Thanks to a man I hardly knew that handed me a check for 1,000 while I was getting gas to go garage selling one Saturday morning.

THanks to a lady that I only met twice for putting a check for 100.00 in my van while we were swimming with Matthew at the pool.

THanks for the ANgel wish organization that worked very hard and raised over 30,000 to help us add a room , a whirlpool onto our house and also purchasing us a van.

Thanks to all my mom, dad and sisters for everything that they do to help us out financially.

Thanks to my church family for everything you do for us and especially for all the wonderful gifts Matthew received at his birthday party.

Thanks to my new friend that I only met recently at Matthew's b'day party that just gives and give to Matthew and she barely even knows us. My sister Melinda's friend. You know who you are! THanks!

Love Charlotte and Matthew
http://www.conservativealerts.com/terri-tj.htm

A plea for help from Terri's parents. I have copied and pasted the web page here on my blog but you can go to the website above if you want to. I just want to make sure this story get out EVERYWHERE. If you watched any of the court hearings you were probably "shocked" like I was. Terry is NOT brain dead. Yes she is severely brain damaged and she is NOT in a vegetative state. There is a big difference. She is somewhat like my Matthew BUT she has more mental abilities than Matthew. I hope that Euthanization of the Disable never becomes legal. I was horrified by some of the comments of the judge over this case. Terri's mom and dad want to take care of her as she is. Why can't they just leave them alone and let them enjoy what time they have left with their daughter. As for the X husband, I think he should be EUTHANISED for causing all this pain and torture for the parents. When Terri says she wouldn't want to be kept alive on machines, I'm sure she may have meant a breathing machine or heart machine... not a feeding tube. Their are normal, intelligent people that have problems that cause them to have to use a feeding tube. Matthew may one day require a feeding tube because it's getting harder and harder to get the proper nutrition down. What if I decide not to get a tube and let him die of malnutrition? I would probably be put in jail for murder. This shouldn't even be an issue considering Terri is not brain dead or in a vegetative state!
Please email or Call Texas Gov Jeb Bush and let him know how you feel about this. If you don't agree, then it's obvious you don't have a handicapped child and I don't want your comment. It's my blog.. lol



Dear friend of life,

By now you have probably heard about a young woman who is threatened with starvation in Florida.

That young woman is my daughter, Terri. In 1990, through circumstances which are shrouded in mystery (and may involve a criminal act by Terri's estranged husband), my daughter was left severely brain-damaged.

But before I go any further, I must put an end to the lies and misinformation that are circulating around the country through the media concerning my daughter's condition.

Contrary to anything you may have heard, Terri is NOT brain dead; Terri is NOT in a coma; she is NOT in a "persistent vegetative state;" nor is she on ANY life-support system.

Terri laughs, Terri cries, she moves, and she makes child-like attempts at speech with her mother and me. Sometimes she will say "Mom" or "Dad" or "yeah" when we ask her a question. When I kiss her hello or goodbye, she looks at me and "puckers up" her lips.

This may not seem like much to you, but it means everything to Terri's mother and me. It tells us she is still here, she still knows us, and with therapy and time she can have some level of recovery.

I know that there are some hard hearted people who believe that due to my daughters condition, she is better off dead. Words cannot describe the pain and anger such sentiments cause us. This is our daughter, our little girl, and even in her disabled condition, she still has the right to life and the right to be loved and cared for by her family.

Why, you may ask, is Terry in danger of death by starvation?

It is a long and outrageous story, but I'll give it to you as briefly as I can.

After the "incident" that left Terry in this condition, her husband Michael Schiavo sued various members of the medical community for money, saying that they did not treat or diagnose her properly at an early stage, and that he needed this money to provide for Terri's therapy and rehabilitation and care.

After lengthy court battles, he finally won upwards of $1.7 million under the guise of caring for our daughter, and then to our horror, he immediately began spending the money on himself and his Playboy lifestyle.

Terri's estranged husband Michael Schiavo has been living with another woman for years, and has two children by her. He is determined to see Terri dead. Why? We believe it's because he gets to keep whatever money is left... and he may have even darker motives than that.

