Pulling the Plug

[Tamayo]

About a month ago, an aunt with whom I'm very close fell severely ill to what we would eventually find out was liver failure caused by Vicodin, among other things. The last few weeks have been particularly edgy since a we might get a phone call at any moment with some updates.

During her month or so of living in the hospital, she's lost control over her body and now relies on a respirator to breathe and tubes for nutrition. The doctors say that she's mentally there, but we're unsure if she's able to communicate. My family had a meeting the other day and decided to wait a week for her condition to improve. If things don't progress in any way, however, they think it'd be best to pull the plug.

What are your views on ending someone's life by pulling the plug? How can you be sure that they would/wouldn't want to die? How can you be sure whether or not they're actually there, mentally, or if that even makes a difference? I'm interested in seeing the difference in views.

 

[SevenStarsHK2N]

I think it's going to be an individual choice for each person, and it's worthwhile letting the people close to you know what your preference is.

One person in my family for example thought the whole idea of being hooked up to tubes and machines so de-humanising that they insisted we turn them off after 24 hours - we negotiated them up to a week in the end.

I hope that one day we will be able to interface the brain somehow so that people who are physically reliant on machines will at least be able to communicate with the outside world, though i guess you could say thats going in a bit of a ghost in the shell direction.

However i do think there needs to be some form of protection, for the sick person.

Because the one thing i would not want - or rather do not think is right. Is if people are made to feel like they are forced to give up on life.

"hey grampa, so the doctors say that the chances of you coming off these machines and making a recovery is about 5%, and then there may be issues....the thing is....it's costing us XXX amount per day to keep you hooked up...and if the doctors fears come true then this vegatative state will be the last 2 weeks of your life...or we can just pull the plug now, and still be able to afford to send little jimmy to college"

thats just one example of course - of why euthanasia can be a highly troublesome topic.

 

[Tamayo]

I hope that one day we will be able to interface the brain somehow so that people who are physically reliant on machines will at least be able to communicate with the outside world, though i guess you could say thats going in a bit of a ghost in the shell direction.

Actually, the front for brain-interface research is in Europe -- They've already managed to make some really impressive advancements in our understanding of the human brain. If my memory serves me, they've already come up with a working interface which can be used for simple thins like obtaining addresses, phone numbers and pin numbers. I'll have to dig up those links when I have the time.

"hey grampa, so the doctors say that the chances of you coming off these machines and making a recovery is about 5%, and then there may be issues....the thing is....it's costing us XXX amount per day to keep you hooked up...and if the doctors fears come true then this vegatative state will be the last 2 weeks of your life...or we can just pull the plug now, and still be able to afford to send little jimmy to college"

I suggested that we could make her think she's alright. Tell her she'll be out shortly and things of that nature. Having suggested it left a horribly bitter taste, but I don't know how else you could approach the situation without making her last days morbid and depressing. I wonder whether lying in such a desperate situation is a positive thing, or downright horrible when you look at how big it is.

 

[Mark of Zorro]

I never did like the term "pull the plug", not any aspect of it. I mean damn, if you are going to kill someone, at least do it right. Don't just cut off their oxygen and stare at them! Hell no. Give them an OD of morphine or something and let them enjoy their last moments...for crap's sake. Then pull the plug. I often wonder why I so often have to voice the obvious.

Anyway, this is a tough situation. With no clear statement of her wishes and she cannot communicate. I am certainly glad I am not in the position of making that choice.

I am not even sure what I would want myself in that situation, but I would lean toward having them crank up the heat in the room, some sweet woman give me my last BJ, and then give me that morphine with some Led Zeppelin playing in the background.

I suppose I would choose much the same if conscious but would want more than a BJ.

 

[Tamayo]

I never did like the term "pull the plug", not any aspect of it. I mean damn, if you are going to kill someone, at least do it right. Don't just cut off their oxygen and stare at them! Hell no. Give them an OD of morphine or something and let them enjoy their last moments...for crap's sake. Then pull the plug. I often wonder why I so often have to voice the obvious.

Yeah, my mother and I suggested putting her on a lot drugs so that she's disoriented and doesn't suffer. We had an old family friend slowly die of cancer a few years back. We assume that she didn't suffer very much at the very end of the road since the hospice she was at kept her on heavy dosages of drugs. I'd imagine it would be like dreaming or something.

I suppose I forgot to mention, I think that drugging someone would be my recommendation in any case where you take someone off of the life support.

 

[Hezam]

I'm sorry to hear about her, I'm against pulling the plug, it's ending someone's life, But in some cases when the person is dying painfully i know that ending his life using drugs is better for the person.
I hope i don't have to witness a moment like this.

 

[Tamayo]

IBut in some cases when the person is dying painfully i know that ending his life using drugs is better for the person.
I hope i don't have to witness a moment like this.

I can see what you're saying. What do you think about my aunt's case, though? Of course, the only circumstance which would lead us to do it is if she didn't get any better. The doctors say that she'll probably never regain control of her body, meaning that we'd never be able to communicate again.

What do you think about people who have no control of their body and remain trapped in it?

 

[Hezam]

I can see what you're saying. What do you think about my aunt's case, though? Of course, the only circumstance which would lead us to do it is if she didn't get any better. The doctors say that she'll probably never regain control of her body, meaning that we'd never be able to communicate again.

What do you think about people who have no control of their body and remain trapped in it?

The least we can do to them is to keep them alive in situation like this, And the responsibility ( the cost of hospital, Medicine, etc ) is on government shoulders, UNLESS they live in very pain...i honesty can't tell better than a doctor.