Terri Schiavo - 12/03/63-03/31/05

"March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb" - folk saying.

The battle for Terri Schiavo's life raged through March like a lion. Terri died like a lamb on the sacrificial altar of her husband's convenience.

Michael Schiavo was Terri's husband of six years prior to her catastrophic injury. By law and custom, he had the right to make decisions regarding her health care since she was unable to do so herself and left no written instructions. Mr. Schiavo did persue all options legally, however, his moral fiber is in serious question. He was not exactly the potential grieving widower, having already taken up residence and fathered children with another woman DURING his marriage to Terri. Terri remained an inconvenience in his plans. And he apparently held severe animosity toward his in-laws which only intensified throughout the saga.

Mr. Schiavo is a person of dispicable moral character for not allowing Bob and Mary Schindler to attend their daughter's death. This morning around 9 AM is the last they would have seen of their daughter, after 15 years of suffering with her in this misfortune. As parents, we pray never to have to make such an agonizing decision for a child of ours, whether that child is young or an adult. As adults, we (hopefully) have taken measures to assure that such a decision will not be so difficult or in question for our children or spouses. But after all the publicity, appealing, lawyering and spectating, the least Mr. Schiavo could have done was allow the Schindlers their last moment with their child. Justice would be served if, in later years, Mr. Schiavo was in a similar medical condition and his children would not allow other loved ones in his family to be by his bedside during his final moments.

Let us use this tragic case to make preparations on many levels. First, as has been well publicized, let us create documents clearly stating our directives for medical treatment and appoint a person or persons who will be in charge of such decisions, allowing for a variety of conditions and circumstances. This document should ALSO include those we would want in attendance at our deathbed. Secondly, let us state the desired disposition for our bodies - autopsy, cremation, burial, type of service, etc. And thirdly, let us try to come together as families and human beings at such times of crisis, rather than challenging one another in court and creating a public battle out of a painful, personal matter.

Rest in Peace, Terri.