Voluntary Euthanasia

I've even seen paralytics used in combination with the narcotic drip- that was pretty sure-fire.

Wow....yeah....that's what we call execution by lethal injection these days. Holy mackerel.

Used to be pretty common in Neonatology as well. Extubate and medicate with opiates, paralytics were not required.

Except that that could hardly be called voluntary euthanasia, because the person being euthanized in that case certainly didn't consent.

Except that that could hardly be called voluntary euthanasia, because the person being euthanized in that case certainly didn't consent.

Well- they didn't say no.

Well- they didn't say no.

Wow.

"If you ask active people who are in their 40s and alert and you say to them "when you get older and you lose the capacity to know your surroundings and you no longer recognize your family members, and if you reach a point where someone has to change your brief in a bed or feed you your meals, would you prefer to live your life like that or would you prefer someone terminate your life painlessly and peacefully?"

What do you think most people's response would be???"

That's funny because a whole lot of those "people who are in their 40's" I run into seem EXTREMELY interested in keeping dad or grandpa breathing at all costs regardless of suffering, mental, or physical state.

That's funny because a whole lot of those "people who are in their 40's" I run into seem EXTREMELY interested in keeping dad or grandpa breathing at all costs regardless of suffering, mental, or physical state.

People are happy to keep grandpa alive by all means necessary when they are tucked away in a LTC with other people caring for their everyday needs. These tend to be the same people who visit twice a year, birthday and Christmas. It's sad, really.

People are happy to keep grandpa alive by all means necessary when they are tucked away in a LTC with other people caring for their everyday needs. These tend to be the same people who visit twice a year, birthday and Christmas. It's sad, really.

I had an ICU pt where the family refused any narcs or sedatives in the chance one of them came to visit, they wanted to be able to talk to her. Well this pt was on a vent, pressure sores all over, in her 80's/90's, and was literally rotting away. I have never been so angry as I was when I had to deal with this family. Everything they did was for their comfort or convince and none of it had anything to do with their "loved one". Oh and they only visited once a week. So they kept her in constant pain for a 15 min visit once a week.

I had an ICU pt where the family refused any narcs or sedatives in the chance one of them came to visit, they wanted to be able to talk to her. Well this pt was on a vent, pressure sores all over, in her 80's/90's, and was literally rotting away. I have never been so angry as I was when I had to deal with this family. Everything they did was for their comfort or convince and none of it had anything to do with their "loved one". Oh and they only visited once a week. So they kept her in constant pain for a 15 min visit once a week.

This ****** me off too. In my ICU rotation I had a patient, mid stage dementia who had just undergone open heart surgery, was in pain, and the family would not allow pain medications outside of PO APAP because they said the narcotic pain meds only confused her more. These are the same people who would demand a PCA for themselves if they had 3/10 pain but think it's perfectly okay to let someone else suffer! Ug!!

It's sad to me that there are people would would choose euthanasia as an option, but are instead forced to slowly wither away. My view on this subject is that I don't see much difference in removing a feeding tube and giving medication. Both are actions that we know will result in the death of the patient.

Except that there is a huge moral difference between withdrawing extraordinary measures with the intent of letting nature take its course, and taking an affirmative action with the intent to kill.