When the ones you love are dying, you just want their last minutes to be pain free and peaceful. I know with Bruce, he died without any pain...
Laurie --- Tim Harder <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > I think that happens more than most people think. > Both by family and compassionate doctors. My > wife made the decision to take out the ventilator > on our two month old, three months premature, > son. The doctor assured her he would be loaded > up on morphine. The nurses assured us during > the final days of my wifes life that the oxygen mask > was not keeping her alive... Both my mother in law > and I confided in each other that we wished we > could take it off. Finally a doctor came... he took > it > off .... she died seconds later. I thanked him... > His > eyes flooded and he quickly left the room. > > > > > On Wednesday, October 15, 2003, at 01:34 PM, Charles > wrote: > > > I don't really disagree. With my grandmother the > nurse left the > > morphine > > and syringe and said give her "what she needs". I > think it is quite > > probable that my uncle finally gave her a "little > too much", but if > > it's so > > I don't fault him one bit. Many of the people > vehemently against dying > > with > > some dignity are the ones who have never seen a > loved one waste away > > and > > deteriorate slowly, painfully day by day. > > > > > > Charles Mims > > http://www.the-sandbox.org > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > On Behalf Of Tim Harder > > Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 2003 1:38 PM > > To: The Sandbox Discussion List > > Subject: Re: [Sndbox] Right to Die > > > > > > > > I don't think she is ventilated....ie. she is > breathing on her own. > > The reason why I say that is that if she was > ventilated it wouldn't > > take two > > weeks for her to die. I did see a tape of this > woman and the lights > > *were*on... I don't doubt that *nobody* was home, > however. > > I am not an expert on the definition of the word > comatose. I think > > that an > > overdose of morphine would be better for all > concerned than waiting > > for her > > to starve to death. My reasoning is that even > though she has been kept > > alive by artificial means... not feeding her any > more is taking action > > to > > let her die... I don't see the difference between > that and giving an > > overdose of morphine. JMO > > > > As far as who gets to choose... I am in total > agreement with Charles > > and > > Jen. I just think that if you are going to let > her die... get it over > > with. > > > > > > > > > > > > On Wednesday, October 15, 2003, at 02:22 PM, Jen > -- wrote: > > > >> Is she on breathing machines or she is breathing > on her own ? > >> > >> If she is honestly comotose as well as brain > dead, removing the > >> feeding tube > >> is not going to be painful for her. > >> > >> Im not being judgemental because I dont know the > circumstances, but I > >> cant > >> imagine wanting to keep a person comotose for 13 > years. That doesnt > >> help > >> anyone in the situation. Although, I do agree > with Charles, other > >> members of > >> the family should not be able to come in and > fight the decision that > >> the > >> next of kin has made. He/she must have her > reasoning. > >> > >> I have seen two people a few years ago die > basicly after they became > >> brain > >> dead. In one of those situations I was the > decision maker and in one I > >> wasnt. But that decision isnt easy and noone > should be *made* to > >> change > >> their mind because someone else doesnt agree. > >> > >> JMO. > >> > >> Jen -- > >> ----- Original Message ----- > >> From: "Charles" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >> To: "'The Sandbox Discussion List'" > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >> Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 2003 9:05 AM > >> Subject: RE: [Sndbox] Right to Die > >> > >> > >>> Actually, the hospice folks here swear that > removing the tube is > >>> actually > >>> more peaceful for the patient than other > methods. Their body shuts > >>> down > >> and > >>> goes to sleep. > >>> > >>> > >>> Charles Mims > >>> http://www.the-sandbox.org > >>> > >>> > >>> -----Original Message----- > >>> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >> [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > >>> On Behalf Of Laurie > >>> Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 2003 11:38 AM > >>> To: The Sandbox Discussion List > >>> Subject: RE: [Sndbox] Right to Die > >>> > >>> I have a problem with just stopping the feeding > tube. > >>> That is starving her to death...nope...can't go > with that..but if she > >>> is > >>> braindead, or in a permanent vegitative state, I > can see increasing > >>> pain > >>> meds and ending her life that way....no > suffering. In my opinion, > >> starvation > >>> is painful and suffering occurs. > >>> > >>> Laurie > >>> --- David <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >>>> I'm like you on this one. We had a tough > decision with Julie's > >>>> mom...but fortunately the doctor was able to > ask her mother if she > >>>> wanted more pain medicine or did she want to be > more alert. She > >>>> chose > >>>> the pain medicine and it basically put her to > sleep then shut her > >>>> down. > >>>> She was in so much pain > >>>> and suffering from the cancer. Now this case > is a bit different, > >>>> but > >>>> if they feel that taking the woman off of the > feeding tubes will > >>>> cause > >>>> her pain and make her suffer, I'm not for her > suffering. I say > >>>> since > >>>> she is basically dead anyway, then give her > enough medication to let > >>>> it be an easy transition. I don't like playing > God, but I don't > >>>> think > >>>> that is the case. > >>>> > >>>> David L. > >>>> > === message truncated === ===== I wanted a perfect ending... Now, I've learned, the hard way, that some poems don't rhyme, and some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment, and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next. Delicious ambiguity. --Gilda Radner __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? The New Yahoo! Shopping - with improved product search http://shopping.yahoo.com ________________________________ Changes to your subscription (unsubs, nomail, digest) can be made by going to http://sandboxmail.net/mailman/listinfo/sndbox_sandboxmail.net
