Schiavo doctors deserve apology

There is no satisfaction in learning from Terri Schiavo’s autopsy that she was, in fact, in an irreversible vegetative state and was blind. And that doesn’t discredit her parents’ heartfelt attempts to gain custody and prevent the removal of her feeding tube. But how about the activists and politicians who inserted themselves into this family tragedy issuing a public apology to all the doctors they vilified?
Posted by Phillip Brownlee

4 Comments

  1. basil
    Posted June 16, 2005 at 3:30 pm | Permalink

    The pathologist who performed the autopsy has not closed the case. This isn,t over. Both sides are hearing what they want from the recently released autopsy. The doctors don’t derserve any kudos or apologies. They made some very bad choices and allowed the woman to die, needlessly. The State of Florida and the husband didn’t want to pay any more medical bills. That’s why she is dead.

  2. Jed
    Posted June 16, 2005 at 4:12 pm | Permalink

    As someone who has found myself on both sides of this issue, I have profound sympathy for her parents, who weren’t about to give up hope, even when there was none. I also feel for her husband, who, after trying everything available, finally said enough is enough.
    The people I have no truck with are all those who used her for their own political, financial and religious gain!
    Not one of those politicians or preachers ever made an effort to really understand what the families were about; all they were concerned with was getting publicity and votes for themselves, and had no concern in the world about the pain they caused all the families that go through such ordeals!
    The decisions that have to be made about our loved ones cannot depend on a particular dogma, but must include hundreds of small factors that do not lend themselves to reduction to sound bites under television lights. Unfortunately, you, the press, and the requirements of your involvement, removed much of the rationality necessary to that decision, and turned the it into a competition for the soppiest sentiment of the day!
    Next time something like this happens, resign yourselves to the fact that you will never posess all the facts, and show compassion by showing restraint!

  3. D Collins
    Posted June 16, 2005 at 8:50 pm | Permalink

    Hard to decide in my usual manner which is to be opposed to the side that lies. Both sides lied.
    The parents obviously faked the ‘follow the balloon’ video since she was blind.
    The husband sued for millions saying the doctors failed to diagnose bulimia which she didn’t have.
    We will never know the truth.

  4. Lyn McDonell
    Posted June 17, 2005 at 8:59 am | Permalink

    If the politicians and religious leaders that turned this into a circus were sincere. They would be pushing for legislature that wouldn’t cut off the average persons life support, due to inablity to pay.