Terri Schiavo: An Epilogue

The results of Terri Schiavo's autopsy were released yesterday. Here are the relevant facts, as near as I can determine them, and what they mean:

Fact #1: At the time of her death, her brain was atrophied to half the size of a normal adult human brain. This means that, according to the coroner who examined her, there was absolutely no chance that she would have ever recovered in even the slightest degree

What this means: If she had remained on her feeding tube, she would have lingered on in her vegetative state, possibly for months, years, or even decades, while her body gradually fell more and more into a state of decay, until she eventually died from some form of infection or other natural cause. And no form of therapy administered would have changed this outcome.

Fact #2: At the time of her death, the severe deterioration of her brain meant that she was completely blind.

What this means: Those dramatic video shots of her seemingly following a balloon or a family member back and forth across a room were simply automatic movements, and were not in response to any visual stimuli since she could not see!

Fact #3: The autopsy could detect no signs of past physical abuse.

What this means: Contrary to what her parents claimed, her husband did not cause her condition through abuse.


What this all boils down to is this: Terri Schiavo died 15 years ago. It just took 15 years for everyone to realize that.

Interesting footnote to this story: Senate majority leader Bill Frist said in an interview on TV this morning that the autopsy brings "a very sad chapter to a close.

"I raised the question, 'Is she in a persistent vegetative state or not?' I never made the diagnosis, never said that she was not. I did say that certain tests should be performed to determine that before starving her to death."

Translation: He was clinging to the hope the autopsy results would show that he acted properly when he and his "right-to-life" buddies in congress intervened in a private legal matter, and now that that hope has been dashed, he is pretending the whole issue never happened.

Sometimes I wish hypocrisy was fatal!


UPDATE (11:45 a.m.): Here's a link to an MSNBC story which details how Bill Frist repeatedly disputed the diagnosis that Schiavo was in a persistent vegetative state. And I quote:

"I question it based on a review of the video footage which I spent an hour or so looking at last night in my office. She certainly seems to respond to visual stimuli."
Senator Bill Frist, March 19th, 2005

Thanks to Daily Kos for pointing me towards this story