To add insult to all of this injury toward my daughter, Michael Schiavo is still her "legal husband" and therefore is her "guardian." And since they are not legally divorced, he controls whatever health care she will and will not get. We are not even allowed to know if she is getting aspirin.

In 1993 my family initiated litigation against Michael Schiavo solely for the purpose of acquiring medical, physical and neurological assistance for our daughter Terri. The litigation escalated in 1998 when Michael Schiavo petitioned the court to stop Terri from receiving food and water, thereby starving her to death.

In filing this legal action, he retained the services of a high profile euthanasia attorney and the financial backing of powerful euthanasia organizations. He also used Terri's medical rehabilitation money to underwrite much of the legal expenses associated with his effort to starve our daughter to death.

We know that he has spent nearly $500,000 of Terri's money in attorney's fees for just one attorney trying to obtain a court order to have Terri starved to death. The very money that was supposed to be used for Terri's rehabilitation is being used to have her killed.

We very quickly discovered it was impossible for us to compete with the abundance of financial and legal resources the pro-death organizations were providing Micheal Schiavo in their effort to kill Terri. They are pouring time and effort into her starvation because they want to use this case to further the agenda of legalized euthanasia.

My wife and I are not wealthy people. Throughout those years, we did not have any large organizations trying to help rescue our daughter. Consequently, we had to rely on the generosity of attorneys who were willing to offer their legal expertise at no cost or at reduced fees.

The bottom line is that we are in the final weeks or months of our struggle to rescue our daughter from an untimely death by starvation. Death by starvation is very slow, and extremely painful. As you must know, it is against the law to deliberately starve an animal to death. There are members of the Florida court who would not treat a dog the way they plan to treat my daughter.

At this point we must pull out all the stops in our fight to rescue our daughter.

As parents, we are desperate to save our daughter's life. As people who love life, we are determined to deprive the euthanasia advocates of successfully legalizing this form of homicide. We believe that their efforts to kill Terri are designed to set a precedent for the future eradication of defenseless disabled human beings. I was alive when Americans fought the Nazis; I do not want my daughter to meet the same fate of thousands of disabled people in Nazi Germany, and I do not want our country to go down that same dark path.

Friend, though we have never met, I'm asking you for your help. We desperately need your financial assistance to help our family continue the battle to keep our daughter from being starved to death. There are so many expenses in a case like this it is mind-boggling and overwhelming. Please click here to make a contribution now.

Our adversaries believe that by our family's financial attrition and difficulties, they will attain their objective of killing our daughter. Presently, Terri's starvation may only be a few weeks away, unless we find the financial resources to prevent this atrocity from becoming a reality.

I implore you to please help us. We are writing to you, because we believe you have a heart for justice and mercy. I'm asking you to put yourself in my shoes, and then do whatever you can to help our family. Whether it is $10 or $1000, we are desperate for the resources to fight this battle for our daughter's life at this critical juncture.

Please do whatever you can, and forward this e-mail to any friends or family that you have who you think might be interested in saving Terri's life.

I thank you for your time, your concern, and I solicit your prayers for Terri and our entire family. These have been very trying times for us all.

Sincerely,

Bob Schindler Sr.

CLICK HERE TO CONTRIBUTE NOW!



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Appeal to FLA Gov. Jeb Bush
Terri needs you to do two things to help save her life:

Today -- contact the governor and the leaders of the legislature and politely insist that they write a new law to save Terri's life. We need this to happen today, and we ask you to recruit your friends to do the same. And remember, phone calls are better than emails.

Jeb Bush, Governor
Executive Office of the Governor
The Capitol
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0001
(850) 488-4441
Fax (850) 487-0801
jeb@myflorida.com

Tom Lee, Senate President
Capitol Office:
Room 312, Senate Office Building
404 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1100
(850) 487-5072
lee.tom.web@flsenate.gov

District Office:
915 Oakfield Drive
Suite E
Brandon, FL 33511
(813) 744-8683
FAX (813) 744-8556

Allan G. Bense, Speaker
Capitol Office:
402 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300
Phone: (850) 488-1450
speaker@myfloridahouse.gov

District Office:
Suite A
455 Harrison Avenue
Panama City, FL 32401-2443
Phone: (850) 914-6300

If you hear that the court has ordered Terri to be starved-- if at all possible, come to Pinellas Park (Near St. Petersburg) where Terri is being held, or to Tallahassee Florida (where Governor Bush and the Legislature are) to take part in peaceful vigils and protests.

