SwiftVets.com

[SBD]

.To view this item online, visit http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=43688

Thursday, April 7, 2005
MATTERS OF LIFE AND DEATH
Granddaughter yanks grandma's feeding tube
81-year-old neither terminally ill, comatose, nor in vegetative state
Posted: April 7, 2005
7:33 p.m. Eastern

By Sarah Foster
© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com

In a situation recalling the recent death of Terri Schiavo in Florida, an 81-year-old widow, denied nourishment and fluids for nearly two weeks, is clinging to life in a hospice in LaGrange, Ga., while her immediate family fights desperately to save her life before she dies of starvation and dehydration.

Mae Magouirk was neither terminally ill, comatose nor in a "vegetative state," when Hospice-LaGrange accepted her as a patient about two weeks ago upon the request of her granddaughter, Beth Gaddy, 36, an elementary school teacher.

Also upon Gaddy's request and without prior legal authority, since March 28 Hospice-LaGrange has denied Magouirk normal nourishment or fluids via a feeding tube through her nose or fluids via an IV. She has been kept sedated with morphine and ativan, a powerful tranquillizer.

Her nephew, Ken Mullinax, told WorldNetDaily that although Magouirk is given morphine and ativan, she has not received any medication to keep her eyes lubricated during her forced dehydration.

"They haven't given her anything like that for two weeks," said Mullinax. "She can't produce tears."

The dehydration is being done in defiance of Magouirk's specific wishes, which she set down in a "living will," and without agreement of her closest living next-of-kin, two siblings and a nephew: A. Byron McLeod, 64, of Anniston, Ga.; Ruth Mullinax, 74, of Birmingham, Ala.; and Ruth Mullinax's son, Ken Mullinax.

Magouirk's husband and only child, a son, are both deceased.

In her living will, Magouirk stated that fluids and nourishment were to be withheld only if she were either comatose or "vegetative," and she is neither. Nor is she terminally ill, which is generally a requirement for admission to a hospice.

Magouirk lives alone in LaGrange, though because of glaucoma she relied on her granddaughter, Beth Gaddy, to bring her food and do errands.

Two weeks ago, Magouirk's aorta had a dissection, and she was hospitalized in the local LaGrange Hospital. Her aortic problem was determined to be severe, and she was admitted to the intensive care unit. At the time of her admission she was lucid and had never been diagnosed with dementia.

Claiming that she held Magouirk's power of attorney, Gaddy had her transferred to Hospice-LaGrange, a 16-bed unit owned by the same family that owns the hospital. Once at the hospice, Gaddy stated that she did not want her grandmother fed or given water.

"Grandmama is old and I think it is time she went home to Jesus," Gaddy told Magouirk's brother and nephew, McLeod and Ken Mullinax. "She has glaucoma and now this heart problem, and who would want to live with disabilities like these?"

Gaddy's telephone is not in operation and she could not be reached for comment.

According to Mullinax, his aunt's local cardiologist in LaGrange, Dr. James Brennan, and Dr. Raed Agel, a highly acclaimed cardiologist at the nationally renowned University of Alabama-Birmingham Medical Center, determined that her aortic dissection is contained and not life-threatening at the moment.

Mullinax also states that Gaddy did not hold power of attorney, a fact he learned from the hospice's in-house legal counsel, Carol Todd.

On March 31, Todd told Ruth and Ken Mullinax during a phone conversation Georgia law stipulated that Ruth Mullinax and her brother, A.B. McLeod, were entitled to make any and all decisions for Magouirk. Ruth Mullinax immediately told Todd to begin administering food and fluids through an IV and a nasal feeding tube.

Todd had the IV fluids started that evening, but informed the family that they would have to come to the hospice to sign papers to have the feeding tube inserted. Once that was done, Magouirk would not be able to stay at the hospice.

Ken Mullinax recalled that Todd said the only reason Magouirk was in the hospice in the first place was that the LaGrange Hospital had failed to exercise due diligence in closely examining the power of attorney Beth Gaddy said she had, as well as exercising the provisions of Magouirk's living will.

Todd explained that Gaddy had only a financial power of attorney, not a medical power of attorney, and Magouirk's living will carefully provided that a feeding tube and fluids should only be discontinued if she was comatose or in a "vegetative state" – and she was neither.

Gaddy, however, was not dissuaded. When Ken Mullinax and McLeod showed up at the hospice the following day, April 1, to meet with Todd and arrange emergency air transport for Magouirk's transfer to the University of Alabama-Birmingham Medical Center, Hospice-LaGrange stalled them while Gaddy went before Troup County, Ga., Probate Court Judge Donald W. Boyd and obtained an emergency guardianship over her grandmother.

Under the terms of his ruling, Gaddy was granted full and absolute authority over Magouirk, at least for the weekend. She took advantage of her judge-granted power by ordering her grandmother's feeding tube pulled out, just hours after it had been inserted.

Georgia law requires that a hearing for an emergency guardianship must be held within three days of its request, and Magouirk's hearing was held April 4 before Judge Boyd. Apparently, he has not made a final ruling, but favors giving permanent guardianship power to Gaddy, who is anxious to end her grandmother's life.

