you can agree or dissagree. It is a debate and u have the right to say your opinion.
the subject is:
" There is never any justification for terminating a patient's life."
actually my opinion is:
the pt has the right to live whatever his/her disease is. We can not terminate the life foe just prevent suffering. Life is created by God and the God only must decide hen it must end.
I had a very good friend pass away yesterday. He was on life support, and his family finally made the decision to let him go.
It is very hard to let a dying loved one go, so it is only natural for the family to hold on as long as they can. If it is the patient's wish to not be on life support at the end of his/her life, then that wish should be honored.
Having said that, I do NOT believe healthcare workers (or anyone else) should have the right to terminate another person's life even if it is the patient's wish.
We have taken death to the hospitals and glorified the process of dying. This I am opposed to. Patients who are terminally ill should be with their family in their own home environment where they can die naturally without medical intervention OTHER THAN pain relief and comfort.
I, personally, do not want to be placed on life support UNLESS it is being done for a temporary measure, and the docs know I will survive once I'm stronger. Otherwise, let me go be with my Lord! Earth isn't all that grand to hold on to anyway. Why choose to stay where suffering exist when I can go to a place where the sunrise is constant. :)
Are we talking about assisted suicide here? Or prolonging someone's life by artificial means? I'm not really sure what I believe about the assisted suicide. In my heart I just think it's wrong, but I know if I was in a lot of pain and dying I'd probably feel differently and would just want to die, but I can't say for sure. But as far as advance directives and such..... putting someone on a ventilator that has no desire to live, I don't agree with that. They should have every say in the matter ..... if they want everything done to keep them alive, then put them on the vent and everything else, but if they want to die, then let them die, it's not our decision.
I believe that if a patient has a living will, it should be honored. If they are suffering and there is no way their condition is going to improve back to a decent quality of life, then they should have to right to die in peace.
I believe that if a patient has a living will, it should be honored. If they are suffering and there is no way their condition is going to improve back to a decent quality of life, then they should have to right to die in peace.
Sums it up for me. If a patient or family chooses to withdraw all treatment, then I'm there to support that idea without judgement, even if it means the patient may die a little earlier than if we went through all kinds of heroics.
(On the other hand, I don't believe in aborting a pregnancy at any stage because that is a human being there. But I guess we're not going there. :))
Hey, if they want to put themselves through all that I could care less. My only problem is when we decide for them.
Edited to add: and we do know some situations are without hope. Brain dead is brain dead.
I mean I have never seen a brain dead pt in my SICU make it much past 24 hrs after being declared brain dead, thank god. When the game is over, it's over folks. But you won't be giving those pts opiates to push them over the edge, now will you(this is the piece that gives me pause) ! Overall the original intent of my post was to agree with what you said so eloquently about the role of God in the ICU.
Unfortunately we routinely see kids with little to no brains left being tortured. I looked after one tonight. Poor little child takes in 800 cc in one day and pees out 200. He's swollen like a balloon. It's absolutely cruel, but of course you're right Bluesky and I won't be giving him a morphine bolus to kill him or anything....I'll just keep torturing him as kindly as possible until his poor body gives out. I honestly can't imagine any God wanting this, but it isn't my call
Unfortunately we routinely see kids with little to no brains left being tortured. I looked after one tonight. Poor little child takes in 800 cc in one day and pees out 200. He's swollen like a balloon. It's absolutely cruel, but of course you're right Bluesky and I won't be giving him a morphine bolus to kill him or anything....I'll just keep torturing him as kindly as possible until his poor body gives out. I honestly can't imagine any God wanting this, but it isn't my call
I AGREE. I think that it's our technology that many times keeps patients alive not God. I see patients who are disorientated, bedridden, have debubs, no quality of life and yet the "good" son or daughter insists that mom or dad get a peg tube. Did any one in the bible have a peg tube? Of course not. They died a natural death. Our bodies are meant to deteriorate when we can no longer eat or drink. That is how God has created our bodies to react.
I personally do not ever want a feeding tube or a vent. My family knows and it's all in writting. The same goes for my parents. They said they will haunt me if I dont' comply.
The most unselfish people I've come across are the one's who can let their loved ones go. No matter the age. The loved one is after all going to heaven. Living and grieving is reserved for those of us left behind here on earth. The loved one is free of pain & suffering and happy to be on the other side. You can feel the peace when they pass.
No matter what the age I believe it comes down to "Q.O.L." quality of life. I don't know about you but if I have no QOL let me go to the light! I'll be fine.
I think it's a damm crying shame how many of our elderly are in nursing homes with peg tubes just waiting for some opportunistic germ to take their lives.
However, I definately don't believe in euthenasia. That's for an individual to decide for themselves. No one should ever be allowed to make that decision for someone else no matter what.
He was on life support, and his family finally made the decision to let him go.
live4today, RN
5,099 Posts
I had a very good friend pass away yesterday.
He was on life support, and his family finally made the decision to let him go.
It is very hard to let a dying loved one go, so it is only natural for the family to hold on as long as they can. If it is the patient's wish to not be on life support at the end of his/her life, then that wish should be honored.
Having said that, I do NOT believe healthcare workers (or anyone else) should have the right to terminate another person's life even if it is the patient's wish.
We have taken death to the hospitals and glorified the process of dying. This I am opposed to. Patients who are terminally ill should be with their family in their own home environment where they can die naturally without medical intervention OTHER THAN pain relief and comfort.
I, personally, do not want to be placed on life support UNLESS it is being done for a temporary measure, and the docs know I will survive once I'm stronger. Otherwise, let me go be with my Lord! Earth isn't all that grand to hold on to anyway. Why choose to stay where suffering exist when I can go to a place where the sunrise is constant. :)