We will have around the clock vigils in both locations: at the one where Terri is to show our support for her and her family; in Tallahassee to call on the Governor and the Legislature to intervene and save her from Judicial homicide by starvation.

Sponsored by: Society for Truth and Justice



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Friend of Life,

What follows is a battle plan to save my daughter from starvation.

I beg you to read this closely. The details are a matter of life and death for my daughter...

As you may have seen in the news, my daughter Terry Schindler-Schiavo is in imminent danger of being starved to death by a court order. (Terri is not brain dead, nor in a coma, nor on any life support system; she is simply severely handicapped. She laughs and cries and tries to talk with us.) Unfortunately, Terri was in danger of being starved to death in October of 2003. Food and water were withheld from my daughter for six days before the Florida legislature and the Governor intervened to save her life.

What you may not know is that at that moment of crisis, our family asked Randall Terry to help us put Terri's plight in front of the American people. Randall Terry organized vigils and protests here in Florida, he coordinated the media, and he helped us meet with Governor Jeb Bush. Many other groups and individuals joined in the effort. All of this gave us the momentum we needed to pass Terri's Law, which saved Terri from death. My daughter is alive today because of Randall Terry's leadership, and the determined efforts of many good groups and people.

Unfortunately, the Supreme Court of Florida struck down "Terri's law," and my daughter is in danger once again of being starved to death.

Therefore, our family has again asked Randall Terry and his staff to coordinate the efforts to rescue Terri from court ordered starvation. We are asking you to read Randall's letter closely, and to follow his lead by cooperating with the efforts we have asked him to undertake. We believe that the strategy outlined below by Randall gives us a real chance to rescue our daughter once and for all. We thank you for your love and concern for our daughter, and our family continues to solicit your prayers. PLEASE, read every word of Randall's letter below, which outlines this important battle plan.

Bob Schindler Sr., Father of Terri Schiavo

=========================================

From: Randall Terry

Hello friends, Randall Terry here.

First of all, I want to thank Bob for his kind words and his confidence. Second of all, I want to make very clear (as Bob said) that many dedicated and courageous individuals and groups participated in saving Terri the first time, and we could not have been successful if it was not for the fact that so many people worked together to save Terri from starvation in that hour of crisis. And once again, many fine and dedicated groups and individuals are forming a coalition to rescue Terri from this horrific fate. If you have seen this fight in the news or on the Internet over the past few days, it is as a result of our renewed efforts, strategies and coalitions.

Friend, anyone who follows the news knows that the battle for America's soul has been raging for over two generations. Many of you have been fighting on various fronts to stop this onslaught of evil and darkness. In each of our communities, and all of our states, we face a continual barrage from the advocates of immorality and a culture of death. The advocates of evil have hijacked the judiciary in order to achieve their agenda.

But every once in awhile, a battle emerges that redefines all subsequent battles for years to come. Some recent examples of this are the decisions by courts to remove the 10 Commandments from the schools of Kentucky, and from the Supreme Court of Alabama. Another is the decision by courts to strike "under God" from the pledge of allegiance. Still another is the court ordered mandate to create homosexual marriage or civil unions in the states of Vermont and Massachusetts. Those key battles determine a subsequent series of battles that none of us can escape, and that threaten to drag on for many years.

The threat of starvation for Terri Schindler-Schiavo is another one of those epic battles. If she is in fact starved to death, it could open a floodgate of starvations and other forms of cruelty towards the severely disabled and severely handicapped in America.

This case clearly puts one woman's life in jeopardy; but beyond that, it puts thousands of lives in jeopardy. And even beyond that, I believe this is a battle in which our nation's soul is again weighed in the balance. Will we be a people who continue to kill our weakest and most defenseless members? Or will we return to what it means to be "civilized" and ensure that the strong protect the weak from the ruthless? Will we follow our Lord's admonition to "love our neighbors as ourselves," or will we look the other way while our defenseless neighbor is killed?

