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Some people shouldn't be resuscitated and be allowed to die

Forums: Health
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au1929
 
  1  
Reply Fri 11 Jun, 2004 06:45 am
Miller

Quote:
Hospitals apply whatever technology is available to save lives.


They also use that technology to prolong life and suffering of terminal patients.
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Vivien
 
  1  
Reply Fri 11 Jun, 2004 11:57 am
yes I sympathise.

I've made it clear to my daughters and husband that theyare not to keep me alive overlong in that situation - and to leave the tops of the medicine bottles if life gets too intolerable.

It is so sad that we can help an animal in this state and not a human. It would be good if a living will could be stored in your medical records
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eoe
 
  1  
Reply Fri 11 Jun, 2004 12:13 pm
My 54 year old brother has terminal (according to his doctors) lung cancer. He has told our other brother, under no uncertain terms, that he is not to be resucitated or kept alive artificially in any way, shape or form. I will honor that even if it means pulling a plug myself but this thread has caused me to think about the legalities of it all. We've got to get his wishes on paper.
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au1929
 
  1  
Reply Fri 11 Jun, 2004 02:44 pm
eoe
The form can be obtained at any hospital. Have several filled out and signed. I would suggest you give one copy to his Dr.
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Miller
 
  1  
Reply Fri 11 Jun, 2004 03:30 pm
eoe wrote:
My 54 year old brother has terminal (according to his doctors) lung cancer. He has told our other brother, under no uncertain terms, that he is not to be resucitated or kept alive artificially in any way, shape or form. I will honor that even if it means pulling a plug myself but this thread has caused me to think about the legalities of it all. We've got to get his wishes on paper.


Please be sure your brother understands the legal meaning of "informed consent".
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fishin
 
  1  
Reply Fri 11 Jun, 2004 04:29 pm
Re: Some people shouldn't be resuscitated and be allowed to
BumbleBeeBoogie wrote:
I'm appalled that they would try to save her from pneumonia when she has a deadly terminal disease and is suffering a lot. ALS is one of the hardest ways to die and pneumonia (the old terminally ill patient's friend) would have given her a gentle death instead of what she faces as the disease progresses.


BumbleBeeBoogie wrote:
I know its hard to let a loved one go, but sometimes you have to think of the patient instead of yourself.


Personally, I see a bit of irony in these two sentences in the opening post. Nowhere do you state what SHE wanted.

You are appalled that they would save her life and then comment that "you have to think of the patient ahead of yourself".

Do you know that she didn't want to continue living? Do you know for sure that she never expressed to her doctor that she wanted to continue on?

I can certianly empathize with all of the family members involved but it sounds like you have put your feelings (and perhaps what you think is best for your daughter in law) ahead of the patient here. Isn't it her choice to face (or not) what the disease may bring?
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BumbleBeeBoogie
 
  1  
Reply Fri 11 Jun, 2004 09:50 pm
Fishin
Fishin, your points are very good. I don't know whether or not the mother has made her wishes known in the form of a living will. The family is Catholic and the Church forbids any kind of intervention. The problem is that in my daughter-in-law's family, they usually don't plan ahead and often are in denial of an existing problem.

My son and I have often discussed this situation, and we know what we would want for each other. But his wife's family is very different from our's.

BBB
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NickFun
 
  1  
Reply Fri 11 Jun, 2004 10:26 pm
I note that fishin is talking about mercy and compassion while his avatar is a dead cat!
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fishin
 
  1  
Reply Sat 12 Jun, 2004 05:43 am
Re: Fishin
BumbleBeeBoogie wrote:
My son and I have often discussed this situation, and we know what we would want for each other. But his wife's family is very different from our's.


*nods* I know what I'd want and I've put it in writing (legalized it). One can only hope that no one interferes with anyones expressed choices when/if the time comes.
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fishin
 
  1  
Reply Sat 12 Jun, 2004 05:45 am
NickFun wrote:
I note that fishin is talking about mercy and compassion while his avatar is a dead cat!


That's the best you can come up with? Why doesn't that surprise me? It's an avatar. Get over it.
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Jim
 
  1  
Reply Sat 12 Jun, 2004 05:50 am
My wife and I have discussed this at some length. Neither of us wants extraordinary methods used to keep us alive if there is no hope of recovery, but we also do not want food or water withheld under any circumstances.
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Miller
 
  1  
Reply Sat 12 Jun, 2004 09:52 am
Jim wrote:
My wife and I have discussed this at some length. Neither of us wants extraordinary methods used to keep us alive if there is no hope of recovery, but we also do not want food or water withheld under any circumstances.


Have you consulted a lawyer to formalize your wishes?
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BumbleBeeBoogie
 
  1  
Reply Mon 14 Jun, 2004 10:55 pm
Her family may pull the plug
My son e-mailed me tonight that his mother-in-law took a turn for the worse today and is on life support. The family has decided that she should not receive life-saving treatment if her heart begins to fail. They haven't yet reached a decision to pull the plug on the respirator, but at least they've taken the first step to end her suffering. Everyone is emotionally drained from the experience and the stress.

BBB
0 Replies
 
Miller
 
  1  
Reply Tue 15 Jun, 2004 11:15 am
Re: Her family may pull the plug
BumbleBeeBoogie wrote:
My son e-mailed me tonight that his mother-in-law took a turn for the worse today and is on life support. The family has decided that she should not receive life-saving treatment if her heart begins to fail. They haven't yet reached a decision to pull the plug on the respirator, but at least they've taken the first step to end her suffering. Everyone is emotionally drained from the experience and the stress.

BBB


I think it would be a good idea, if this is the patient's wish, to die while on the respirator... No crash cart involvement as her heart begins to slow down.
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BumbleBeeBoogie
 
  1  
Reply Wed 16 Jun, 2004 05:41 pm
The patient died today
My son e-mailed me that his mother-in-law died at noon today while they were at home feeding their dogs, one of the few times they were away from her hospital bedside. They were not faced with pulling the plug because her heart failed.

ALS is such a hard way to die and I'm so relieved that the pneumonia took her, ending her suffering.

BBB
0 Replies
 
fishin
 
  1  
Reply Wed 16 Jun, 2004 06:20 pm
Sorry to hear that BBB. I'll keep you and your family in my thoughts.
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Joeblow
 
  1  
Reply Wed 16 Jun, 2004 06:45 pm
Me, too.

It's a particularly vicious disease, as you know. Heart failure seems a blessing given the circumstances.

Best wishes.
0 Replies
 
Miller
 
  1  
Reply Thu 17 Jun, 2004 05:35 am
Aspiration pneumonia is also common with these patients.
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