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I can no longer keep quite about an issue that I feel I have an expert opinion of (in a way)...

As a registered nurse that works with disabled people everyday there are a few medical points that need to be made to every person that says it is inhumane to keep Mrs. Schiavo alive...

1. She does not meet criteria for a persistent vegetative state under current guidelines. She might have met these guidelines 10 or 15 years ago but as with technology and time we learn new things and medicine advances.

Examples being... She can follow things with her eyes. She can tell when someone is in the room with her. She can also communicate by making grunts and other noises through her voice box.

2. She is capable of swallowing and swallows THROUGHOUT THE DAY. How do I know that? Well she manages her own saliva. She does not drool all day long nor does she require constant suctioning to remove the saliva from her mouth for her. She SWALLOWS her saliva just as you and I would. IF SHE CAN SWALLOW SALIVA WITHOUT CHOKING EVERYDAY SHE CAN SWALLOW WATER AND OTHER LIQUIDS. If given proper therapy she has the potential to be able to eat soft foods even.

3. Her body is not dying. She is free from complications of her body slowly breaking down. She has no skin pressure sores or other complications of being immobile. Even Christopher Reeves who could talk and had millions spent on therapy; dealt with pressure sores and other complications. His body was shutting down and as result he became more at risk for these complications. Terri does not have these problems.

From a medical opinion her body is functioning correctly. Her body is actually very healthy. Her mind has been damaged, but the rest of body is alive. She was given a feeding tube for ease of feeding and has actually never been given the chance to attempt to swallow her own food and now has actually been denied food and water by mouth by a judge.

We don't even punish serial killers by not allowing them to eat and drink using their own mouth.

If anyone does not believe or care to realize the facts of this I ask you to do your research.