You have received this letter because you are someone who cares about what happens in these great and epic struggles. Because you love life and liberty, the family and I are calling on you to take direct and concrete actions on Terri's behalf.

Please understand, Terri's family is happy for the sympathy of tens of millions of Americans. But sympathy alone will not save Terri from starvation! We must fight, we must struggle, we must sacrifice for Terri's right to live, or she will perish. We are at war for the life of this woman and the soul of this nation, and war requires troops who will act in concert to push back the enemy.

I'm about to give you a list of action items that every single person reading this letter can do.

Allow me to be very direct with all of us: if we believe Terri should not be killed by starvation, then we have a duty before God to do something on her behalf. That is what it means to love your neighbor as you love yourself - you take action on their behalf, just as you would want someone to act on your behalf if you were about to be killed. If we do not act in some concrete way, what good is our sympathy for Terri and her family?

If we will all act in concert with each other, we can create a tidal wave of momentum and public outrage that result in saving her life. We can create an avalanche of support for Governor Bush and the Florida Legislature that stimulates and emboldens them to stand against the judicial tyranny that threatens Terri's life.

I am convinced that most of the country is disgusted with arrogant Judges ramming their godless agenda down our throats; I have seen the anger of good and decent Americans who are fed up with Courts acting like dictators and tyrants. This is one battle in which all of us can stand against judicial tyrants. We can set an example that ignites a wave of resistance to other acts of judicial tyranny.

I am equally convinced that Governor Bush wants to save Terri's life. In fact, Governor Bush publicly responded to my call for him to intervene last week. He responded by telling the press, "I'll do what the law will allow me to do. Nothing has changed. If Mr. Terry has any suggestions on things I can do, we will certainly review them." The family and I met with him once before, and we plan to meet with him again this week. He is a good man, and we ask you to pray for him to have the strength and the courage to rescue Terri.

Moreover, Terri and her family have many friends in the Florida legislature. We must provide them with the support and the "political cover" they will need to take up this issue again. I believe they will have the courage to intervene as long as they know millions of Americans and especially Floridians are supporting them.

In the big picture, this battle could be a key turning point in ending the rule of judicial dictators in our country. If we as citizens will denounce this oppression, and Governor Bush and the Florida legislature will again stand against these judicial tyrants, it could be a key moment in our history as a nation. We could look back and see that this was a key battle in restoring the rule of law and the right of self-government in America; that it was a team battle in breaking the stranglehold that the courts have on our lives, our laws, and our liberties. May God make it so.

Now, here is the immediate battle plan. There's something here for every single person to do. I know you love life and liberty; so the family and I are counting on you to fight on Terri's behalf.

Click http://www.rightmarch.com/media/FlyerforTerri.pdf to download a PDF of a bulletin/flyer printed twice on an 8 1/2 piece of paper. It has a brief history of Terri story, as well as the phone number and the e-mail for Governor Bush, the Speaker of the Florida House, and the President of the Florida Senate. We did this so that you could use your home printer or go to a copy shop and make copies to put in your church bulletin, or hand out at church, or to give to your friends at work. As you will see, you can cut it in half after copying, and it will fit inside most church bulletins. (If the clergy won't help, maybe you could put it on cars in the parking lot.) This flyer will help increase the waves of outrage we need to come from around the nation.

Click http://www.rightmarch.com/terri2.htm to contact the Governor, the Speaker of the Florida House, and the President of the Florida Senate, and politely urge them to intervene and save Terri's life. Urge them to stand against judicial tyranny. They know that the judiciary is being used to destroy life and liberty in America. They need to know they can be heroes in our fight to restore self-government and the rule of Law.

If you are a Florida resident, click http://www.rightmarch.com/terri2-fl.htm to directly contact your state senator and your state representative. You can then urge them as a Florida voter to act on Terri's behalf.

