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Last Updated: 02/28/2005
The Rockbridge Report is produced
under the supervision of the Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communications
at Washington and Lee University.
Reporting supervisors: Prof. Doug Cumming
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Schiavo right-to-die issue stirs local reaction by Rob Armstrong Court battles continue in Florida over the fate of brain-damaged Terri Schiavo, who has been in a persistent vegetative state for more than 15 years. Schavio's parents, Robert and Mary Schindler, have led a high-profile campaign to keep Schiavo on artificial life support. Schiavo's husband, Michael Schiavo, says his wife had expressed wishes not to be kept alive, although she never left a written directive. This issue has reminded workers at the Rockbridge Area Hospice, who want to avoid conflicts like those in the Schiavo case, to urge patients to make a preemptive decision about artificial life-support, according to Mickey Watkins, social-work coordinator at the Lexington-based agency.
In most situations, Watkins says, the process of dying while under the care of a hospice is natural and comfortable for the patient. And according to Zoebry Ans, nursing-care coordinator, patients during their final days may become more uncomfortable with food or water intake. But Shiavo's parents see the issue as a right to live, and have been supported by many Christian groups throughout the country. Florida's 2nd District Court of Appeal allowed a stay to expire on Tuesday that would have effectively allowed Schiavo's husband to pull her feeding tube. But Schiavo's parents successfully blocked the move, put into place by an emergency stay of Pinellas Circuit Court Judge George Greer. The 15-year court battle has drawn national attention to the right-to-die issue. Despite medical professionals ruling that Schiavo is in a "persistent vegetative state with no hope of recovery," Schiavo's parents have countered with a media campaign, including a nationally broadcast visit to her hospital room, in which Schiavo appears to cry, laugh, and react to her family. Doctors argue that her responses are only reflexes. In October 2003, Schiavo's feeding tube was pulled for six days before Gov. Bush pressed a new law letting him order the tube to be reinserted. The Florida Supreme Court later struck down the legislation, ruling it was unconstitutional. The emotional court battles focus on the question of legal guardianship of Schiavo. In many states, Schiavo's husband would assume this role by default. The local Rockbridge hospice says such an unfortunate situation could be avoided. Every patient is strongly recommended to fill out a form to help ensure that families do not have to deal with emotional battles such as the Schiavo case, Watkins said.
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