Is this right?

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I care for a man who had a stroke. He has sever weakness to his left side and can no longer speak but a few words. He has choicen to go off all his medications. This means he will die. Without his meds, with his conditions, he will die. He is a very like able man. I work as a health care provider. Would letting this man die bother you. If he stayed on his meds he would live for another 20 years. I have no choice to comply with his wants. But is this not a slow form of self inflicting death? Some of the people I work with say oh good for him if that is what he wants. I would rather try and get him loving life again. What do you think? We do these types of things all the time in health care but I am not always sure if it is right.
 
I’m not a doctor or a moral theologian, but this situation, to me, sounds questionable at best. I think it’s euthanasia.
 
Pray for him and tell your superior you can’t let this man die.
 
First off, as someone who’s known elderly people who’ve hated their meds I’d say take a step back in your judgement of “just letting this man die”. Meds, especially todays meds come with side affects that are enough to drive anyone insane, moreover someone who is parially paralized and can’t communicate.

yes he could have 20 more years but he also could die tomorrow even with meds. And God could preserve him even without Meds. I’ve knew two elderly women who sat down for tea one day and had to talke out their pill boxes. Then and there they decided enough was enough and went off all the meds. One died within a month and was happy with her decision (her family was not) but the other lived and after a bout of survivor’s guilt was happier and helthier than she was 20 years previous.

We are an over-meded culture who are taught that meds cure everything.

Of course councilling is in order, but his wishes shoud also be respected as long as he’s eating and drinking
 
When people are depressed they don’t make good decisions.You need to see a purpose for living.If the patient can, perhaps he won’t give up.
 
I agree the PurpleSunshine, as long as the man is able to and does take food and hydration (without having to resort to extreme measures which he does not want to resort to) then the choice to withdraw from his medications are his choice to make.

Would you have this man strapped down and force fed medications that may be causing more agony than you realize?

How do you know it is not God’s will in fact and not this man’s who has chosen to allow him to decide no more drugs?

Only God knows and we must trust and have faith. My opinion is humbly and simply that not everything in medical science that ***can ***be done should be done.

May he and his family, along with all of those who find themselves in similar situations find comfort and peace in the Lord.
 
ForMary said:
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Only God knows and we must trust and have faith. My opinion is humbly and simply that not everything in medical science that ***can ***be done should be done.
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I totally agree with you, not everything in science should be done. Having said that though, if something like the simple task of taking some pills can keep you alive,your obligated to do so!

I am not trying to claim some moral knowledge or anything like that. I, like all of you, value life, all life, and think that we need to take much, much stronger protections to ensure that life is protected.
 
Does this man have family? his family should be consulted in this also. You of course also need to be sure that your employeer/board/hospital know that he has made this decision voluntarily so they are not accused of withholding the neds.

I do agree though that we sometimes see more benefit to modern medical treatment than is warrented. If this man is reasonably sound of mind, and has not said he wants to die, or is refusing food and water, than stopping meds that may have bad side affects is not suicide. Discuss with his family and Drs (and him) that he may want to keep a pain med prescription filled, so that he can have relief from difficult pain as he desires.
 
I would contact an ethicist, perhaps at ncbcenter.org.

What I understand is that ordinary care must always be provided, extraordinary care may be removed if it does not help heal.For example, a diabetic would need insulin to survive, suspending it does not seem ethical

To me a few pills that can extend life for 20 years is ordinary care. .

Also, I think it important to rule out depression. A depressed person can’t be objective.
 
That is the trouble with euthanasia, people assume that a person who is not mentally ill is able to make the decision to commit suicide and that’s fine.
Actually, many people who say they want to die are in pain and suffering from depression. Both of these can be alleviated to a great extent. When they receive treatment for depression, they usually change their minds and want to go on living.
If your friend is depressed, his physician should be notified. Perhaps he can persuade him to take an antidepressant.
 
Thank you all for you answers. Situations like this have always made me feel uncomfortable. I deal alot with condition that rely on medications. I also deal with young and old. This man is not old. Yes I think he is depressed. He has been for years. Let me make a point clear, if he goes off his meds he will die within a month. He will have another stroke or seizure and die. Hospice situations dont bother me. I give them as much morphine and ativan as they need to make them comfortable. But this man was not terminal. He just wants to die because his quality of life is so poor. It puts those caring for him in a uncomfortable position. I kinda want to distance myself so I am not associated with that type of care. Also his family knows what he is doing. Some are okay with it others are not.
 
I completely agree with Purplesunshine. I have seen several older people over-medicated and miserable in their last years. I am completely pro-life, but we are not obligated to extend life by any means possible. Part of being pro-life is respecting the natural death process. We have respect for how God created us and on this earth death is part of creation. We are not to hasten it, but we should accept it with dignity for ourselves and our loved ones. And when I use the word “dignity”, I mean it in a true Christian manner, not the “death with dignity” euphemism for euthanasia the pro-death crowd has embraced.
 
jjseen said:
Thank you all for you answers. Situations like this have always made me feel …This man is not old. Yes I think he is depressed. He has been for years. Let me make a point clear, if he goes off his meds he will die within a month. He will have another stroke or seizure and die. …But this man was not terminal. He just wants to die because his quality of life is so poor…
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Are you sure you know the reason he’s going off his medications? Has he stated this is why he’s stopping his medication? You say he’s been depressed for year so something else changed. Might there be other problems with the medications, such as side effects he doesn’t like or difficulty swallowing? I’d suggest talking to him, his doctor and his pharmacist.
 
This man told the doctor he no longer wants to live. He is a man of little words but this is clear. I agree he can not be forced to take his meds but to say the least it is hard for people caring for him to go along with this. I dont know guys it is just hard to see. I mean I have seen so many people die just not like this. Maybe it is because this man is so likeable or maybe I see him differently than others. It is just hard to see this man let himself die.
 
Hi jjseen. I feel your confusion. My husband was in hospice and I know the nurse that came to our house had to do whatever my husband wished. He was not suicidal, so we did not have the predicament that you are in. It would be interesting to know, ethically, what a nurses responsibilities are in these types of cases. On one hand you are obligated to the patient. On the other hand you can’t play God and make these decisions yourself.
I am glad you have brought this to light, as I am in school now to become a nurse and had not thought of this. As more people contribute to this thread maybe we will both become enlightened.
God Bless.
 
Mary_Gail_36 said:
I would contact an ethicist, perhaps at ncbcenter.org.

What I understand is that ordinary care must always be provided, extraordinary care may be removed if it does not help heal.For example, a diabetic would need insulin to survive, suspending it does not seem ethical

To me a few pills that can extend life for 20 years is ordinary care. .

Also, I think it important to rule out depression. A depressed person can’t be objective.
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Best answer! 👍
 
Talk to your priest about it, and abide by his advice.

Unless any of the commentators who’ve posted here are professional moral theologians or ethicists they can’t really provide better, more helpful or more authoritative answers than your priest can.

Of course it must be hard to see a person die in ANY circumstances, even the best possible ones. That doesn’t mean that what this man is doing is necessarily wrong.
 
jjseen said:
He died yesterday.
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Eternal rest grant unto him, oh Lord, and may perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen
 
I’m sorry to hear of his passing. With patient’s rights, though, it was his decision as to whether or not he wanted the medication. From an ethical and legal point of view, there have to be rather extreme circumstances involved to be able to “make” someone take their meds. For instance, the recent case of the young man who chose to go off chemotherapy and the courts ruled he must be on it, even though his parents supported his decision.
 
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