Life-or-death decision delayed for 48 hours

A Florida judge has extended an order keeping brain-damaged Terri Schiavo’s alive, saying he needed time to decide whether her parents should be allowed to pursue further efforts to keep her husband from removing her life support.

Judge George Greer extended until 5pm local time (10pm Irish time) on Friday an emergency stay that was to expire yesterday.

He said he needs to decide whether her parents, Robert and Mary Schindler, can have more time to determine if she has greater mental capabilities than previously thought.

The Schindlers also are seeking to have her husband, Michael Schiavo, removed as her legal guardian.

“We are really elated,” Robert Schindler said. ”Forty-eight hours to us right now seems like six years.”

Terri Schiavo’s parents have been in a long, bitter struggle with her husband, Michael Schiavo, to keep her alive. She collapsed 15 years ago when a chemical imbalance caused her heart to stop beating and cut off oxygen to her brain.

On Tuesday, an appeals court allowed a stay to expire that had been the last obstacle keeping Michael Schiavo from removing his wife’s feeding tube. Judge Greer, however, issued his emergency stay later that day.

The Florida state moved to intervene in the case yesterday after Governor Jeb Bush said he was seeking a way to keep Terri Schiavo alive.

A court filing by a state welfare agency remained sealed, but lawyers said it was related to allegations Michael Schiavo abused his wife.

Those allegations, which have been raised before, are based partly on bone scans showing Terri Schiavo suffered fractures and statements she made to family and friends that she was unhappy in her marriage. Michael Schiavo has denied harming his wife.