Terri Schiavo in Stable Condition but "Beginning to Fade"

Bioethics   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Oct 21, 2003   |   9:00AM   |   WASHINGTON, DC

Terri Schiavo in Stable Condition but "Beginning to Fade"

by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
October 21, 2003

Pinellas Park, FL (LifeNews.com) — While the Florida legislature completes work on a bill that would allow doctors to reinsert Terri Schiavo’s feeding tube, members of her family say she appears to be in stable condition but is "beginning to fade."

"She seems to be alert," said her brother, Bob Schindler Jr. "But every day that goes by, we’re getting into a crucial time for her. She’s got an incredible will to live."

Christine Brundage, a retired registered nurse who handles the correspondence for the Schindler family, said those who have seen Terri say she is beginning to fade, and they fear she can’t hold out much longer. She is reported to be alert still and attempting to speak, but her face is thinner and her skin is becoming drawn, showing the effects of five days of dehydration.

Terri’s family hopes the legislation will be completed and Bush’s executive order issued as soon as possible before Terri dies or her medical condition deteriorates too much.

"It may very well not be in time to help Terri out. But Terri is one of many people in the state who have cognitive disabilities and receives assisted nutrition and this may help those people out,” said Pamela Hennessy, a spokeswoman for Schiavo’s parents. "Certainly they wish it would have come a lot sooner than this.”