Reply #14: I grew up with guys like Michael Schiavo. In fact, [View All]

[obxdreamer]

I grew up in the same town, same township. They were tough guys, guys whose fathers moved and took jobs at US Steel or the chemical plants because it was better work than the coal mines around Wilkes-Barre and Scranton. They are/were stubborn,proud and honorable men.
For the first few years, Michael Schiavo and the Schlinders were on the same page, and believed the same thing, that Terri would improve. But then something happened, Michael went to nursing school to learn how to care for Terri. What I think happened is that as he learned more about medicine, anatomy and physiology he began to have doubts that there would be any improvement in her condition. He started to move to a different place. The Schlinders, however, were still in the same spot as they were years before. Michael became "reality based", the Schlinders just could not move on.
I have always found it fascinating that Michael went to nursing school to help care for Terri. This is NOT something that a male of his background would normally do. I am trying very hard not to stereotype here, but I have a male cousin who became a nurse and I know the raised eyebrows,snickering and rumors he went through. Believe me, it was not easy for him, he went through alot of ridicule. It seems to me that this showed a great deal of love and commitment on Michaels part.
I have always been troubled by the conclusions that money was the reason for the rift between Michael S and the Schlinders, but what I now believe is that this was the flash point. Michael had moved on,the Schlinders knew it and were powerless to stop it.
Do I think that Michael believes that he is doing the right thing by Terri? Yes, why else would someone voluntarily put himself through this nightmare? He could have easily divorced her and himself of the whole situation.
So, then I get back to the men of my hometown. Those stubborn, proud and honorable men. Do I believe that Michael Schiavo is one of those men? Yes. Do I think that he is perfect? No, Dr. Wolfson has said that Michael is not a "warm and fuzzy" person. Nor does he have to be, he just seems to me to be a man who is doing what he believes is the right thing to do.


DISCLAIMER: I am not a psychologist, I only play one on discussion forums