(LifeNews.com) – Every year, I write to honor my sister, Terri Schiavo, on March 31st, the anniversary of her death. For those who do not remember, Terri, at the age of 26, experienced a still inexplicable collapse resulting in a severe brain-injury. As a consequence of her brain injury, she was unable to swallow using conventional utensils, and like many Americans required nutrition and hydration by feeding tube in order to live.
Terri did not have a medical directive specifying who would make her health care decisions in the event she was incapable of making them herself. Therefore, it was her husband, Michael Schiavo, who was appointed by the court to be her medical caretaker and was ostensibly the only person who would decide what type of care, if any, Terri would receive.
Initially, my family did not anticipate this would be an issue. But that changed after Michael obtained a million-dollar medical malpractice settlement on Terri and his behalf. Before the settlement, Michael discussed continuing rehabilitation. Afterwards, he tried to deny her antibiotics when Terri came down with a urinary tract infection. But when my family sued, he relented. CONTINUE