If you were really ill and the doctors and nurses had been trying to treat you to the point that you were enduring uncomfortable interventions but still struggling to make any sort of real recovery. Would you want them to attempt resuscitation if you were to stop breathing and/or your heart stopped? The alternative would be that they allowed you to have a peaceful and dignified death rather than exposing your body and performing CPR and giving emergency (last resort) drugs. Is the level of intervention in critical care undigified enough...so they may as well carry on and attempt resus 'cause you never know? Would you rather live with any organ impairment (brain, heart, kidneys etc) because of the cardiac arrest, than die because no resus was attempted? What are your thoughts and experiences?
2007-02-13 07:50:46 · 57 answers · asked by Rocket 2 in Health ➔ Other - Health
What if you had not been ill for ages but were suddenly to deteriorate rapidly?
2007-02-13 08:00:01 · update #1
as a family we decided against it for our mum(her choice not ours), it was such a hard decision but she had been resuscitated before and asked us why we let the doctors do it? the answer to that was simple,obviously because we loved her and did'nt want to lose her. she was'nt having any of it, she was so angry with us because she was'nt having the life she wanted,constantly on an oxygen machine, not being able to go to the toilet herself and so on.. she pleaded that if it happened again just to leave her go, so that's exactly what we did.. i am glad it was her choice and it's what she wanted but after 8 years it doesnt stop us missing her terribly and wondering, what if? ... if u know what i mean?
on the other hand, if it were me making that choice for myself, i dont think i would be as brave , to want to go.it's the thought of the unknown that scares me.
but if i had to make a choice for someone who was unable to make the choice for themselves,i honestly dont know what i would do... it would probably have to be a lot of counciling, doctors and family advise before even thinking about it....
i have been here for a long time trying to answer this question,deleting bits that dont sound right but it's from the heart and my opinion.hope i have'nt affended anyone..xxx
2007-02-13 08:35:54 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 0⤋
As a RN and a CPR suvivor I say it's he indivuals choice but they shold take a few things into consideration. Do they have a life threatening illness like cancer that will not resolve anyway, Did they have a life altering illness like a stroke. How old are they.
see so many 94 year olds that are still a "full code" and I just feel so bad for them and their familys by having to do this bone breaking and degrading thing to them. CPR is just given to a body, You don't really think of the person while doing a "Code." I survived 3 CPR's when I was 40 due to pneumonia. I had the potential for a good outcome and full recovery, I was young and in good condition, I was not suffering from an enstage illness. With this type of event I agree with CPR. Also I was in the hospital at the time. Unfortunately most people want CPR or do't have their wishes in writing. CPR started "in the field" (home) is almost never sucessful.
2007-02-13 08:02:43 · answer #2 · answered by sweet sue 6 · 5⤊ 0⤋
I would rather not. I live in the UK.
My uncle has be suffering with bowel cancer for 15 years, he kept having operations but it kept coming back even though he still lived quite a fulfilling life. Towards the end when he was permanently in hospital he told the doctors under no certain terms was they to resuscitate, he was fed up with it all and if he was going to die then that would be it. The doctors ignored his request and resuscitated him three times over a period of time. Why, because he was an American and they don't have NHS, the longer he was in their bed the more money there were earning. That is wrong!
2007-02-14 00:20:58 · answer #3 · answered by rose 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
This is a really good question.
I've always said that if I had a terminal illness, then yes, I'd be DNR. However, if it was a sudden accident/illness then in the first instance, I'd always want to be resusitated. I know of several adults who have had accidents and been 'dead' (they claim to have had an out-of-body experiences) and yet made a full recovery with CPR intervention. I also know of someone who was being kept alive by machine - who regained consciousness after 2 months in a coma! The doctors were gagging to cut their organs out and the family insisted that they keep the machine on. Yes the person in question had to learn to walk again, but all other neurological and cognitive functions were intact. They have now gone back to work. This just goes to show that we should have a little faith.
2007-02-14 06:32:56 · answer #4 · answered by Pickle 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Its not what your condition is but what you have to live for that counts. I would want to be brought back I have two kids that need me and any chance I had would matter. It is their job by the way. I have worked on wards where people were not for resus and this was decided with a joint team of medics and family. Its sad and you draw the curtains to stop other patients that are for resus seeing, just in case they think thats how they will be treated. Cant say I ever felt comfoftable. Thats why I chose psychi nursing not general.
2007-02-13 12:15:20 · answer #5 · answered by babyshambles 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
This is a choice that many of us will be forced to look at when the time comes.
There are many factors that come into play here. One looks at age, how much life is there left to live. Is family involved, are there children? How much discomfort is there as compared to actual pain? All the factors are going to be different for each human being....and the solutions are going to be different also. There is no pat answer.
Now that my children are grown, and more of my life is behind me than is ahead of me, I would opt for a "no code" status, in other words, no heroic measures. But I know too, that when I was younger and had a family to worry about, I wanted anything possible done to stay alive. I think that no two people will feel the same way on this issue.
2007-02-13 08:03:48 · answer #6 · answered by essentiallysolo 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I am a cancer sufferer. At the moment I am on my second course of chemo. and every day its just a struggle to get out of bed. Should the time come when chemo isn't working any more and I am in considerable pain which can't be relieved, I have managedto stash quite a lot of sedatives, sleeping pills and anti-depressants....enough to give me a quiet dignified end. I have told my MacMillan nurse and my close family. Thankfully I hope it won't be for quite a while yet as I have many plans for the future, but I have thought hard about this and would rather spend my last hours comfortable at home in bed than in a hospital bed wearing a number on my arm.
For everyone its different but I know whats best for ME.
God Bless anyone on chemo at the mo.
2007-02-13 22:48:42 · answer #7 · answered by Pink n Wise 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I would rather die, if any could not live a normal life with all my dignity in tack I would rather not live.
Life is for living and I feel it would be very selfish to burden my family with all the aspects of caring for a sick person, feeding, washing, running me around for appointments, having to move in with a family member, the list just goes on and these are just the basic implications. The whole thing is a horrible experience and turns the lives upside down for all those related. Been through it 3 times already before the age of 40 and it really can have a huge effect on you and yours. So if I was left with the decision for another it would be a serous soul searching time. But for my self? Live every day like it's you last, tell those close to you, you love them dearly and pull the plug!
2007-02-13 19:25:37 · answer #8 · answered by BOO! 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I did actually speak about this subject years ago with my parents when everything was ok and we all said, if resus meant being kept alive when someone had to do everything for us eg., ( no quality of life) then we don't want it. Both my parents have now passed away at 55 and 65, young at heart and my 5 sisters and I respected their wishes although very difficult. I would want the same for myself and would NOT want to be resusitated to wait and see if a cure came about!
2007-02-13 11:37:42 · answer #9 · answered by mistickle17 5 · 4⤊ 0⤋
It's a hard one to think about.
My mum had cancer for years and although it may seem harsh, it was a relief when she finally passed as we knew she was in so much pain. Now she wasn't on a life support machines and the option of resus wasn't even a thought, she had just come to the end. She went through a lot of pain with treatments and what not and now my dad has told us that he'd want us to pull the plug if anything like that happened. He'd rather go nicely than be pulled about and live like "a cabbage" as they say.
I think about it and always wonder "what if" and an very scared of dying. My initial though would be to keep me going so that I could be with my loved ones for longer, but then who are you kidding? They are in just as much pain seeing you go through it and you are neither use nor ornament to them in that state. You will always be there in spirit so I'm inclined to say Pull the plug and let them go!!!!
I hope you don't ever have to make the choice.
2007-02-13 22:09:34 · answer #10 · answered by Lilac Lady 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