# Let the poor woman die already! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 17, 2005, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-poor-woman-die-already/295029 "2005-03-17T19:11:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 57
**Author:** ![holmes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e95f7d/32.png) [@holmes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/holmes)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2005, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-poor-woman-die-already/295029/1121 "2005-03-30T16:42:31Z")
I’m not surprised…by all accounts she should have died the night her heart stopped. Clearly she’s tough, it’s unfortunate that her damage rendered her in the state she’s in. As I’m sure had the damage been less, she would been one of the ‘miracle’ recoveries. shame. ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2005, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-poor-woman-die-already/295029/1122 "2005-03-30T17:34:17Z")
> [@if6was9](#): > > Isn’t she dead yet??? Nope…despite the insistence of her father that she was in “her final hours”, ohhh, 5 days ago now. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2005, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-poor-woman-die-already/295029/1123 "2005-03-30T17:57:23Z")
> [@cricetus](#): > > It seems kind of amazing she’s still alive. Haven’t you heard? The fact that she’s still alive means she’s fighting to live! She doesn’t want to die! Yeesh. I’m wondering if the Pope and Terri will die on the same day. Won’t _that_ send the networks into an orgiastic frenzy? ---
**Author:** ![archmichael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@archmichael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/archmichael)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2005, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-poor-woman-die-already/295029/1124 "2005-03-30T19:53:14Z")
Completely off topic, but does anyone know what religion Michael Schiavo’s faith is? I ask because in the endless footage of him. You know, the one where he walks down the office hallway then sits down at his desk. Behind him, and to his right, there is a Maharishi type picture hanging on the wall, and I was wondering what the significance was. ---
**Author:** ![GraceTX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c4cdca/32.png) [@GraceTX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GraceTX)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2005, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-poor-woman-die-already/295029/1125 "2005-03-30T20:16:58Z")
I might be wrong, but don’t you have to be Catholic to get married in a Catholic church. He might not be Catholic now, but is it safe to assume that he was when they married? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2005, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-poor-woman-die-already/295029/1126 "2005-03-30T20:26:03Z")
> [@Lil' Mahoney](#): > > I might be wrong, but don’t you have to be Catholic to get married in a Catholic church. He might not be Catholic now, but is it safe to assume that he was when they married? Nope, you just have to promise to raise any children in the Catholic faith. Latest news-the 11th circuit has-surprise, surprise!-rejected the appeal. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2005, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-poor-woman-die-already/295029/1127 "2005-03-30T20:38:43Z")
You need to be baptized, generally speaking. You can be Christian of any denomination and agree to raise your kids Catholic, but generally speaking, non-Christians can’t be married in the Catholic church. However, I know non-Christians who have pulled it off because their bethrothed’s family had enough pull that they were willing to overlook that whole “not Christian” thing. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2005, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-poor-woman-die-already/295029/1128 "2005-03-30T21:01:06Z")
Drudge is reporting that the latest appeal has been rejected. The father, however, has not given up yet: “We know that some of her organs are still functioning. … It’s not too late,” he said. Ye gods! One wonders, if their daughter were in their care, just how long they’d keep her ‘alive’. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2005, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-poor-woman-die-already/295029/1129 "2005-03-30T21:28:15Z")
I’m not sure that even her death will penetrate the Schindlers’ denial. They’ll probably try to petition the court to stop Michael Schiavo from “burning her alive” when she’s cremated. Failing that, they will begin to speak about how alert and responsive her ashes are, how the ashes played Parcheesi with them and voted for Bo on American Idol. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2005, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-poor-woman-die-already/295029/1130 "2005-03-30T21:34:49Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Latest news-the 11th circuit has-surprise, surprise!-rejected the appeal. So, what now? Is there a point where someone tells the Schindlers enough is enough? That they’re wasting the court’s time? How many times can they freaking appeal this thing? ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2005, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-poor-woman-die-already/295029/1131 "2005-03-30T21:50:58Z")
