I will be gone until Sunday night. I want to wish all of you

A BLESSED EASTER!!!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Drudge finds this new HBO docu-drama about Air America's first days funny. I don't though. Just from the excerpts of the people he sites, I find them sad and lost. And I don't mean just politically either.

A Nurse's words.

At Darleen's place she has the affidavit from one of the nurses who took care of Terri. Keep in mind this was taken in 2003 long before all this politics got involved. You can hardly accuse this nurse of any "agenda."

AFFIDAVITSTATE OF FLORIDA )COUNTY OF PINELLAS )
BEFORE ME the undersigned authority personally appeared CARLA SAUER IYER, R.N., who being first duly sworn, deposes and says:

1. My name is Carla Sauer Iyer. I am over the age of eighteen and make this statement of my own personal knowledge.

2. I am a registered nurse in the State of Florida, having been licensed continuously in Florida from 1997 to the present. Prior to that I was a Licensed Practical Nurse for about four years.

3. I was employed at Palm Garden of Largo Convalescent Center in Largo, Florida from April of 1995 to July 1996, while Terri Schiavo was a patient there.

4. It was clear to me at Palm Gardens that all decisions regarding Terri Schiavo were made by Michael Schiavo, with no allowance made for any discussion, debate or normal professional judgment. My initial training there consisted solely of the instruction “Do what Michael Schiavo tells you or you will be terminated.” This struck me as extremely odd.

5. I was very disturbed by the decision making protocol, as no allowance whatsoever was made for professional responsibility. The atmosphere throughout the facility was dominated by Mr. Schiavo’s intimidation. Everyone there, with the exception of several people who seemed to be close to Michael, was intimidated by him. Michael Schiavo always had an overbearing attitude, yelling numerous times such things as “This is my order and you’re going to follow it.” He is very large and uses menacing body language, such as standing too close to you, getting right in your face and practically shouting.

6. To the best of my recollection, rehabilitation had been ordered for Terri, but I never saw any being done or had any reason at all to believe that there was ever any rehab of Terri done at Palm Gardens while I was there. I became concerned because nothing was being done for Terri at all, no antibiotics, no tests, no range of motion therapy, no stimulation, no nothing. Michael said again and again that Terri should NOT get any rehab, that there should be no range of motion whatsoever, or anything else. I and a CNA named Roxy would give Terri range of motion anyway. One time I put a wash cloth in Terri’s hand to keep her fingers from curling together, and Michael saw it and made me take it out, saying that was therapy.

7. Terri’s medical condition was systematically distorted and misrepresented. When I worked with her, she was alert and oriented. Terri spoke on a regular basis while in my presence, saying such things as “mommy,” and “help me.” “Help me” was, in fact, one of her most frequent utterances. I heard her say it hundreds of times. Terri would try to say the word “pain” when she was in discomfort, but it came out more like “pay.” She didn’t say the “n” sound very well. During her menses she would indicate her discomfort by saying “pay” and moving her arms toward her lower abdominal area. Other ways that she would indicate that she was in pain included pursing her lips, grimacing, thrashing in bed, curling her toes or moving her legs around. She would let you know when she had a bowel movement by flipping up the covers and pulling on her diaper.

8. When I came into her room and said “Hi, Terri”, she would always recognize my voice and her name, and would turn her head all the way toward me, saying “Haaaiiiii” sort of, as she did. I recognized this as a “hi”, which is very close to what it sounded like, the whole sound being only a second or two long. When I told her humorous stories about my life or something I read in the paper, Terri would chuckle, sometimes more a giggle or laugh. She would move her whole body, upper and lower. Her legs would sometimes be off the bed, and need to be repositioned. I made numerous entries into the nursing notes in her chart, stating verbatim what she said and her various behaviors, but by my next on-duty shift, the notes would be deleted from her chart. Every time I made a positive entry about any responsiveness of Terri’s, someone would remove it after my shift ended. Michael always demanded to see her chart as soon as he arrived, and would take it in her room with him. I documented Terri’s rehab potential well, writing whole pages about Terri’s responsiveness, but they would always be deleted by the next time I saw her chart. The reason I wrote so much was that everybody else seemed to be afraid to make positive entries for fear of their jobs, but I felt very strongly that a nurses job was to accurately record everything we see and hear that bears on a patients condition and their family. I upheld the Nurses Practice Act, and if it cost me my job, I was willing to accept that.

