View Poll Results: Kept alive or allowed to die?
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Kept alive or allowed to die?
10-22-2003, 05:20 AM
#1
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Kept alive or allowed to die?
If you were declared to be in a vegetative state or terminally ill, would you want to be kept alive by artificial means or allowed to die?
10-22-2003, 07:30 AM
#2
Pull the plug, send me off to Valhalla. Donate all useful organs.
10-22-2003, 08:05 AM
#3
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This is probably the toughest question you'll ever have to answer in your life. My mom had a massive stroke and was paralyzed on one side, couldn't walk, couldn't speak and couldn't swallow. They had to put a feeding tube in her stomach. However, unlike many stroke victims, she kept all of her mental capacity. So, she knew where she was, what had happened, etc. In effect, she had become a prisoner in her own body. Bed ridden for the rest of her life. My sister and 2 brothers and I talked about DNR's etc. Let me tell you something. We have no way of knowing what we'll want to do when/if we're ever in that situation. While we're younger we might think, "hell no, I don't EVER want to live like that!". But you don't know that until you're in that situation. In moms case I often thought, maybe she's ok with this. She watches television, has frequent visitors, etc. Maybe that's enough for her given the alternative. You JUST DON'T KNOW until you are in those shoes.
10-22-2003, 08:26 AM
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Originally posted by OhioRacer
This is probably the toughest question you'll ever have to answer in your life. My mom had a massive stroke and was paralyzed on one side, couldn't walk, couldn't speak and couldn't swallow. They had to put a feeding tube in her stomach. However, unlike many stroke victims, she kept all of her mental capacity. So, she knew where she was, what had happened, etc. In effect, she had become a prisoner in her own body. Bed ridden for the rest of her life. My sister and 2 brothers and I talked about DNR's etc. Let me tell you something. We have no way of knowing what we'll want to do when/if we're ever in that situation. While we're younger we might think, "hell no, I don't EVER want to live like that!". But you don't know that until you're in that situation. In moms case I often thought, maybe she's ok with this. She watches television, has frequent visitors, etc. Maybe that's enough for her given the alternative. You JUST DON'T KNOW until you are in those shoes.
This is probably the toughest question you'll ever have to answer in your life. My mom had a massive stroke and was paralyzed on one side, couldn't walk, couldn't speak and couldn't swallow. They had to put a feeding tube in her stomach. However, unlike many stroke victims, she kept all of her mental capacity. So, she knew where she was, what had happened, etc. In effect, she had become a prisoner in her own body. Bed ridden for the rest of her life. My sister and 2 brothers and I talked about DNR's etc. Let me tell you something. We have no way of knowing what we'll want to do when/if we're ever in that situation. While we're younger we might think, "hell no, I don't EVER want to live like that!". But you don't know that until you're in that situation. In moms case I often thought, maybe she's ok with this. She watches television, has frequent visitors, etc. Maybe that's enough for her given the alternative. You JUST DON'T KNOW until you are in those shoes.
10-22-2003, 04:15 PM
#6
Tough to answer, since you actually asked 2 questions:
1) vegetative state = easy to answer - pull the plug, and help nature along - there's no point in keeping up appearances.
2) Terminally ill - like OhioRacer said, tough to call unless it really happens. Always depends on what's left to me, I guess, and how much of a drain on my family it might be. That one I'd decide (if able) if/when it happens. Though my wife knows where I stand.
JonasM
1) vegetative state = easy to answer - pull the plug, and help nature along - there's no point in keeping up appearances.
2) Terminally ill - like OhioRacer said, tough to call unless it really happens. Always depends on what's left to me, I guess, and how much of a drain on my family it might be. That one I'd decide (if able) if/when it happens. Though my wife knows where I stand.
JonasM
10-22-2003, 04:56 PM
#7
E.W.A.'s mother (my mother in law) always used to say that there was two types of death; good death and bad death. A good death was a swift painless death like a death from a heart attack. A bad death was a long drawn out death, accompanied by pain and suffering.
E.W.A.'s father died a "good" death. A heart attack, suddenly and unexpectedly one night. Her mother, unfortunately, wasn't so fortunate. Liver cancer over a period of 18 months tortured her and finally took her life at the age of 59. She spent her last months living with us. I'm not sure that E.W.A. has yet come to terms with watching her mother wither away.
I'm not smart enough to know the answers, but like Johnny, I hate cancer too.
E.W.A.'s father died a "good" death. A heart attack, suddenly and unexpectedly one night. Her mother, unfortunately, wasn't so fortunate. Liver cancer over a period of 18 months tortured her and finally took her life at the age of 59. She spent her last months living with us. I'm not sure that E.W.A. has yet come to terms with watching her mother wither away.
I'm not smart enough to know the answers, but like Johnny, I hate cancer too.
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10-23-2003, 05:06 AM
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[QUOTE]Originally posted by ralper
E.W.A.'s mother (my mother in law) always used to say that there was two types of death; good death and bad death.
