Michael Schiavo's interview on Dateline last night

[AMcaptured]

I think someone should tell Michael that his 15 minutes of fame are up!

I honestly can't imagine who would buy his book. I wonder what the publishers think when they sign such a person to write a tell-all. I personally don't get the interest in the man or his story. Besides, I am sure he has a ghost writer and he is going to sanitize it, as anyone would, to only be sympathetic to his "side".

If he really loved his dead wife, he would let her rest in peace.

JMO

 

[Feralpeg]

So many lauded Michael Schiavo for not talking to the press while his wife's parents did. Apparently, he just wanted to write a book. Saint Michael made a business decision. So who's going to buy it-- the book I mean, not his story?

If it makes you feel any better, the Schindlers have a book coming out next week. I guess they'll cash in on the gravy train as well.

I think Michael Schiavo is a very courageous man. Very few men would have stood up to what he did. Most would have chucked it in and walked away.

 

[yeartolate]

If he really loved his dead wife, he would let her rest in peace.

Ummmmm, are you also saying that if the Schindlers really loved their daughter they would let her rest in peace?

 

[bsnyder]

I believe that during an interview, the Schindlers had their suspicions, but the suspicions grew deeper when his behavior did a complete turn-around. There were several instances to illustrate this (again, way too much to type).

The facts, as they happened, don't support this, no matter what the Schindlers may have later claimed. They were all 100% pulling together, for several years after her collapse. And united in their belief that she would eventually recover.

Michael eventually gave up hope. Her parents never could. And both reactions, though polar opposites, are human and understandable, given the circumstances and the different relationships involved.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

I think Michael Schiavo is a very courageous man. Very few men would have stood up to what he did. Most would have chucked it in and walked away.

To a point he did walk away. He took himself a girlfriend and fathered two children while still being married. I don't care if she was brain dead, PVS or whatever you want to call it, she was his wife and he was her husband. They were married and he had an affair. He lost all credibility in my eyes because of this.

 

[C.Ann]

If I recall, it was on Nancy Grace (a show on Headline News Channel) that had an enormous amount of compelling evidence was shown. If it waddles like a duck and it quacks like a duck . . . well, I would say it is a duck!

Way too much to post here, but, in a nutshell, I do remember several issues, such as his waiting to get help, the police who initially saw her when they finally were called noticed her injuries suspicious to that of a choked victim, him quickly sealing the records (those many years ago, and again I understand those particular records can not be opened for numerous years), his "conveniently remembering" that "oh yeah, she wanted to have the tube removed" right after the statute of limitations on attempted murder had passed . . . again, all on news shows and investigative reporting shows (no, not Geraldo, I mean reputable shows).

Like I said before, if it waddles like a duck and it quacks like a duck . . .

---------------------------------

Your information is incorrect - but I'm not surprised considering it came from Nancy Grace..

I think it's high time that Michael finally breaks his silence and defends himself - even if it's in the form of a book..

Terri's parents turned her into a circus clown.. It was one of the most disgusting displays of media manipulation that I have ever witnessed.. If I were Terri, I would haunt them every day of their lives..

And yes - I will read BOTH books - and when I'm done, I'll still come back here and defend Michael and Terri..

 

[TnKrBeLlA012]

My sympathy was for the parents. NO one loves a child more than a mother and father. The husband should have let the parents take control over their daughter. I don't believe for one minute that they had a long talk about dying and not being kept alive on machines. They were young and I just don't believe what he said. When my father was in a coma we had to make some big desicions. We chose to do anything we could to keep my father alive. Even when we new he was dying. We loved him so much we could not even think of him dying. Maybe it was selfish of us but our love of him over powered us. So to ever place any blame with the parents of Terri is wrong. They truly loved their daughter. The husband????? He ruled with his head. They ruled with their hearts. I will say this. I have three daughters. They are my life. I will fight for them until the day I leave this earth. That's what mothers do!

 

[disneyaggie]

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Your information is incorrect - but I'm not surprised considering it came from Nancy Grace..

Umm, I don't think so. Just my humble opinion!

 

[bsnyder]

My sympathy was for the parents. NO one loves a child more than a mother and father. The husband should have let the parents take control over their daughter. I don't believe for one minute that they had a long talk about dying and not being kept alive on machines. They were young and I just don't believe what he said. When my father was in a coma we had to make some big desicions. We chose to do anything we could to keep my father alive. Even when we new he was dying. We loved him so much we could not even think of him dying. Maybe it was selfish of us but our love of him over powered us. So to ever place any blame with the parents of Terri is wrong. They truly loved their daughter. The husband????? He ruled with his head. They ruled with their hearts. I will say this. I have three daughters. They are my life. I will fight for them until the day I leave this earth. That's what mothers do!

I have sympathy for all of them.

