Living Will

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foundmyfaith

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My 77 year old mother asked me to be her medical power of attorney today. She also asked me to help her write a living will. I am ‘the nurse in the family’ and have held various family members Medical POA’s for years.

She chose no CPR, no ventilation, no dialysis, etc. Essentially, she made herself a DNR (do not resuscitate) if she was not going to get better. She chose to have no food or fluids if she was in that state. She also specified enough pain medicine to keep her comfortable, even if it hastened her death.

Can I morally carry out her wishes? I understand that the church has a stance about food and fluids.

I hope I posted in the right section.
 
foundmyfaith said:
My 77 year old mother asked me to be her medical power of attorney today. She also asked me to help her write a living will. I am ‘the nurse in the family’ and have held various family members Medical POA’s for years.

She chose no CPR, no ventilation, no dialysis, etc. Essentially, she made herself a DNR (do not resuscitate) if she was not going to get better. She chose to have no food or fluids if she was in that state. She also specified enough pain medicine to keep her comfortable, even if it hastened her death.

Can I morally carry out her wishes? I understand that the church has a stance about food and fluids.

I hope I posted in the right section.
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There is a wonderful thing out there now it is called “The Five Wishes” you can order it on www.dyingwithdignity.com I first heard of it when my mother was in a long term ICU facility. Facilities can order thousands for future patients over the years. It is approved by most faiths and is not cut and dry. It even includes what type of poem you want at your funeral, do you want music played…are you scared to die and so on. It goes into the touchy topics too. I will not disclose credentials, but the first thing that I can say is… Cancer eats is food first, then your body, so you are making your pain longer and it is not natural. If someone is in there last hours of dying, having a surgery for water and ensure, could kill them, or again, postpone the pain that may be happening. Neurologists go through a load of tests before deeming someone “brain dead” My mother is not Catholic, so she filled her five wishes out according to her wishes and not someone else’s dying wishes. I’m not going on forever, but check that out. I have as a “power of healthcare attorney” for my mother to “direct attention to “The Five Wishes” filled while I was with my daughter and of sound mind and judgment” Hope I gave you an option to look over with your spiritual director
 
Thank you for your reply!

I have no personal issue with a person choosing to not be fed or hydrated. I just need to know the position of the Church on carrying out her wishes. I don’t want to be culpable for a mortal sin, or commit the sin of presumption by assuming I can confess it later.

I want her to die with dignity when it is her time. I want it to be on her terms, I just don’t want to be at odds with the Church.

My mother is a non-practicing Catholic.
 
foundmyfaith said:
Thank you for your reply!

I have no personal issue with a person choosing to not be fed or hydrated. I just need to know the position of the Church on carrying out her wishes. I don’t want to be culpable for a mortal sin, or commit the sin of presumption by assuming I can confess it later.

I want her to die with dignity when it is her time. I want it to be on her terms, I just don’t want to be at odds with the Church.

My mother is a non-practicing Catholic.
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From the CCC:

2278 Discontinuing medical procedures that are burdensome, dangerous, extraordinary, or disproportionate to the expected outcome can be legitimate; it is the refusal of “over-zealous” treatment. Here one does not will to cause death; one’s inability to impede it is merely accepted. The decisions should be made by the patient if he is competent and able or, if not, by those legally entitled to act for the patient, whose reasonable will and legitimate interests must always be respected.

Hope this helps…

Clinton
 
clintondyches said:
From the CCC:

2278 Discontinuing medical procedures that are burdensome, dangerous, extraordinary, or disproportionate to the expected outcome can be legitimate; it is the refusal of “over-zealous” treatment. Here one does not will to cause death; one’s inability to impede it is merely accepted. The decisions should be made by the patient if he is competent and able or, if not, by those legally entitled to act for the patient, whose reasonable will and legitimate interests must always be respected.

Hope this helps…

Clinton
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Thank you for your reply!

My problem might be that I am reading too much into it. However, I read that JP2 stated that providing fluid and nutrition was not an extraordinary measure, even if it required a feeding tube. This is pretty confusing. 😉
 
Thank you, Clinton! That really clears things up for me. I am actually up at this hour because I was worried about agreeing to that. Now it is time to rest. I appreciate that you took the time to answer.
 
foundmyfaith said:
Thank you, Clinton! That really clears things up for me. I am actually up at this hour because I was worried about agreeing to that. Now it is time to rest. I appreciate that you took the time to answer.
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You’re quite welcome… I have a DNR living will. That document was a help to me when I was preparing mine!

God bless you and your Mom,

Clinton
 
I do not believe, but can’t be 100% sure of CC teaching on this issue, that a wilful act to bring about or hasten death is sinful. An example might be a doctor giving more morphine than required for pain but which would hasten death.

On the other hand giving morphine for pain with the consequent risk it might speed up death might be moral. All surgery and general anaesthesia can some risk of death but they’re not immoral.

I don’t believe it would be sinful to decline drugs and treatment that will only prolong life but won’t prevent the inevitable.

It’s a very fine dividing line. Doing anything to cause death is gravely sinful. I don’t believe it’s wrong to refuse treatment that only delays when the angels come for you.
 
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