Would you let your {family member} die?

[Dante]

I just read an article about how the parents of a girl in intensive care were asked by doctors to let their daughter go, citing expenses, poor quality of life, and the low chance of finding a cure for their daughter's condition.

If you given the power to "pull the plug" on a family member, what would you do?

[Silly Kitty]

The only time I would pull the plug on a family member would be if they were brain dead. If there was no way they were ever gonna be the same. If there was no way they would be able to eat by themselves or eat period. I love my family and if theres hope I would keep them alive.

[Dynamite220]

There are some circumstances involved. Did the person leave a living will? Did they tell you personaly weather they want to live or die in said situation? If you don't know then you have to air on the side of life, but I believe that every person should have the right to decide when and how they want to die. It is, after all, their life to give away isn't it? If you know that they want to die, then go ahead and pull the plug. Otherwise, no.

[Sky Warrior Bob]

Every case is different, and its very hard to give a answer to this question on the vague premise that's been put forward. I mean, Dante we don't even know any details about the case you're citing. I mean, can you at least give us an idea on what condition the girl was in?

Was she in a coma perhaps? I certainly could see that, since comas can be tricky things.

KC

[Kikuichimonji]

here are some circumstances involved. Did the person leave a living will? Did they tell you personaly weather they want to live or die in said situation? If you don't know then you have to air on the side of life, but I believe that every person should have the right to decide when and how they want to die. It is, after all, their life to give away isn't it? If you know that they want to die, then go ahead and pull the plug. Otherwise, no.

Just so you know, this argument also supports suicide of many kinds.

The only time I would pull the plug on a family member would be if they were brain dead. If there was no way they were ever gonna be the same. If there was no way they would be able to eat by themselves or eat period. I love my family and if theres hope I would keep them alive.

That's not what braindead really means. Braindead means they've stopped thinking. You can lose the ability to eat and still be conscious. To me, it seems selfish to kill them if they're not able to be like they used to be. It makes it look like you're only with your family members for your own benefit - once they're no longer useful to you, you throw them away. Not saying you believe that, but that's what your viewpoint comes down to - either that, or you don't want them to have to live the way they do. But I believe that any form of life is better than none. If they're still thinking, you don't have the right to make that decision for them simply because you wouldn't want them to live that way.

Like I said in an earlier thread - if the mind is braindead, they have ceased to be. If it is not, you need to take into account the costs of keeping them alive - will it hurt the family more than help the victim? I have no way of comparing suffering of many to death of one, so I can't say if one would generally be better than the other.

Edit:Hurrah! 300 posts!

[Lucas]

Just so you know, this argument also supports suicide of many kinds.

oh no! not an argument which proposes that people have full control over their own lives! run!

[Kikuichimonji]

Gee, thanks for the sarcasm.

Life is too valuable to waste. While I pity those who are put into a comatose state, dying is giving up. You can still learn from life without being able to communicate. Should people forsake life merely because it's not the one they wanted?

[Hatake Kakashi]

Tch. Seriously, the thread's a bit young for sarcasm to be in play already.

Full control over their lives? Suicide is a coward's way out. You might say it's having full control over your own life, I say it's giving up control completely. My mentor committed suicide in November, 2002. Those who believe he was hurting himself only are full of shit. When he took his life, he destroyed the faith that many had in him. He was a well-loved pharmacist in town. He and I had many dreams that we were going to help each other realize. One of which was the purchase of a hunting lodge/resort in Kenai, Alaska, where I would put my natural talents to use and run the place as the head Chef and manager. Working 3-4 months a year at that place would set us up to live for a whole year, if we decided to do nothing else, but we also planned to work side by side as a Pharmacist and A-tech for the other 7 months out of the year, then take the last 1-2 months and just go vacation somewhere... anywhere.. and live like kings. And it was within our reach.... Now, I will be the only one to live that dream, though it will take a total of 6 years of hell to get there. I just wish he had the courage to make it there with me. Suicide destroys many things... a life, of course, but possibly many more.

Back on topic. I pray that I will never, ever be given such a responsibility. I just don't think I could ever give up hope.

[Sky Warrior Bob]

Originally Posted by Link1209

That's not what braindead really means. Braindead means they've stopped thinking. You can lose the ability to eat and still be conscious.

Having had a Grandfather who went brain dead, thanks to a heart attack, I know you're entirely wrong on this one. At least as far as when a Dr. states a patient is braindead, he/she is implying that brain cells have actually died. And as you may or may not know, brain cells do not regrow at the same rate as other cells (especially the nerves, which don't grow or grow very slowly, I've heard both scenarios stated). Usually, doctors only pronounce a person brain dead once enough of the brain has died so that recovery is impossible.

Even if recovery were possible (thanks to say, stem cells), it is highly likely that the result would always be a blank slate. Which in a sense, is death.

SWK

[Krylo]

Should people forsake life merely because it's not the one they wanted?

Should people continue living simply because you think their life is precious? Should people put up with pain that you can't even imagine just because you think they should? Should people live in their own waste waiting for a doctor or nurse to shove a tube into their bladder to empty it? Should people lay there without ever feeling happy or sad? Without ever laughing or crying? Should people live a life they hate just because someone else likes having them around? Should people continue to breathe even when there's no life left in them merely because YOU are too greedy to let them go?

Originally Posted by William Shakespeare

For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, the opressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, the pangs of despised love, the law's delay, the insolence of office and the spurns that patient merit of the unworthy takes, when he, himself, might his quietus make with a bare bodkin? Who would fardels bear, to grunt and sweat under a weary life, but that the dread of something after death, the undiscover'd country from whose bourn no traveller returns, puzzles the will and makes us rather bear those ills we have than fly to others that we know not of? Thus conscience does make cowards of us all, and thus the native hue of resolution is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought.

There are those who disagree with your assessment that dying is giving up so strongly that they actually believe that not dying under such extreme circumstances is cowardly.

I think the only cowardly thing is standing here while we're perfectly healthy and telling people who are in pain that we do not, and can not, understand that they can't (or should) die because we don't think it's right.

Otherwise, I agree with what other people have said. I would have to look at it on a case by case. For instance, my mother was paralyzed from the neck down for quite some time and she told me, after recovering, in no uncertain terms, that if she ever ends up worse than that, and the attempts have been made to save her, I'm to pull the plug. She doesn't want to live like that, and after seeing her live like that I understand completely.

If it were my sister, I wouldn't know what to do. I don't know if she'd want to live or die.

If it were me I'd be doing my damnedest to live, because I know I'm going to die eventually, anyway, so I'm not in any big hurry to escape the pains (and pleasures) of this life... but my opinion on that could very easily change if I'm ever in that position.


note: I'm not arguing that people should kill themselves, but rather that it's not my decision to make, ESPECIALLY in cases wherein they will never recover.