As of this a.m., there was a quote from Terry’s father about her continuing to hang on, including the line “We still have her.” Subtext: “And _you_ don’t, Michael! Bwahaha-haaa!!” Daughter or possession? It’s hard to tell. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2005, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-poor-woman-die-already/295029/1132 "2005-03-30T21:54:22Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Daughter or possession? It’s hard to tell. I thought that was the same thing expressed by Mrs. Schindler’s comment “Michael and Jodi, you have your own children. Please, please give my child back to me.” ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2005, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-poor-woman-die-already/295029/1133 "2005-03-30T21:55:12Z")
Oh, this is rich-her father says she’s “looking good.” I guess she stopped bleeding from the eyes. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2005, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-poor-woman-die-already/295029/1134 "2005-03-30T21:57:08Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > I’m not sure that even her death will penetrate the Schindlers’ denial. They’ll probably try to petition the court to stop Michael Schiavo from “burning her alive” when she’s cremated. Failing that, they will begin to speak about how alert and responsive her ashes are, how the ashes played Parcheesi with them and voted for Bo on American Idol. I’m having visions of the end of **Shaun of the Dead** : “Look, Terri is up and shambling around. And what an appetite she’s developed! _No, Terri, stop trying to eat the neighbors!_” ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2005, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-poor-woman-die-already/295029/1135 "2005-03-30T22:00:13Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > Ye gods! One wonders, if their daughter were in their care, just how long they’d keep her ‘alive’. > [@](#): > > Her family remains determined to keep her alive. Indeed, they have said that if she contracted gangrene in her limbs, they would agree to amputate each limb. If she were to be diagnosed with heart disease, they would seek open heart surgery. They want her to be alive, even in this condition. They have said that even if she had told them that in such circumstances she would want to have a feeding tube withdrawn, they would not do it. > > [http://www.charlotte.com/mld/observer/news/opinion/11197718.htm](http://www.charlotte.com/mld/observer/news/opinion/11197718.htm) No, not obsessed, not at all. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2005, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-poor-woman-die-already/295029/1136 "2005-03-30T22:01:36Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Daughter or possession? It’s hard to tell. Her mother held a news conference yesterday (or the day before) in which she called on Michael and his girlfriend to “give her back to us” since they had children of their own now. It was just appalling. If I were Michael or the girlfriend, I would seriously consider suing them for slander or libel after this is all over. ---
**Author:** ![Apos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Apos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apos)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2005, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-poor-woman-die-already/295029/1137 "2005-03-30T22:05:06Z")
> [@cricetus](#): > > From what I understand, they’d have to take her from the hospice to a hospital and fix her electrolyte balance or something. Don’t ask me how that works, or why they can’t do it in a hospice. It seems kind of amazing she’s still alive. Not really. Cruzan lived a little over 11 days. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2005, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-poor-woman-die-already/295029/1138 "2005-03-30T22:41:16Z")
From what little I know of hospice–it is not set up for such acute interventions as correcting electrolyte imbalances etc. Keep in mind–this is a hospice. People are supposed to die there. I doubt that there is even a crash cart for the pts (there may be one for staff or visitors–I am not up on the state’s requirements on these things). They may only have those defib machines, like at the airport. And if there is a pharmacy on site, there may be no potassium/magnesium etc. I doubt there is a bag of IV fluid in the whole place, except on the crash cart(if any). To re-insert the tube at this point would be evil–but what else is new… Do the Schindler’s realize that Michael is Terri’s husband–she is not a child to him? I don’t get the remark about “let her go, you have children of your own”, but I don’t get much of any of the Schindler’s POV. ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Tonya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/4491bb/32.png) [@Queen\_Tonya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Tonya)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2005, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-poor-woman-die-already/295029/1139 "2005-03-30T23:07:21Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > I’m not sure that even her death will penetrate the Schindlers’ denial. They’ll probably try to petition the court to stop Michael Schiavo from “burning her alive” when she’s cremated. Failing that, they will begin to speak about how alert and responsive her ashes are, how the ashes played Parcheesi with them and voted for Bo on American Idol. She obviously wants us all to vote for Aaaaahn Wahhhhhhhr. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2005, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-poor-woman-die-already/295029/1140 "2005-03-30T23:10:20Z")
I can’t bring myself to listen to the audio of her “speaking,” but I keep having the mental image of it sounding like Jodie Foster in _Nell_. “Tyyyyin daaaaaa wiiiiiiiihhhhhhhnnn” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-poor-woman-die-already/295029.md?page=56) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/let-the-poor-woman-die-already/295029.md?page=58)