9. Throughout my time at Palm Gardens, Michael Schiavo was focused on Terri’s death. Michael would say “When is she going to die?,” “Has she died yet?” and “When is that bitch gonna die?” These statements were common knowledge at Palm Gardens, as he would make them casually in passing, without regard even for who he was talking to, as long as it was a staff member. Other statements which I recall him making include “Can’t you do anything to accelerate her death - won’t she ever die?” When she wouldn’t die, Michael would be furious. Michael was also adamant that the family should not be given information. He made numerous statements such as “Make sure the parents aren’t contacted.” I recorded Michael’s statements word for word in Terri’s chart, but these entries were also deleted after the end of my shift. Standing orders were that the family wasn’t to be contacted, in fact, there was a large sign in the front of her chart that said under no circumstances was her family to be called, call Michael immediately, but I would call them, anyway, because I thought they should know about their daughter.

10. Any time Terri would be sick, like with a UTI or fluid buildup in her lungs, colds, pneumonia, Michael would be visibly excited, thrilled even, hoping that she would die. He would call me, as I was the nurse supervisor on the floor, and ask for every little detail about her temperature, blood pressure, etc., and would call back frequently asking if she was dead yet. He would blurt out “I’m going to be rich!,” and would talk about all the things he would buy when Terri died, which included a new car, a new boat, and going to Europe, among other things.

11. When Michael visited Terri, he always came alone and always had the door closed and locked while he was with Terri. He would typically be there about twenty minutes or so. When he left Terri would would be trembling, crying hysterically, and would be very pale and have cold sweats. It looked to me like Terri was having a hypoglycemic reaction, so I’d check her blood sugar. The glucometer reading would be so low it was below the range where it would register an actual number reading. I would put dextrose in Terri’s mouth to counteract it. This happened about five times on my shift as I recall. Normally Terri’s blood sugar levels were very stable due to the uniformity of her diet through tube feeding. It is my belief that Michael injected Terri with Regular insulin, which is very fast acting.

12. The longer I was employed at Palm Gardens the more concerned I became about patient care, both relating to Terri Schiavo, for the reasons I’ve said, and other patients, too. There was an LPN named Carolyn Adams, known as “Andy” Adams who was a particular concern. An unusual number of patients seemed to die on her shift, but she was completely unconcerned, making statements such as “They are old - let them die.” I couldn’t believe her attitude or the fact that it didn’t seem to attract any attention. She made many comments about Terri being a waste of money, that she should die. She said it was costing Michael a lot of money to keep her alive, and that he complained about it constantly (I heard him complain about it all the time, too.) Both Michael and Adams said that she would be worth more to him if she were dead. I ultimately called the police relative to this situation, and was terminated the next day. Other reasons were cited, but I was convinced it was because of my “rocking the boat.”

13. Ms. Adams was one of the people who did not seem to be intimidated by Michael. In fact, they seemed to be very close, and Adams would do whatever Michael told her. Michael sometimes called Adams at night and spoke at length. I was not able to hear the content of these phone calls, but I knew it was him talking to her because she would tell me afterward and relay orders from him.

14. While at Palm Gardens, I became fearful for my personal safety. This was due to Michael’s constant intimidation, including his menacing body language, vocal tone and mannerisms.

15. I have contacted the Schindler family because I just couldn’t stand by and let Terri die without the truth being known.

FURTHER AFFIANT SAYETH NAUGHT.
CARLA SAUER IYER, R.N.
The foregoing instrument was acknowledged before me this _____ day of September, 2003, by CARLA SAUER IYER, R.N., who produced her Florida driver’s license as identification, and who did / did not take an oath.
Notary Public

If this doesn't at least give you pause, then I just feel sorry for you.

Here are some liberal bloggers that are on Terri's side. Might be interesting to look at things from their point of view. via My Vast Rightwing Conspiracy

Lesbien Cest Moi (most excellent)

Liberals for Terri

Random Thoughts

airmanblog

How about a natural death?

