"Recent years of neglect"??????Suzanne Vitadamo

[chelsea0011]

Is the sister bashing the hospice care? Is there a lawsuit coming?

[Liberal Veteran]

1. Would we surprised if there were?

nt

[burythehatchet]

2. Don't be alarmed

her extended family has been feasting on her body for weeks now. There's not much flesh left so the hyenas are biting for the last few pieces. May her family receive the fruits of their actions.

[Animy44]

3. Being a nurse, I find her remarks

very disconcerting. I think most people know that Hospice patients receive better care than anyone. 15 years and she's never had a bedsore!! That in itself is a credit to the Hospice staff.

[noamnety]

5. I thought the hospice was donating their services

I guess this is how the Schindlers chose the express their thanks.

[frankly_fedup2]

19. They were being paid by Medicaid, I thought someone said? (nt)

[noamnety]

21. medicaid paid only a portion

"Patient care at the Florida hospice where Schiavo lives averages about $80,000 a year, but the hospice now pays for much of her care. For two years, Medicaid has covered other medical costs, including prescription drugs, the attorneys have said in published reports."

from http://onoekeh.blogspot.com/2005/03/save-terri-but-cut-medicare-shes-on.html

it's an ironic twist that isn't covered by the media - if the hospice hadn't donated its services, even with the large court settlement, they may not have had the option to keep her alive as long as they did, because medicaid didn't pay enough to cover the cost.

The culture of life, again, doesn't extend to actually covering any of the finances or practical concerns of the family, and that "frivolous and excessive" lawsuit that they hate so much doesn't actually cover the expenses.

[merbex]

7. Welcome to DU! You are absolutely correct - 15 years no bed sore

quite a testimonial to her care

[liberal43110]

10. I know; it's disguting to hear them criticize the hospice

The level of care that they have provided for Terri is astounding. And the family is so ungrateful and opportunistic to claim abuse. Amazing. And digusting.

:mad:

[caligirl]

17. Same here, when I worked the med surg floor I had patients from

nursing homes with bed sores(big ugly ulcers)so bad you could put your fist in them. That is from poor care, not turning patients frequently enough. For Schiavo not to have had even one in 15 years is outstanding and an excellent inde=ication that she was not neglected.

[frankly_fedup2]

23. How long have you been a nurse (if you don't mind me asking)?

Do you specialize with your care?

I had thought about nursing; however, I worked in a hospital for a good bit (Medical Records), and when I saw how the doctors treated some of the nurses (not all doctors but most), I said "forget it."

I'm sure it is not that way everywhere; however, the doctors demand more from the nurses then they demand of themselves.

The local hospital was offering a $5,000.00 sign-on bonus for new nurses. They cannot keep anyone.

I do admire anyone who is a nurse. If I had my life to do over (don't we all wish for that one--ha), I would like something in the medical field I'm sure. Always guaranteed a job there.

Thanks. Sorry for being so nosy, was just wondering if nurses get treated with the respect they truly deserve.

[purji]

4. 15 years with NO bed sores

that is not just good care but,excellent care.

[frankly_fedup2]

8. Really UNBELIEVABLY excellent care.

Even Christopher Reeve died from an infection that he got from a bed sore. He may have had a lot of money or not from his career; however, one would think he would have gotten excellent care, not only from Home Health Care but, also, his families loving care of him.

Medicaid was paying for Terri's care at this time. I found it ironic that the state was paying for her care, when Dubya had passed a law when he was governor of the state of Texas, that the plug gets pulled if the family cannot afford to pay for their loved one's, no matter what the family's wishes were. Now there is some compassion for ya.

[Beaverhausen]

14. My boyfriend is a private duty nurse

His patient (with Muscular Dystrophy) also has never had a bedsore.
He isn't rich or famous.

He just has a really good nurse.

[frankly_fedup2]

18. It would be a blessing if everyone had someone like that to take . . .

care of them if they became incapacitated to the point of needing that kind of care.

I have seen some pictures of bed sores and they are to the bone. They are horrible.

I did find it surprising that C. Reeve died from an infection of a bed sore. Turned into a staff infection. I do remember reading that his wife, Dana, was in New York when she got the call to return to L.A. I think she was doing a Broadway Play at the time. Maybe that is why he got the bedsore in the first place. Maybe he didn't notice it and his caregivers didn't think much of it. I have heard of paper cuts turning into a staph infection.

[riverwalker]

6. Not much class

in that family. I know they are in pain, but their statement just now was really without any grace at all. It could have been a chance to speak to their supporters to volunteer at hospices, or to defeat hunger. Instead it was basically "thanks to those who helped US (because the world revolves around my pathetic dysfunctional family), and screw you to those who didn't"

[barb162]

9. I don't think she is talking about the hospice

[liberal43110]

11. Yes, I think she is

[Nikki Stone 1]

12. I think the target is Michael Shiavo. The wrongful death case IS coming &

it will be against Schiavo, not the hospice. They have already spread all kinds of stories saying that Michael gave no money to Terri's care, etc., etc.

At the root, this case has been ALL about money, and specifically the wrongful death settlement. Knowing what he knows now, I wonder if Schiavo wishes he had paid off these in-laws from hell. I know I do.

If the wrongful death suit isn't thrown out on its face, there will be major ramifications, especially for those of us whose parents are approaching the age when pulling life support machinery will be a decision that has to be made.

[POAS]

13. It won't matter if it is thrown out

anymore than all the other times the courts threw out the appeals to keep Mrs. Schiavo's body from following her spirit into death.

When the suits are dismissed they will be appealed all the way to Congress and the President.

[Nikki Stone 1]

15. Let's hope that Congress isn't serious about a high level of interference

in these kinds of cases, and that the Schiavo case was only political grandstanding.

[barb162]

16. I think she is referring to M. Schiavo. I think there is some sort of

secrecy order on the $750,000 portion of the money that was to be specifically used only on Terri S.'s care. I have read variously that half of it is still left and Mike S. has spent the other half on his attorney, Mr. Felos. I have read that it's all gone. I have read very detailed descriptions of exactly how much was spent item by item. I have read that the original fight between the parents and Mike S. was because he intended not to spend the money at all on Terri's rehab efforts and they wanted him to spend the money on her as was intended by the settlement. I have no idea which of the stories is correct.

[frankly_fedup2]

20. Were these recent newspaper reports? Are they available online

now? If they are, do you care to share the URLs?

Thanks in advance if you can.

[LiberalFighter]

22. How can a sister or other family member except the husband

file a lawsuit on this issue?

[frankly_fedup2]

24. Terri Schievo's family have accused everyone of not doing anything

right. They have accused her husband. They have accused the caregivers; however, they hadn't raised that question until she was dead. They have accused the state for not stopping their daughter's right to die. They have blamed the federal government for not doing more for THEM. THEM is all they care about. I'm sure they loved their daughter and sister; however, this family are probably pissed now that they don't have the rights for a TV-made movie regarding their daughter/sister. Only Terri's husband could do that, and it would really surprise me if he did that, just from watching his actions compared to the families very public, outspoken accusations.

What REALLY amazed me were the monks and the priest that were always upfront with the parents. Then that priest to say such harsh words about Michael Schiavo. . . it seemed very inappropriate.

When Jesse Jackson went down there, he felt Terri should live; however, I do not recall him one time saying anything against Terri's husband. Only that they agreed to disagree.