Husband and Parents disagree on the details of Schiavo’s condition

Husband of Florida woman Terri Schiavo has ordered an autopsy after she dies to silence allegations his plan to cremate her body is aimed at hiding something, his lawyer said on Monday. The supporters of Schiavo’s parents took their fight to prolong her life to Washington 10 days after her feeding was stopped.

The Michael Schiavo’s lawyer, George Felos, said that her pulse had become “thready” and she had not passed urine for a while a possible sign of approaching death. Felos said this afternoon Michael Schiavo believes the autopsy by the Pinellas County chief medical examiner “will show the public the full and massive extent of damage to her brain through her cardiac arrest in 1990.”

Michael Schiavo contends his wife suffered a heart attack triggered by a chemical imbalance brought on by an eating disorder, but the Schindlers suspect oxygen was cut off to the brain because he tried to strangle her.

Felos said that an autopsy will be performed after her death to show the extent of brain damage she suffered 15 years ago. Terri’s family also held a news conference that presented a much different view than Michael Schiavo’s attorney who spoke just minutes before. Terri’s sister said Terri has a look on her face as if she’s asking for help.

Schiavo’s parents have had numerous defeats in state and federal courts as they fought to have their daughter’s feeding tube reinserted, but say they’ve now exhausted all their legal options. Speaking at a recent impromptu news conference in his office, Governor Bush said he had done all he could do to keep Terri Schiavo alive and that his powers are limited. “They are acting on their heart and I fully appreciate their sentiments and the emotions that go with this. But, I have consistently said I cannot go beyond what my powers are. I am not going to do it,” he said.