E.W.A.'s mother (my mother in law) always used to say that there was two types of death; good death and bad death.
10-24-2003, 12:51 PM
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Originally posted by jrfblueeyes
If you were declared to be in a vegetative state or terminally ill, would you want to be kept alive by artificial means or allowed to die?
If you were declared to be in a vegetative state or terminally ill, would you want to be kept alive by artificial means or allowed to die?
We came up with a solution to prevent contests and legal battles over the issue, and it addresses "cost".
1. When you register to vote, get a drivers license, social security card, etc, you fill out a Form 72 (six feet under). You make the selection noted in your first post.
2. When you apply for medical coverage, as an employee, private insurance, you pay a differential based on your selection. If you want to be kept alive at all cost....pay for the privelage.
It's a shame that the legal battle in Florida is 10 years old, and included a special session law passage. There is a ton of guilt on both sides, whadda, cudda, shudda stuff. And we believe that Form 72 will resolve most of it.
11-09-2003, 04:55 PM
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Someone said that you really can't answer this question until you're in the position, especially if you're relatively young.
I watched my Grandfather die of arterial sclerosis over the period of a year and a half. I was in my mid to late teens at the time. They took his left leg below the knee from lack of circulation. When that didn't heal, they took it above the knee. Then they took the right leg above the knee and shortly there after, went back and took the left one at the hip. My Grandmother almost killed herself trying to take care of him before my Dad talked her into putting him in a nursing home. He lingered another 3 or 4 months before passing away. I can't adaquately describe the toll it took on my Grandmother, and especially, my Father. He's never quite been the man he was before all this happened. Young or old, I don't think anyone wants to go like that. I know I don't, not only for myself, but also for the stress and grief it puts the whole family through.
My Mom had MS. She went into the wheelchair when I was in first grade and was able to take care of herself until I was in my early thirties. From what I knew at the time, we were pretty lucky in that she was able to function much longer than most folks we met with this disease. We finally had to put her in a nursing home where she deteriorated over time to the point where she couldn't communicate or feed herself. We couldn't tell if she was aware of who we were or not in the end. That part lasted over 4 years. As far as I'm concerned, she died 4 to 5 years before her body figured it out. The worst part for me was the thought that her mind was totally active and functional in there, only she couldn't do anything about it. I simply don't know if that was the case or not but that part still haunts me sometimes.
I know for a fact that she didn't want to live that way because we had all talked about this well before the time came. Considering her illness, we knew it would come. The problem in this case is that everything came on so slowly until the next thing you know, she's on feeding tubes and what have you. At that point, it just wasn't feasable to simply disconnect her. If it had been a sudden onset, there would have been no question. As it was, each step in her medical treatment seened completely reasonable until we woke up one morning and discovered that, my God, this is not where we wanted to be. Sometimes, we're just not given a choice in these matters.
For me, don't do me any favors. I'll take quality over quantity ANYTIME!
FWIW,
Drive Safe,
Steve R.
PS: And I don't think you have to be over 50 to have a good sense of this. It all depends on the individuals life experiences.
I watched my Grandfather die of arterial sclerosis over the period of a year and a half. I was in my mid to late teens at the time. They took his left leg below the knee from lack of circulation. When that didn't heal, they took it above the knee. Then they took the right leg above the knee and shortly there after, went back and took the left one at the hip. My Grandmother almost killed herself trying to take care of him before my Dad talked her into putting him in a nursing home. He lingered another 3 or 4 months before passing away. I can't adaquately describe the toll it took on my Grandmother, and especially, my Father. He's never quite been the man he was before all this happened. Young or old, I don't think anyone wants to go like that. I know I don't, not only for myself, but also for the stress and grief it puts the whole family through.
My Mom had MS. She went into the wheelchair when I was in first grade and was able to take care of herself until I was in my early thirties. From what I knew at the time, we were pretty lucky in that she was able to function much longer than most folks we met with this disease. We finally had to put her in a nursing home where she deteriorated over time to the point where she couldn't communicate or feed herself. We couldn't tell if she was aware of who we were or not in the end. That part lasted over 4 years. As far as I'm concerned, she died 4 to 5 years before her body figured it out. The worst part for me was the thought that her mind was totally active and functional in there, only she couldn't do anything about it. I simply don't know if that was the case or not but that part still haunts me sometimes.
I know for a fact that she didn't want to live that way because we had all talked about this well before the time came. Considering her illness, we knew it would come. The problem in this case is that everything came on so slowly until the next thing you know, she's on feeding tubes and what have you. At that point, it just wasn't feasable to simply disconnect her. If it had been a sudden onset, there would have been no question. As it was, each step in her medical treatment seened completely reasonable until we woke up one morning and discovered that, my God, this is not where we wanted to be. Sometimes, we're just not given a choice in these matters.
For me, don't do me any favors. I'll take quality over quantity ANYTIME!
FWIW,
Drive Safe,
Steve R.
PS: And I don't think you have to be over 50 to have a good sense of this. It all depends on the individuals life experiences.