I'm curious, would you have done everything for your father even if he had specific legal instructions in writing not to do so? How about your daughters?

 

[Feralpeg]

To a point he did walk away. He took himself a girlfriend and fathered two children while still being married. I don't care if she was brain dead, PVS or whatever you want to call it, she was his wife and he was her husband. They were married and he had an affair. He lost all credibility in my eyes because of this.

It must be great to live in a world where everything is black and white. Sorry, I will openly admit that I have done many things in my life that are not perfect (certainly gray). I won't condem him since I can't even imagine what it was like being in his shoes. I'll let God be his judge.

 

[Mickey Fliers]

It must be great to live in a world where everything is black and white. Sorry, I will openly admit that I have done many things in my life that are not perfect (certainly gray). I won't condem him since I can't even imagine what it was like being in his shoes. I'll let God be his judge.

Absolutely... AGREED!!

 

[TnKrBeLlA012]

I have sympathy for all of them.

I'm curious, would you have done everything for your father even if he had specific legal instructions in writing not to do so? How about your daughters?

After what my father went through my mother did put in writing her wishes. That was done because of what she saw my father go through. Terri did not have anything in writing. My father did not either. So at the time you do what you do out of pure love. Even if my father had told us his wishes I can't say we would have followed them. I know my family. We would have fought to keep him alive. I have already joked with my mom. I told her we will not give her up without a fight. Maybe I'm different. I just know how much I love my parents and my girls. If something horrible happened to them I just don't know what I would do. I do know that any desicion I would make would be made out of love. If it's in writing I guess I would have to respect that. As for Terri's parents. I know how they must have felt.They could not sit and watch their daughter die. They wanted to fight for her. I'm sure she knows what her parents did for her. They did it because they loved her. She would never blame them or come back to haunt them as one poster stated. Life is not always what we want or expect it to be. Things happen and until the situation arises none of us can really say what we would do. It's much easier to judge others. Her husband has moved on. Her parents will never forget. Blood is always thicker than water!!

 

[bsnyder]

After what my father went through my mother did put in writing her wishes. That was done because of what she saw my father go through. Terri did not have anything in writing. My father did not either. So at the time you do what you do out of pure love. Even if my father had told us his wishes I can't say we would have followed them. I know my family. We would have fought to keep him alive. I have already joked with my mom. I told her we will not give her up without a fight. Maybe I'm different. I just know how much I love my parents and my girls. If something horrible happened to them I just don't know what I would do. I do know that any desicion I would make would be made out of love. If it's in writing I guess I would have to respect that. As for Terri's parents. I know how they must have felt.They could not sit and watch their daughter die. They wanted to fight for her. I'm sure she knows what her parents did for her. They did it because they loved her. She would never blame them or come back to haunt them as one poster stated. Life is not always what we want or expect it to be. Things happen and until the situation arises none of us can really say what we would do. It's much easier to judge others. Her husband has moved on. Her parents will never forget. Blood is always thicker than water!!

For the record (it's been a while since we debated the Schivo case), I felt that in the absence of written documented proof of Terri's wishes, and since her parents were willing to care for her, I think they should have prevailed - in other words, we should always err on the side of life.

But doing everything you can to keep someone alive when that person has explicitly stated in writing that they don't want that is, IMO, not love, but pure selfishness. I sincerely hope your mom has appointed a health care surrogate that will respect her wishes even if they conflict with their own.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

It must be great to live in a world where everything is black and white. Sorry, I will openly admit that I have done many things in my life that are not perfect (certainly gray). I won't condem him since I can't even imagine what it was like being in his shoes. I'll let God be his judge.

We can agree to disagree. I will say this with 100% certainty: I will never be with another man if my husband is sick, in a vegetative state, brain dead, you name it. My marriage vows said, "til death do us part" and I take my marriage vows VERY seriously.

If others say that they would, well, hope you are happy in your infidelity. And yes, God will be his judge. I don't see why having an opinion on this whole situation makes someone a bad person. Everyone posting in this thread is judging one sideor another.

 

[Pigeon]

This is an excellent example of why the government should stay out of people's private lives. Frist is morally brain-dead.

They ruled with their hearts. I will say this. I have three daughters. They are my life. I will fight for them until the day I leave this earth. That's what mothers do!

I have daughters also. I accept the fact that someday they will grow up, live independent of me, and most likely marry. At that point, their next of kin is their spouse, just as it should be. I love my parents, but they are not my husband and in no way should they be making medical decisions for me.

I think Michael did exactly the right thing. His parents' wishful thinking is understandable, but their actions are unforgivable.

 

[Feralpeg]

We can agree to disagree. I will say this with 100% certainty: I will never be with another man if my husband is sick, in a vegetative state, brain dead, you name it. My marriage vows said, "til death do us part" and I take my marriage vows VERY seriously.