I thought I was done with this because it was depressing me so much. But so far I have seen the Doctor the Shavio's had examine Terri and the nurse who took care of her will be on Hannity and Colmes tonight. But I have not seen or read anything from the doctors who diagnosed Terri as PVS. Where are they? Why aren't they speaking on this? Since I like to hear both sides, I would like to hear what they have to say now. If anyone has seen or read anything from them in the last week or so, let me know. (not the trial notes, quotes from now)

I want to make one thing very clear. I am not for reinserting the feeding tube. Unless that is what everyone wanted or if tests revealed that she could get better. I just think Terri deserves a natural death. If this was 100 years ago her parents (or husband) would be giving her as much sustance as they could orally. Then she could die in loving arms and not dehydrated and starved to death. I have yet to see a valid humane argument against that.

Natural death, that is all I am asking for. Why are some so determined that she die in this manner of dehydration and starvation?

AP: A federal judge on Tuesday refused to order the reinsertion of Terri Shavio's feeding tube, denying an emergency request from the brain-damaged woman's parents.
U.S. District Judge James Whittemore said the 41-year-old woman's parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, had not established a "substantial likelihood of success" at trial on the merits of their arguments.
Whittemore wrote that Schiavo's "life and liberty interests" had been protected by Florida courts. Despite "these difficult and time strained circumstances," he wrote, "this court is constrained to apply the law to the issues before it"
Rex Sparklin, an attorney with the law firm representing Terri Schiavo's parents, said lawyers were immediately appealing to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta to "save Terri's life." That court was already considering an appeal on whether Terri Schiavo's right to due process had been violated." via Wizbang

This certainly isn't a surprise. The law does say that what Michael wants Michael gets. One thing that is truly bothering me is how I read completely different things about the history of Terri's fight from all kinds of news sources. I understand that Michael's and The Shavio's versions are different. But when I hear someone like Mort Kondrake (a democrat commentator) who has been personally very involved in this issue (his wife dying of MS and with a living will) changing his mind after reading the kind of tests that were and were not were done on Terri, it makes me think that we were right. Kondrake would have researched this from a knowing medical perspective.

I might add that although this seems to be a partisan issue on the internet, it was not on Capitol Hill. Only a few Democrats voted no. The news pundits on both sides are saying that this was a bi-partisan bill. I am at least grateful when life issues are brought before us. At least we can take a good look at what we are doing as a society. What we sow, we reap.

It seems Terri will starve to death. Her mother cannot even offer her water. So now, no matter how you feel about this issue, your heart has to go out to Terri's parents. They have already been through hell and now they have to watch their daughter die this horrible death. I pray God comforts them.

Excerpts from news on the floods in Afghanistan:

KABUL, March 20 (Reuters) - Floods caused by torrential rains and melting snow have killed more than 200 people and destroyed thousands of homes in several parts of Afghanistan over recent days, officials said on Sunday.

U.S. military Chinook and Black Hawk helicopters rescued around 250 people in the Deh Rawud District, some 70 kilometres (43 miles) northeast of the U.S. base at Kandahar, after the Helmand river burst its banks

The U.S. military also sent blankets, wheat flour, cooking oil and biscuits, and a spokesman said U.S. forces were on standby, awaiting any further request for assistance from Afghan and U.N. authorities managing the relief effort.

I'm guessing this won't make the front page of The New York times, but for my part....Our Soldiers Rock!!

I seriously think Michael Jackson will have a nervous breakdown before this trial is over. The only thing getting him through it right now is serious pain meds. It is obvious that he is heavily medicated. Perhaps guilt is overwhelming him. He may never have actually faced what he has done. No matter which way this goes, I predict it won't end pretty.

This poor little girl Jessie is raped and murdered by a convicted sex offender and it is barely mentioned in the news. I understand that the media is going crazy over the Shavio case because of the political theatre it is providing, but can't we focus just as much air time to the fact that these monsters keep getting out on parole and hurting our children? This is a right to life issue we can all agree on. Why can't we get anything done about it?

I am beginning to think this world is a circus except there doesn't seem to be anything funny about it.

Wonderduck, this is for you.....or......is it you??????????..LOL!!!! I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself. via massbackwards

Look at what a nice thing a socialist had to say about a rightwinger.

EVERYBODY with me now....."I'd like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony......."

"I'm as classy as I am beautiful."

Caption This! pretty much sums up the anti-war protesting. Can someone explain to me how Iraqi people being able to vote is wrong? The purple finger, I would think, would be a sign of victory for anyone to see. Not to mock in such a disgusting way.

UPDATE ON TERRI SHAVIO LEGISLATION.

I decided to put this post at the top as well. It needs to be read.