Ron Panzer, president and founder of Hospice Patients Alliance, a patients' rights advocacy group based in Michigan, told WND that what is happening to Magouirk is not at all unusual.

"This is happening in hospices all over the country," he said. "Patients who are not dying – are not terminal – are admitted [to hospice] and the hospice will say they are terminally ill even if they're not. There are thousands of cases like this. Patients are given morphine and ativan to sedate them. If feeding is withheld, they die within 10 days to two weeks. It's really just a form of euthanasia."

Ken Mullinax does not want that to happen to his aunt. He pointed out that one of the ironies in this tragedy is that the now-helpless woman worked for years as a secretary for a prominent local cancer doctor.

"She devoted her whole life to helping those who heal others, and now she's being denied sustenance for life," he said.

Mullinax said he has begged Gaddy to let him take on full responsibility for his aunt's care.

"If she would just give us a chance to keep Aunt Mae alive, that's all we ask," he said. "They [Beth and her husband, Dennis Gaddy] have a family and Beth is a teacher, and it was just getting to be a lot of trouble. But I'm the caregiver for my mom, and Aunt Mae could move in with us. We'll buy another house with a bedroom and we'll take care of her. She can move in with us once she can leave the hospital."

But her health becomes more precarious by the hour. Her vital signs are still good, but since admission to hospice she has not been lucid – "but who would be since nourishment and fluids have been denied since March 28," Mullinax remarked.

Attorney Carol Todd could not be reached for comment; a message on her voicemail said she would not be gone the entire week of April 4. Hospice-LaGrange did not return phone calls.

WorldNetDaily has been reporting on the Terri Schiavo story since 2002 – far longer than most other national news organization – and exposing the many troubling, scandalous, and possibly criminal, aspects of the case that to this day rarely surface in news reports. Read WorldNetDaily's unparalleled, in-depth coverage of the life-and-death fight over Terri Schiavo, including over 150 original stories and columns.

SBD

[kate]

Lots of discussion at freepers about this, 2 freepers spoke up, one knows Ken Mullinax, and another lives very near..
both attest to the story.

So the slipery slope continues.
_________________
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one of..... We The People

[LewWaters]

Last I read over there, they have engaged 3 doctors, to both parties satisfaction to check her over. Whatever the consensus of at least two will be the fate of this lady.

Sad day when we have to pray a court lets us live, when committed no crime.
_________________
Clark County Conservative

[Navy_Navy_Navy]

[DLI78]

God this is sick. I think in every state we desperately need something like a "death with the dignity of a common stray dog act" that would prevent a judge from ordering the death by starvation of somebody who relies only on a feeding tube to survive.

If a judge somewhere decides the injured/sick person really needs to die, that judge has to order a death by lethal injection, the same treatment we give stray dogs in most cities and death penalty murderers in all states. And the "judge" can only do so if the sick person had a living will and expressly stated he/she wanted to die rather than exist as a vegetable. Otherwise we HAVE to presume the sick person/victim wanted LIFE. Who but a crazy person would want death? Damn! I'm mainly crazy and I want to live.

Did you catch Hannity and Colmes tonight (Thursday)? They had Terri's borther and sister on, and they were with Terri up till ten minutes before she died. It was not a peaceful death. It was far from humane.

Damn! What is wrong with this country that we so easily condemn people to death because they are now somewhat inconvenient and the first person to make a claim is not interested in helping out, even though many others are? And the "judges" are not interested in justice or what is morally right: they have what some obscure law narrowly decides is proper, so they rule that way.

God! This place is almost as sick as China under Mao!
_________________
DLI 78
Army Linguist
1978-1986

[Barbie2004]

Do you all remember when John Kerry lost the election? Many on this board thought that our work was done! That somehow we had won and our mission was over and we could disband.

I wrote then, and I still believe now that Kerry was but a symptom of a larger more hideous cancerous problem in this country. That defeating Kerry, although a laudable and worthy goal, did not address the bigger disease in this country that allowed a Kerry to become a senator, despite his treason, and the MSM's "infatuation" with Kerry and disdain of the Swifties and Terri, despite their claims of "professional journalism."

To see the first part of where the poison really begins, see: Swift Boat Vets and Terri Schiavo: Their Stealth Attackers

http://www.swiftvets.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=18915

What is going on here is euthanasia plain and simple. I caution all of you not to fall into the "quality of life" trap. That is, to argue that "if someone is in a coma, then it is OK to starve and dehydrate them" trap. It should NEVER be OK to pull the feeding and hydration tube from a person, despite their age or health status. Never!

Anything less, and you fall into their trap. Just like the definition of "persistent vegitative state" could not be established with Terri, neither can "coma", neither can all of the other "quality of life" conditions.

Killing Grandma is where that leads. We may be next, should our "quality of life not be acceptable".