Stay updated by going regularly to http://www.helpterri.com/ . Send out an email to all your friends with a link to that site, urging them to get involved. Hotel info is there.

If you hear that Terri's feeding has been ordered to be stopped, if at all possible come to Florida immediately. We will need people in Pinellas Park (near Tampa) where Terri is, and we'll need people to go to Tallahassee to plead with the Governor and the Legislature to rescue her. We will have 24 hour vigils until we rescue her, or she departs this life.
For hotels near Terri: http://www.societyfortruthandjustice.com/hotels_near_terri's_hospice.htm

For hotels near the Legislature: http://www.societyfortruthandjustice.com/hotels_near_legislature.htm


I am asking everyone to help the Terri Schindler-Schiavo Foundation with the best gift you can give for this battle. Virtually every person reading this can give $5 or $10 dollars. Many can give $50 or $100. Some can give $500 or $1000 or more. An effort like this takes extensive resources, and they need much help. Every gift matters at this time! The family thanks you with all their hearts. (Gifts are not tax-deductible.) Please give ASAP; the need is urgent now, and time is critical:
https://secure.cartlight.com/merchant/terri/?afid=tj

The family and I and others are going to Tallahassee this week to meet with elected officials. We must continue to build the momentum for this effort; we must have a deafening chorus resounding from around the country on Terri's behalf.
Please be a part of this battle and the subsequent victory. Please do every single one of the things that you possibly can do, ASAP. Print the bulletin, make the contacts, come to Florida if at all possible, and give whatever you can financially to this fight today. This is one of those epic battles that I spoke of earlier, and none of us should be in the bleachers watching. We should all be in the arena fighting.

Please forward this letter to every friend who you think may want to save Terri's life.

May God help us in our quest; may God have mercy on Terri and her family; and may God have mercy on our nation.

Sincerely,



Randall Terry,
President
The Society for Truth and Justice

CLICK HERE TO CONTRIBUTE NOW!

To submit a donation by check, please send to the following address:

The Terri Schindler-Schiavo Foundation
3501-B N. Ponce de Leon Blvd.
Suite 394
Dept. Code tj
St. Augustine, FL 32084
Please click on the Link above to hear a great, new song for our soldiers sang
by Dustin Evans
www.andiesisle.com/If-I-Die-Before-You-Wake.html

Thank YOU Lord for letting us have our little man for one more year!!!!!!

Here are some pictures from his BIG party, with His own Band. He had a blast and it was like he knew the party was just for him. We danced and he laughed and giggled. He missed getting all of his medicine because he was too excited to take it. Even after we got home he was still wide eyed and raring to go. A nice warm bath and more medicine slowed him down. He slept until 8:00 AM! I didn't know it but my sisters gave me a "special" surprise for my 40th that is NEXT WEEK. Matthew lit up the whole room whenever we started dancing. We had the floor all to ourself! I know everyone got a blessing just watching him cut up on the dance floor! It was a night we will never forget watching him laugh and giggle so sweet!


He's laughing in this pic so hard he's having a good time. The band was playing I'll fly away. His great grandma and Pawpaw have a gospel band with banjo's, harmonica, aucoustic guitar and we even had a piano player!

Still Dancing
Ganny is tired!
Papa danced too!
Lots of friends and family at the party. They brought lots of baby food and any kind of other food that Matthew can eat, Boost, Diapers, Wipes, toys, clothes, bed sheets, money and lots of other nice things. It took me an hour to put the all the food into the cabinets! They even brought finger foods to go along with the cake and Ice cream.
Hey IM NOT 40 YET! My sisters came up with
this idea. My birthday isn't until the 24th! I surely didn't want to celebrate early but it was okay. I think I'll be okay about turning fourty. I bought some more night cream for the wrinkles today.

I'll have more pictures to post later. This is all I can get on the page today.
What would Matthew like to do today? You want to play Ring around the Rosies? Ok, now get ready....





img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v248/angelbaby39180/mattgann6.jpg">

OK, Im ready Ganny....Im ready now! Go Ganny!

Ring around the Rosies, A Pocket full of Posies.............

Is it time to fall down yet? I am ready ganny!!!!! No not yet Matthew!