If others say that they would, well, hope you are happy in your infidelity. And yes, God will be his judge. I don't see why having an opinion on this whole situation makes someone a bad person. Everyone posting in this thread is judging one sideor another.

Lindsay, I never meant to imply that I think you are a bad person. Your view is just very different from mine. I am not a person who sees in absolutes. I'm happy for you that you can be so certain of yourself. I have no idea how I would act in a similar situation.

 

[yeartolate]

For the record (it's been a while since we debated the Schivo case), I felt that in the absence of written documented proof of Terri's wishes, and since her parents were willing to care for her, I think they should have prevailed - in other words, we should always err on the side of life.

Just so we are clear on this, if you really believe this....I hope you are willing for your health insurance premiums to go up to $5,000 a month.

I have seen many family members in turmoil over this. Many (most????) do not have durable powers of attorney for health care with advance directives or living wills. Ultimately it is left to the next of kin. Often times (as in the Schindlers) there is a family member who would like to prolong the life . Yes the family member is who wants to prolong the life is willing to put a personal investment - but ultimately insurance (private and federal) will pay the bulk of the care.

Erring on the side of life (if applied to all family mebers in the Schindlers situation) would lead eventually to a (further) collapse of the American medical system. Since nobody will tolerate $5,000 /month insurance premiums, cuts will have to be made. I guarantee these cuts will affect the quality of life of those who actually have the capacity to have a quality of life.

I do not mean to make it about money. but you cannot ignore that element.

Micheal was judged REPEATEDLY to be the next of kin. He sought advanced medical care for a protracted period of time. He made a decision regarding prolonging her life. A decison that Florida agrees with - or at least has laws to support. Why are citizens not equally pissed with Florida for having laws that permit witholding of food and water?

I am personally conflicted about cessation of feeding, but it was not my call to make.

Given that KAren Ann Quinlan was front page news during their marriage - I find it highly believable a discussion took place.

 

[va32h]

Maybe I'm different. I just know how much I love my parents and my girls.

So if I opted to take my mother or child off life support, for whatever reason, I don't love them enough? The only evidence of how much you love a person is how you'd react in this situation? Because that's what it sounds like you are saying. Is it not possible to love someone and still make this decision? Apparently not in your judgement.

But neither the Schindlers nor Michael Schiavo have to prove the quality and quantity of their love to anyone. Michael Schiavo was legally Terri's next of kin, it was his decision to make. The politicians who inserted themselves into this private matter for their own agendas are despicable and beyond contempt.

And Nancy Grace is a hack. I wouldn't believe her if she said the sky was blue.

 

[JennyMominRI]

I just thought I would post this..It's a link to a web-site called Abstract Appeal..It's neither pro-schindler nor pro Schiave..It holds tons of links to court documents and medical documents..Anyone who wanted to have a serios opinion needs to read things like courst transcripts and legal medical reports,not gather their info from talk shows and the web-sites of people involved peronally with the case


http://abstractappeal.com/schiavo/infopage.html

 

[bsnyder]

Just so we are clear on this, if you really believe this....I hope you are willing for your health insurance premiums to go up to $5,000 a month.

I have seen many family members in turmoil over this. Many (most????) do not have durable powers of attorney for health care with advance directives or living wills. Ultimately it is left to the next of kin. Often times (as in the Schindlers) there is a family member who would like to prolong the life . Yes the family member is who wants to prolong the life is willing to put a personal investment - but ultimately insurance (private and federal) will pay the bulk of the care.

Erring on the side of life (if applied to all family mebers in the Schindlers situation) would lead eventually to a (further) collapse of the American medical system. Since nobody will tolerate $5,000 /month insurance premiums, cuts will have to be made. I guarantee these cuts will affect the quality of life of those who actually have the capacity to have a quality of life.

I do not mean to make it about money. but you cannot ignore that element.

Micheal was judged REPEATEDLY to be the next of kin. He sought advanced medical care for a protracted period of time. He made a decision regarding prolonging her life. A decison that Florida agrees with - or at least has laws to support. Why are citizens not equally pissed with Florida for having laws that permit witholding of food and water?

I am personally conflicted about cessation of feeding, but it was not my call to make.

Given that KAren Ann Quinlan was front page news during their marriage - I find it highly believable a discussion took place.

I'm personally conflicted too, about a whole lot of it.

And I do know that we, as a society, are long overdue on the entire debate. Medical technology has increased by leaps and bounds. Our ability to have frank and reasonable discussions about the consequences of those advances has not.

Imagine if those talking head, Nancy Grace type cable shows spent at least a fraction of their air time educating the public about topics like durable powers of attorney, health care with advance directives, and living wills instead of simply exploiting the personal tragedy of the Schivos and the Schindlers?

I won't hold my breath.