Advance directives for the Catholic and the persistent vegetative state

[Is_it_okay_to]

In recent years it has become clear that the Church would ordinarily require nutrition/hydration for those in a persistent vegetative state. These feedings are considered ordinary means for preserving life, and to withdraw them would be to starve to death someone who is not otherwise dying. It seems to me, however, that many people think that they can avoid this possibility of being indefinitely kept alive by such feedings by saying in some form of advance directives that they do not want them, that they would consider them too burdensome. Is this legitimate? Isn’t it like saying, please let me die of starvation? Is it correct to say that in this situation, since nutrition/hydration are considered ordinary means in most cases, we are not allowed to say, let me die? In other words, may a Catholic make this kind of advance directive?

 

[St_Francis]

Can a Catholic ask another to sin in order to help him achieve some goal?

it is not only the patient’s body which is at stake here, but the state of the soul of those treating him.

 

[Rence]

In recent years it has become clear that the Church would ordinarily require nutrition/hydration for those in a persistent vegetative state. These feedings are considered ordinary means for preserving life, and to withdraw them would be to starve to death someone who is not otherwise dying. It seems to me, however, that many people think that they can avoid this possibility of being indefinitely kept alive by such feedings by saying in some form of advance directives that they do not want them, that they would consider them too burdensome. Is this legitimate? Isn’t it like saying, please let me die of starvation? Is it correct to say that in this situation, since nutrition/hydration are considered ordinary means in most cases, we are not allowed to say, let me die? In other words, may a Catholic make this kind of advance directive?

Advanced directives are a way for one to communicate their autonomy in medical situations, in the event that they cannot speak for themselves. The more detailed and more specific the better. The best way to find answers to your questions is to sit down and talk to a priest about it. And advanced directive should be well thought out.

For example, someone may wish to detail that if they are diagnosed with malignant cancer and are on their deathbed and their systems started failing, that they do not want to be put on artificial life support such as a ventilator. But that they would want hydration and pain relief. Others may want anything and everything done to keep them alive. Others may want no medical interventions if four physicians thought there would be no improvement as a result.

There was a patient in the ICU this week who had advanced dementia, was confined to the wheelchair/bed, could not feed themselves, could only have thickened liquids, could not speak, could not participate in any life events, could not participate in caring for herself, and did little more than blink when she actually was awake. She had been being taken care of by her children, and was very well cared for. Apparently this week she had a series of small strokes to various parts of her brain. The doctor told the family that in her condition, he didn’t think inserting a feeding tube would be beneficial to her, that she would not change from her current state, and in fact, would deteriorate from then on. They agreed with him, didn’t put in a feeding tube and all medical interventions were discontinued. The patient is now only receiving morphine for pain. And was released to home hospice. I don’t know anything more about her history than that. But the judgement call was made by two physicians, and her nurse also agreed that this was the best choice for this woman.

 

[Bookcat]

In recent years it has become clear that the Church would ordinarily require nutrition/hydration for those in a persistent vegetative state. These feedings are considered ordinary means for preserving life, and to withdraw them would be to starve to death someone who is not otherwise dying. It seems to me, however, that many people think that they can avoid this possibility of being indefinitely kept alive by such feedings by saying in some form of advance directives that they do not want them, that they would consider them too burdensome. Is this legitimate? Isn’t it like saying, please let me die of starvation? Is it correct to say that in this situation, since nutrition/hydration are considered ordinary means in most cases, we are not allowed to say, let me die? In other words, may a Catholic make this kind of advance directive?

I refer you to the experts… ncbcenter.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=183