The decision of life or death..
By smwilliams
@smwilliams (647)
United States
March 29, 2008 10:20pm CST
If you were in a coma or flat lined and the doctors were to say that you would be technically a vegetable for the rest of your life or would continue to suffer..Would you want your family to end life support? I ask this because my Mother in law and her husband are struggling with this decision for his father. He has technically flatlined 5 times. He is 89 years old and has said that he wants to die. His kids (My mother in laws husband included) think that he is in denial when he says this and doesnt know what he is saying. He is also suffering from alzheimers, dementia, and kidney and liver failure. I guess I had never thought about it before. I dont know what I would want..What about you?
2 responses
@captainmorgan (773)
• Canada
30 Mar 08
Wow that is really hard for me to answer. I don't know what I would want for myself. I would never want to die, because that would mean leaving my family and boyfriend here to cry about it. But I would feel so useless as a vegetable.
In your case, the man says that he wants to die. If that is what he really truley wants, maybe they should let it happen? I can see why they wouldn't want him gone, though. It would be a really tough choice.
@smwilliams (647)
• United States
31 Mar 08
It is a VERY difficult decision to htink about let alone act on. I know that their father did not have a living will. These specify wether you want to try to be saved or not when you flat line or in an emergency what should be done. Most people dont know what they are so thats just FYI if you didnt know. The problem I think they are facing mostly is that they (the kids and wife) dont want him to go. Its more for their own purposes that he is alive right now. If someone flatlines soo many times I think I would have to take that as a sign that its his time. Especially because he is miserable. He will look at a clock and ask when its going to stop for him. Sad :(
As for myself..I still dont have an answer either on what I would want. Thanks for your response :)
@karma118 (294)
• United States
1 Apr 08
Well, a few years back my brother was stabbed in the chest and flatlined 3 times. He has remained in a vegetative state. He can't talk, move, feed himself, go to the bathroom, or anything. Day after day he just lays there. I honestly don't believe he even know what we're saying to him. He cries though. He gets sick and stays sick. He's suffering. I would never want to suffer. He is my brother and I love him dearly, but I don't want to see him suffer anymore. I honestly just want him to rest in peace. It's horrible, I know, but it's so much harder knowing he's sad and suffering watching everyone else live their lives while he can't even move his arm or talk. I just don't know what to think about people in this condition anymore. It's traumatizing. I'm sorry for your situation and I hope that you and your family choose what's right for you all. God bless.
