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From what I've seen, the problem is more with the family not being willing to let go than the doctors not wanting the patient to die.
My paternal grandmother had a disabling stroke last April. She was 87 with very advanced dementia. She laid on a gurney in the ED for ten to twelve hours before triaged.
She would have been better off to die then. Her quality of life and the "essence of who she was" was gone long before this. Prior to the stroke, she could at least get up, get to the bathroom, eat, and had a few moments of relative lucidity here and there. After the stroke, she was effectively paralyzed on one side of the body, couldn't eat, and her organs effectively shut down over the next few weeks, probably from the malnutrition and dehydration after the stroke.
Of course, the daughters wanted to keep her alive as long as possible. They stuck their heads in the sand for years about her dementia and underlying issues.
My ex was a physician, and at one time I was an intensive coronary care nurse. We had seen it all.
After we separated, he asked me to accompany him for a medical procedure that required general anesthesia. His sibling had offered, but the ex was concerned that if something went wrong, his sibling would consent to any procedure that could extend my ex's life.
This was not a friendly divorce. Nevertheless, I agreed to help, with the condition that he first inform his mother of the reason for his request. If the worst happened, I didn't want her to blame me for killing her son! lol
When there is no advanced care directive (living will) and family members disagree you can pretty much bet the hospital will want to go to heroic lengths to keep the patient alive.
If you don't want that to happen than have an advanced care directive. Good hospitals will try to get conscious patients to sign one at the time of admission.
The hospitals are afraid of lawsuits if the patient dies in one of their facilities. If your terminal it’s off to home hospice where you’re responsible for everything.
Exactly right. If they are found to be negligent in offering some kind of treatment that could have prolonged the patient's life, they can be sued. A retired oncologist told me they have to offer "hope" to the patient and family even when a therapy might have only a small chance of succeeding.
Some months back, somebody else posted a similar article. It was very good with a doctor explaining the view of other doctors for end of life and how they don't choose to drag out their own deaths endlessly. I wish I could find that old thread. It would add good context to your link. It is just more of the same but it was a really good read.
It is always hard to find old things when you need them.
It was probably me. I post this when similar threads are made and ongoing and the same questions and opinions are discussed. Different people join CD so the info is relevant in new threads. I think it is an excellent article and really gives "food for thought".
Yes, it's a moneymaker. Insurance companies will cover rehab more than hospice at a SNF. If you are on hospice, they won't won't pay for room and board. It's criminal.
I put in my will that if the law allows it I want to be euthanized before hospice comes at the very last minute. An advanced directive may not have that option so I made sure that was there.
I believe the right to die should be expanded to not waiting until the last minute after already suffering and losing my ability to wipe my own azz or end pain. Hospice helps but they wait until the patient already suffered to much to end it.
I get to that point I want an end of life doctor.
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