Now? Can I fall down now??? Almost Matthew!!

ASHES ASHES WE ALL FALL DOWN!!!!!


And there he goes.....................

Matthew knows a few words but his most favorite is "Faaaaaaaaaallllllllll downnnnnnnnn". That's when he will throw himself back. Sometimes he gets excited and tries to "fall down" before it's time. When we say "Fall Down" we say it with a musical tone to it, you don't even have to play the game, you can just say fall down and he's throwing himself backwards. Pretty good for a little guy that's not even suppose to have cognitive abilities!
Charlotte
this is an audio post - click to play
A Song Dedicated to my Little Angel Matthew... Click on Audio above to hear the songs.

JOSH GROBAN LYRICS

"You're Still You"

Through the darkness
I can see your light
And you will always shine
And I can feel your heart in mine
Your face I've memorized
I idolize just you

I look up to
Everything you are
In my eyes you do no wrong
I've loved you for so long
And after all is said and done
You're still you
After all
You're still you

You look through me
I can feel your pain
Time changes everything
One truth always stays the same
You're still you
After all
You're still you

I look up to
Everything you are
In my eyes you do no wrong
And I believe in you
Although you never asked me to
I will remember you
And what life put you through

And in this cruel and lonely world
I found one love
You're still you
After all
You're still you






Matthew's has been getting better and better after his surgery. His is now pushing a little in his walker and using his legs more. His hips are still sore where the plates are. The thing that's bothering him now is the tonic siezures. These are like the myoclonic jerks but with a new twist at the end of the jerks. Here's my description of his siezure.

Matthew will suddenly jerk and thrust both arms straight out and legs straight out and bend over at the waist and drop his head. He'll be very stiff and he'll hold it for about 5-10 seconds. When he finally relaxes, he is very, very, limp. Then his eyes will look glassy and he'll have anywhere from 2-4 quick jolts, like a "shock".
After that he smacks his lips like something is in his mouth. Sometimes instead of the seizures, he'll have the "shivers". Most of the time these happen whenever he wakes up but lately they have been happening during the day. He had three today.

Our neurologist has him on phenylbarbitol, Keppra, Lamictal, Kolonopin. The first med was Phenylbarb for the myoclonics that never fully went away. At age two, he went in for the same jerks that were getting worse and was put on topomax. He had a "big" siezure like the ones he's having now but a lot worse. Next time he was still having the jerks but they had slowed down again. I video taped so we didn't have to go into the hospital this time, same siezures just getting worse, we weaned the topomax and added lamictal, the lamictal did absolutely nothing except cause him to be more miserable and tired. Next we added Keppra the seemed to slow them down again. I waiting for the neuro to get him off of the Lamictal. I don't like the side effects. ON the internet it says do not use with Phenylbarbitol and it also slows the production of red blood cells. They carry oxygen to the brain. We have increased the lamictal since he started having the bad seizures again. So far no change, just getting worse. After reading what I just typed, I see a steady incline in his seizure activity. A little worse every year. Our neuro just says, well, I told you that is to be expected as he gets olders considering all of his brain malformations. I know that but all this junk he's on isn't working, why can't I get him off of some of the siezure meds? If he doesn't do it soon, I will be going to another neurologist... As a matter of fact, I think I'll call tomorrow.

Matthew is getting weaker and weaker. He doesn't want to hold his head up long enough to stand in his stander. All he wants is for me to hold him

Some people say their is no proof that siezures cause more brain damage but I can see Matthew regressing with my own eyes.

He will be three in a few weeks and I hope and pray we don't end up in the hospital with a grand mal seizure.

I know Matthew has a lot wrong with him but I just want him to at least play like he used to and be "content" for a little while in his stander or walker or swing. He acts like he's miserable and I don't like it that way. He has enough wrong with him without those nasty siezures. I am looking into other options and most like I'll have to take it upon myself to get him off those meds and "start over". Makes no sense to KNOCK HIM OUT all the time.. what kind of life is that. I won't settle for what's going on now because I know there's got to be more we can do to defeat these seizures!!!!!
So SIEZURES GO AWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!