A chemical imbalance cause her heart to stop back in 1990 from an eating disorder she had.
Emma, here's one of the articles I was talking about:
According to court documents, Schiavo attempted to say "I want to live" after an attorney prompted her to do so March 18.
"In the presence of Suzanne Vitadamo (Schiavo's sister) and Suzanne's aunt, Mrs Schiavo attempted to verbalize that sentence. She managed to articulate the first two vowel sounds, first articulating 'AHHHHH' and then virtually screaming, 'WAAAAAAA.' She became very agitated but could not complete the vocalization attempted."
The attempted vocalization "is significant with regard to the question of Mrs. Schiavo's end of life wishes," the motion said.
Bob and Mary Schindler also begged Florida Governor Jeb Bush to intervene, as he did when a similar standoff unfolded in 2003.
"Governor Bush, you have the power to save my daughter, please, please do something," Mary Schindler said.
But Bush has said his powers are limited in the case, which graduated to the federal court system for the first time this week after an unprecedented intervention by the US Congress and President George W. Bush (news - web sites) last weekend.
Schiavo's parents have lost numerous court battles since then. In the latest, a three-judge panel of the US Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals ruled unanimously against them.
"The plaintiffs have been unable to come forward in their second amended complaint with any new claims palpably alleging the denial of a right secured by the Constitution or laws of the United States," said Judge Charles Wilson, who had earlier sided with the Schindlers.
US media reported that the Schindlers have declined to pursue an appeal of that decision.
The number of demonstrators outside the hospice was set to swell as Easter weekend got under way. Some of those present Friday seemed resigned to Schiavo's likely fate.
"I'm praying for her to rest in peace," said Raymond Simmons, a 35-year-old soldier from Tampa, Florida.
Schiavo's brain was heavily damaged following momentary heart failure in 1990, leaving her in a persistent vegetative state for 15 years. Her condition is not fatal and she is able to breathe on her own, but had relied on a tube for food and water. |