The other trap the euthanasia goons want us to fall into is the "what that person wanted" argument. In a society where we have a "right to life," it does not matter what that person "would have wanted," they have an indisputable "right to life." Then we don't have to worry about the Michael Schiavo's and Gaddy's of the world. What we "would have wanted" cannot be used by charleton's or the government when it wants to get rid of us.

I bet there on many in the government and media of Kerry's ilk, that would love to wipe out all RETIRED veterans, so they can spend that savings (money saved on retirement & VA benefits) on other "constiuents."

I would caution anyone reading this to think twice about attempting to anticipate their "right to die." Those that love you, would take you anyway they can get you. I think you owe it to them to try to keep yourself alive in anyway that you can and give your loved ones the gift of making that as easy on them as possible. Miracles do happen.

It saddens me to read about what is happening to this grandmother and to know what is happening to this country. It is too bad that many members of this board thought that once Kerry was defeated, all of our problems where gone. How wrong they were. Kerry was but a symptom of a larger, more hideous disease. I hope that many of our old board members return and help us fight the fight.

The pro-euthanasia crowd is very "organized", as "organized" as "labor". They are a formidable foe and definately the "wolf in sheep's clothing." I hope we fight this, for it may be each of us tomorrow.

"Right to die" will turn into "Obligation to die." One step toward Stalin and the USSR at a time.

[BuffaloJack]

This poor woman is being dehydrated in defiance to her own instructions as set forth in her LIVING WILL. What good is a living will if they can ignore it?

[Rdtf]

This is very disheartening. Very.

[rparrott21]

Thanks go out to judge Greer for making this possible..

[tony54]

I think the US Congress should rewrite some of the Medicare rules, and be more vigilant as to whom is admitted to Hospice across the land.
Many of these moves are made to pass the financial burden from the family, to Medicare-Medicaid which funds Hospice.
Hospice is all for it because it keeps the beds full, and if some get killed un-necessarily in the process; Oh well!
Not only are they killing people before their time, but we the taxpayers pick up the tab.

[SBD]

When I first posted this story, I was too upset and angry to comment. What upset me the most was the total disregard for someone that was part of their family. I could see the evil in Michael Shiavo's reason for killing his wife, but this one left me in disbelief as it runs completely contrary to everything I know. I grew up with my grandmother in our house my entire life. My mother took her in her home 1965, before I was even born when my grandfather passed away. It took almost 20 years for my grandmother to stop wearing black and she prayed the Rosary 3 times a day for my grandfather until she passed away last year. My mother took care of her mother for almost 40 years without any complaint. Why?? Because that was the right thing to do for someone who brought you into the world.


I get the feeling that these cases of murder are being directed at my generation who for the most part were educated by these Liberal Socialist Professors with this mentality. Maybe this is the Democrats plan to fix Social Security as the baby Boomers start to drain the System and my generation starts to resent the taxation to sustain the Baby Boomers. I can hear it now, "Why should my generation have to pay for these old people, they lived their life and now they are preventing us from living ours."

Am I wrong to think that these Liberal Democrats have this as their agenda? Could this be their plan to fix "Socal Security"?
I see no other explanation.

How sad,

SBD

[rparrott21]

Thanks for nothing..

[tony54]

SBD wrote: paraphrased:

[Proud of my VietVet Dad!]

You can go to Glenn Beck's website to hear an interview with a family member about what is going on.

www.glennbeck.com

[Navy_Navy_Navy]

This interview with Glenn Beck is by turns heartbreaking and absolutely bone-chilling.

Repulsive, revolting, stomach-turning.

The granddaughter has a financial power of attorney, but not a medical power of attorney.

She bluffed the nephew, sister and brother of the sick woman into believing that she has an enduring medical POA and then did an end run with an emergency probate court hearing.

There are doctors who are willing to take on the treatment of this woman and a family who wants who take care of her after she is out of critical condition.

The hospice colluded with the granddaughter to keep the loving part of the family out of the decision making process and they are not responding to calls from the public - they desperately need throngs of people on their front lawn!

The glaucoma can be treated, and the heart condition can be treated surgically or it could heal by itself.

The granddaughter is not allowing even the eyedrops that ameliorate the woman's inability to create her own tears for the last two weeks. It's possible that the woman may have gone blind for this insufficiency and the lack of artificial tears for two weeks!

Somehow methinks that that financial POA has taken over this granddaughter's brain and heart.

Please write to the Georgia Senators and the Congressman in LaGrange.

Write to the LaGrange newspaper editor.
http://lagrangenews.com/new.php?StoryType=full

If you're near LaGrange, is there a chance that you can get some due-process-minded folks out to protest in front of the hospice center?

This woman has a living will, but she also has a granddaughter who is very determined that her grandmother should die.

How can we help support the family that loves her and wants to take her in?

One thing is certain, for me - I cannot sit idly by and accept this change in our culture.

It is a much more slippery slope than I even thought, seeing that we are so suddenly this deep in such a brutal crevasse.
_________________
~ Echo Juliet ~
Altering course to starboard - On Fire, Keep Clear
Navy woman, Navy wife, Navy mother