favor of religious zeal.

 

[wit>trope]

- the cause of her initial collapse is a mystery and he could find no evidence for the eating disorder theory.

So her husband was wrong about her collapsing because of an alleged eating disorder. IOW, this suggests that foul play of some kind was involved.

 

[Mark1031]

And this is news....how?

Hmm lets see could it be because

1: It dominated the new cycle for several weeks?
2: Congress passed a special law forcing the dispute into federal court negating a major tenant of the Republican Party namely states rights?
3: Bush flew back from Texas to sign said law even though he couldn't be bothered to fly back to deal with pre 911 terror alerts that had George Tenent running around with his "hair on fire"?
4:The majority leader in Congress threatened federal judges with impeachment or worse for not ruling in the way they wanted?
5: Many people were told at that the state was starving to death a conscious but somewhat handicapped woman who only needed therapy, supported in their view by a long-range medical diagnosis from the Senate majority leader?

My the people have short memories. I won't be holding my breath for the apologies to her husband and all the others who were smeared in this disgusting event.

 

[North King]

So her husband was wrong about her collapsing because of an alleged eating disorder. IOW, this suggests that foul play of some kind was involved.

Just because the evidence blatantly points in the opposite direction to which you believed in, you claim it's "foul play".

 

[FriendlyFire]

Dubya signed a law as the governor of texas which allowed minors to be put to death Life support machine to be switched off. once the insurence money runs out. GG Dubyas culture of life.

 

[Uiler]

So her husband was wrong about her collapsing because of an alleged eating disorder. IOW, this suggests that foul play of some kind was involved.

However, the doctor explicitly stated he found no evidence of foul play.

From the BBC:

Examiner John Throgmartin said there was no evidence of trauma or strangulation prior to Schiavo's collapse.

The autopsy also could not prove that she was suffering from an eating disorder at the time - her diminished potassium levels at the time could have been affected by emergency treatment.

The 41-year-old was found not to have suffered a heart attack or been administered harmful drugs or other substances before her death. She died of dehydration.

 

[hbdragon88]

I thought so.

I found it funny that people were trying to bring food and drink, because it was already and clearly stated (by the wave of news reports and stories) that she could not swallow or drink herself.

 

[Vladyc]

The fact that she was blind also shows that the videos of her "following a balloon" were blatantly false.

 

[CruddyLeper]

About as significant as Atkins being grossly overweight at autopsy - proves nothing.

 

[Elrohir]

Hmm lets see could it be because

1: It dominated the new cycle for several weeks?
2: Congress passed a special law forcing the dispute into federal court negating a major tenant of the Republican Party namely states rights?
3: Bush flew back from Texas to sign said law even though he couldn't be bothered to fly back to deal with pre 911 terror alerts that had George Tenent running around with his "hair on fire"?
4:The majority leader in Congress threatened federal judges with impeachment or worse for not ruling in the way they wanted?
5: Many people were told at that the state was starving to death a conscious but somewhat handicapped woman who only needed therapy, supported in their view by a long-range medical diagnosis from the Senate majority leader?

My the people have short memories. I won't be holding my breath for the apologies to her husband and all the others who were smeared in this disgusting event.

I still don't see anything really new in this article.

 

[Turner]

I'm surprised, and I know I shouldn't be, that the Schindler's don't accept this. It's not as if it was just one doctor saying something. Thogmartin vetted his information and allowed other professionals to do so.

I understand what it's like to lose a child. But I can't imagine the hell they went through. But you would think that they would accept this, and do their best to move on.

I'm really disappointed that these right-to-lifer's (which I admit, I am one. I'm also a realist) can't accept what the autopsy says and move on.