At 12:35 CT, The Democrats who oppose this legislation started a news conference. Rep. Jim Davis from Florida began it. But the airing of it started before they obviously were aware of it. It started with laughter from the press core. Then Jim Davis says "I'm sure they will." and then more laughter. And one reporter yells out, "yeah right." And then Rep. Davis smiles and says, "We will encourage them to." Small laughter and then they THOUGHT the news conference was starting. Rep. Davis begins by offering his sympathies to the family.

Yeah right.

You were being real sympathetic there when you thought the cameras were not on. I wonder what was so funny? Maybe someone can find out?

They make me sick.

Update: Well, it passed. Bush signed it. We will see how it goes.
This whole situation is just sad. I don't want just the feeding tube put back. I want Terri's parents to be able to care for her. This man, Terri's husband, has moved on to a new life. Nothing really changes if he doesn't let them take care of her.

I know my personal feelings on issues of life color this, but I just saw an interview with Terri's husband from 2003 with Larry King and he came off as very insincere. I didn't get the feeling that he was emotionally involved with her at all anymore. And I can even understand that. He has a woman he loves and children. But as any parent will tell you, that never happens with your child. There is no doubt her parents love her and want to take care of her. They have not moved on. And they never will. It's time for the parents to have guardianship.

I truly got the feeling in listening to Michael, that it was more about NOT letting the parents have their way than anything else. It seems to be about his pride.

One more thing. We need to give some credit to the Democrats that climbed on board here. Sometimes they do the right thing. This was one of those times.

Gannongate continues.

Jeff Gannon gives an interview with Tucker Carlson. And with the New York Times. (this may require registration) Considering what The Jawa Report is reporting about the left trying to "out" RNC chairman Ken Mehlman because he is 38 and never married, the interviews with Gannon seem pretty important on how we allow the left to vilify anyone who disagree with them.

It's time.

If you were watching Fox News last night you saw Geraldo interview Jessie's Grandmother and the statement made by her father. (Jessie is the little 9 year old taken and murdered recently by a convicted sex offender) This particular monster had been given 10 yrs, but had only served two.

At first I was uneasy seeing Geraldo interview a grieving relative. And I was made even more uneasy when they toured Jessie's bedroom. But then I got to thinking that maybe this is what we need to see in order to GET THESE FREAKS OFF THE STREET. What is wrong with us???? Why have we allowed this???

Geraldo interviewed a guy who oversees the agency that is responsible for keeping up with sex offender parolees. He just said frankly that there are way too many for his office to possibly keep up with all the time. What the hell are we doing to produce so many perverts in our society? We really need to consider this question seriously.

Knowing where sex offender's live is of public record. Each state has one. Here is mine. You click on the sex offender search site and you can click on mapping it. You type in your address and it shows a map of where the sex offenders live in your area. It also gives you a name and picture and the exact offense. You will be SHOCKED at how many live near you. Of course, like this monster, they move around and there isn't much law enforcement can do about it.

This grandmother drove her granddaughter 4 blocks down to catch the school bus everyday and picked up there everyday. She was cautious. This little girl was put to bed that night and then he got her somehow. How much more could a parent do to protect their own children?

It is time for us to lock up those who prey on our children FOR LIFE. No second chances.

Saving Terri

Watching the news this morning I am pleased to see so many democrats come on board this bill to save Terri Shavio's life. There are 3 democrats, I understand, who are against this bill. It is clearly a bi-partisan bill. If you saw the plea from Terri's mom, I don't know how you could not be against it. A mother simply wanting to care for her daughter at home until she passes seems a simple request against forcing her to stay in a hospital and starve. There is just no argument you can give me that there is anything wrong with that.

It seems clear to me that a man who has gone on to live with and have children with another woman is not "next of kin." but more like an ex-husband.

This case is also about a judicial bench out of control.

UPDATE: At 12:35 CT, The democrats who oppose this legislation started a news conference. Rep. Jim Davis from Florida began it. But the airing of it started before they obviously were aware of it. It started with laughter from the press core. Then Jim Davis says "I'm sure they will." and then more laughter. And one reporter yells out, "yeah right." And then Rep. Davis smiles and says, "We will encourage them to." Small laughter and then they THOUGHT the news conference was starting. Rep. Davis begins by offering his sympathies to the family.

Yeah right.

You were being real sympathetic there when you thought the cameras were not on. I wonder what was so funny? Maybe someone can find out?

They make me sick.