Schiavo Autopsy Released
Thursday, June 16th, 2005 at 2:33 pm
Thanks to a reader tip, as a follow-up to previous posts (1, 2), the Schiavo autopsy report has been released, and it seems to support the position of husband Michael Schiavo:
The autopsy of Terri Schiavo found no evidence that the severely brain-damaged woman was strangled or abused and that no amount of therapy would have reversed her condition, a medical examiner said Wednesday.
He said his examination turned up no sign of abuse or trauma — allegations leveled by Terri Schiavo's parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, against her husband and legal guardian, Michael Schiavo.
A report from a neuropathologist who served as a consultant to the autopsy said Schiavo's brain was "grossly abnormal and weighed only 615 grams [1.35 pounds]."
That weight is less than half that expected for a woman of her age, said the report written by Dr. Stephen J. Nelson.
Schiavo's brain damage "was irreversible, and no amount of therapy or treatment would have regenerated the massive loss of neurons," Thogmartin said. "Her brain was profoundly atrophied, and the vision centers of her brain were dead," he said.
Will this report finally lay the controversy to rest? Probably not:
Regardless of the autopsy findings, the Schindlers continue to believe their daughter was not in a persistent vegetative state, their lawyer, David Gibbs III, said after Thogmartin’s report was issued. He said they plan to discuss the autopsy with other medical experts and may take some unspecified legal action.
According to this competely unscientific vote, about two-thirds say yes, and the remaining one-third (along with the Schindlers, and even the President) are still in Elizabeth Kubler-Ross' first stage in the death process: denial. I hope all those still in this stage will continue their grieving process and move to the final stage of acceptance before their own mental and physical health suffers.
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[…] emt036 (emt036) wrote,@ 2005-06-16 14:32:00 Schiavo Autopsy Released Thanks to a reader tip, as a follow-up to previous posts (1, 2), the Schiavo autopsy report has been released, and it seems to support the position of husband Michael Schiavo:The autopsy of Terri Schiavo found no evidence that the severely brain-damaged woman was strangled or abused and that no amount of therapy would have reversed her condition, a medical examiner said Wednesday.He said his examination turned up no sign of abuse or trauma — allegations leveled by Terri Schiavo’s parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, against her husband and legal guardian, Michael Schiavo.A report from a neuropathologist who served as a consultant to the autopsy said Schiavo’s brain was “grossly abnormal and weighed only 615 grams [1.35 pounds].”That weight is less than half that expected for a woman of her age, said the report written by Dr. Stephen J. Nelson. Schiavo’s brain damage “was irreversible, and no amount of therapy or treatment would have regenerated the massive loss of neurons,” Thogmartin said. “Her brain was profoundly atrophied, and the vision centers of her brain were dead,” he said.Source: CNN.comWill this report finally lay the controversy to rest? Probably not:Regardless of the autopsy findings, the Schindlers continue to believe their daughter was not in a persistent vegetative state, their lawyer, David Gibbs III, said after Thogmartin’s report was issued. He said they plan to discuss the autopsy with other medical experts and may take some unspecified legal action.Source: MSNBC.comAccording to this competely unscientific vote, about two-thirds say yes, and the remaining one-third (along with the Schindlers, and even the President) are still in Elizabeth Kubler-Ross’ first stage in the death process: denial. I hope all those still in this stage will continue their grieving process and move to the final stage of acceptance before their own mental and physical health suffers. View or post comments on my blog […]