I am about the closest this group has to a trained neurologist. As part of my training for the PhD program I was in, I did over 120 semester hours of post grad training in neuropsych assessment. That included neuroanatomy, administering the Halstead-Reitan test, various IQ measures, EEG interpretation, and being able to correctly interpret CAT scans. The final exam included a set of 8 CT scans where I was expected to correctly diagnose damage, if any and any artifacts. This doesn't include our neuropsych research at the lab I worked at, nor the seminars at the conferences I attended (additional continuing education credits).
Dr. Wolfson reviewed over 13,000 pages of testimony and evidence submitted to the courts as well as spending a month with the patient. Listening to the interview and reading his report, I am satisfied with his conclusions. It fits with my own take on the case very well. While I cannot call myself a psychologist (not licenced), my professional training leads me to my conclusion that Ms. Shiavo is irretrievably brain damaged, with most if not all higher function absent. larry On Mon, 21 Mar 2005 17:34:17 -0600, Dana <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > And since you are poo-pooing all other opinions... this Jay Wolfson is > a trained neurologist? > > Now here I *am* being sarcastic. As we both know, he is a lawyer and > specializes in health care financing. What I would really like to see > is the reports of the neurologists he mentioned. > > Dana > > On Mon, 21 Mar 2005 18:09:58 -0500, Larry C. Lyons > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Also read pgs 34 (33 in the pdf) > > > > "Thersa's neurological tests and CT scans indicate objective measures > > of the persistent vegetative state. These data indicate that Theresa's > > cerebral cortex is principlally liquid, having shrunken due to the > > severe anoxic trauma experienced thirteen years ago. The initial > > oxygen deprivation caused damage that could not be repaired and the > > brain tissue in that area continued to devolve. It is noteworth to > > recall that from the time of her collapse, and for more than three > > years, Theresa did receive active physical, occupational, speechand > > even recreational therapy. There is evidence early in her record of > > care that she said "no" during physical therapy session. That behavior > > did not recur and was not further referenced.... > > > > In the observed circumstances, the behavior that Theresa manifestss is > > attributable to brainstem and forebrain functions that are reflexive, > > rather than cognitive. And the substantive difference according to > > neurologists and neurosurgeons is that reflexive activities of this > > nature are neither consciou sor aware activities. And without > > cognition, there is now awareness... > > > > By all measures in the literature, Theresa has beaten teh odds in > > terms of surviving her persistent vegetative state condition. While > > younger persons fare better than olders victims, life spans rarely, > > according to the American Academy of Neurology, exceed ten years > > following the onset of the condition. Persons who have been comatose > > have worse outcomes that those who have not. But Theresa has also far > > outlived any documented periods from which persons in persistent > > vegetative states have emerged in any functional capacity. The > > reasonable degree of medical certainty associated with her diagnosi > > and prognosis is very high. > > > > pp 34-35. > > > > > > On Mon, 21 Mar 2005 16:48:16 -0600, Dana <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > Yes, yes, you posted this in the other thread. I've been over all > > > this. Have *you* read it yet? It says that she should have a swallow > > > evaluation and a permanent guardian ad litem. Both of which the judge > > > was unwilling to do. > > > > > > Dana > > > > > > On Mon, 21 Mar 2005 17:37:12 -0500, Larry C. Lyons > > > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > Take off the CT%20 etc. > > > > > > > > You may also want to have a look at the medical guardian at litum's > > > > report: > > > > http://www.miami.edu/ethics/schiavo/wolfson%27s%20report.pdf > > > > > > > > larry > > > > > > > > > > > > On Mon, 21 Mar 2005 16:33:55 -0600, Dana <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > have you got the link for the article that goes with this? > > > > > > > > > > > > Sorry, I dunno. I just heard the quote on NPR. However here is a > > > > > > > link from the 2000 trial that shows a brain scan used in the > > > > > > > trial. > > > > > > > The light portions which appear have now deteriorated altogether. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > http://www.miami.edu/ethics2/schiavo/CT%20scan.png > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Purchase Contribute 3 from House of Fusion, a Macromedia Authorized Affiliate and support the CF community. http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=53 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:5:151185 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/5 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:5 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
