I have been following with interest the story of Desmond Watson, an 87-year-old who has advanced dementia and has been in the hospital in Canada for 14 months. He was admitted to the hospital in January 2010 with pneumonia. His wife of 69 years told doctors that he would want to keep living as long as possible. As a Roman Catholic, she says that he "would have wanted to be given every chance at life despite any suffering he may be enduring."
"Desmond is suffering without any prospect of long-term improvement," said one of Mr. Watson's doctors. This doctor is quoted as saying: "Prolonging life and living are two totally different things ... being kept alive in this way, I can't imagine anybody would wish this ... Mrs. Watson is entitled to her opinion but we need to be satisfied for ourselves that we're doing the right thing ... (We're) not satisfied."
In Ontario, they have a Consent and Capacity Board (CCB) that reviews cases like Mr. Watson's. ("The CCB's mission is the fair and accessible adjudication of consent and capacity issues, balancing the rights of vulnerable individuals with public safety.") The CCB ruled that because Mrs. Watson (and her two daughters) expressed what she said were her husband's beliefs, the hospital is required to continue treatment. Unfortunately, none of those caring form Mr. Watson ever asked him what his beliefs and values were even though the Consent and Capacity Board weighs the patients' beliefs and values in their decisions.
Some of the questions that families have struggled with in situations such as this are: What is "living"? And is this a quality of life that would be acceptable to the patient? As the hospital's doctor said, "prolonging life and living are two totally different things."
I mentioned in my last posting that we need to determine for ourselves what our "bottom line" is. The question becomes: When is enough, enough?
And while money should not play a part in the decisions people make, we should at least be aware of the costs to our health system. For example, "Medicare, the health insurance program for the elderly, spends nearly 30 percent of its budget on beneficiaries in their final year of life. Slightly more than half of Medicare dollars are spent on patients who die within two months. Forty percent of Medicare dollars cover care for people in the last month." This is amazing considering that when asked, most people say that they would prefer to die at home and not in a hospital. And yet, 56 percent die in a hospital and 19 percent in nursing homes. (Read more.)
What is more important to you: quality of life or quantity of life? And where do your religious beliefs come into this consideration?
Aaron E. Carroll: It's the 'Life' in End-of-Life That Matters
The Cost of Dying: End-of-Life Care - 60 Minutes - CBS News
End Of Life Care: Doctors Urged To Have 'Realistic Conversation ...
Most Americans Overtreated In End Of Life Care - Huffington Post
Rev. Dr. Martha R. Jacobs: A Christian Guide to Confronting End of ...
Me I could go tomorrow and with 4% blood evacuation a week ago it may be sooner than is is later. But the $26,000 they spent shockimg my heart back into rythem and montoring me for a week to get it to beat steady and the right meds. Maybe Market Share expense thing far more than the 45 minues the Doctors and Expert spent and the 3 times a day it took to dump my pea jug.
The problem is we float throught space in an island of humanity is that it is MUCH MORE important we understand what we owe allegence too. We did not create life. We simply live life. Rather than creating a make believe senerio that it is OK for some esobee to say when my life should end. Because of the price of wages and technology and how they are accounted for.
You don't have the right to kill some one else for the convenience of yourself. No matter how you cut the cake for a crooked deal..
Where do you get these rights. No one I know create life here on earth. Who the hell do you think you are taking it away. Let it be. That is nature.
If you can make that choice you might as well say I can take your life because I dislike you. Return to the cave. Sounds like it is better than claiming your GOD when you are not. Me I would start with Stock Traders and work toward the inherited wealth.
Everyone Needs to have a Living Will! So that your loved ones know what You consider Life to be. And Quality of life should be considered when making those decisions.
I read a recent article in the New Yorker that over 50% of people over the age of 85 are suffering from dementia.
This mob rull mass trumps the individual reeks of secular, atheist, Community Organization and nothing our forefather put into writing on individual rights and free choice.
It is not communism it is survival of the few organism over any other ogranism. Cannibalism
If we are going to wish over the centuries I would choose Rothschld. Since I cannot I want them gone
Non-violence can be sacrificed for such action. You know killing for killing
Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness or punish ment for anyone taking it away. Don't punch those of need