Discussion Quadriplegic covid19 patient dies in hospice care

[TAW122]

I've recently found a story about an quadriplegic that has passed away due to the medical staff and his doctor refusing medical treatment for him. His wife is very upset about it and wishes that the doctor and medical staff be held accountable for his death.

https://www.kvue.com/article/news/investigations/defenders/quadriplegic-covid-19-patient-dies-after-austin-hospital-stops-treatment/269-6ffe3515-97b1-4962-beca-a3f9e0499a34

Personally, if I was he, I would have wished to die rather than to live like that. Of course, I would have an advance directive before I ended up in such a situation so that medical professionals and doctors would know my wishes as well as my family. I would certainly not wish to live like that if I were to find myself in such a situation, let alone contracting Covid19 on top of quadriplegia. Having no independence and having to depend on others' just for basic day to day tasks for the rest of my life is not something I'm down for. Note:This is only speaking for myself as well as the people who don't wish to be in such a predicament, not every quadriplegic. I am for each individual to decide whether he/she wants to live or die on his/her own terms.

Objectively speaking, I would side with the doctor, unless if in the event that the patient actually wanted to live, then the doctor would be in the wrong for not honoring the patients' wishes or continuing treatment.

What are your thoughts on this?

 

[rt1989526]

Makes me wish I could somehow catch Covid.

But seriously most doctors are absolute pieces of shit. The disregard and apathy in the guys voice is classic Doctor. They are so desensitized to human suffering they view everyone as experiments and data. Also think they're better than everyone.

 

[ScorpiusDragon]

Makes me wish I could somehow catch Covid.

But seriously most doctors are absolute pieces of shit. The disregard and apathy in the guys voice is classic Doctor. They are so desensitized to human suffering they view everyone as experiments and data. Also think they're better than everyone.

I think it's partly because a lot of people become doctors for the wrong reason. In the ideal world, it would be nice if would-be doctors entered the profession because they genuinely cared about human lives. But a lot of people enter the profession because they think it will guarantee financial stability.

 

[Dude1983]

What a great Doctor

 

[TimeToBiteTheDust]

I personally wouldn't want to live in that condition and I don't know if the patient was suicidal or not but I think he should have been assisted no matter if he's quadriplejic or not. It's not right what that doctor did.

 

[blah2323]

Although the bedside manner of this doctor was admittedly poor, I don't know that he is to blame for the outcome. Reading further into the case reveals that the decision to cease treatment was made by the patient's legal guardian (who was not the wife).

I'm usually the first one on the "I hate doctors" bandwagon, but let's be sure we're pointing fingers at the responsible party.

 

[TAW122]

I do second @TimeToBiteTheDust here and not because I'm pro-life or anything, but because it isn't absolutely clear that the patient wishes to die (there isn't any mention of an DNR, pre-existing will or directive stating it). I think in such a situation and given that the patient isn't able to make decisions (cannot give consent or capacity to do so), then logically, it would be someone who is a family member, or one with a power of attorney (3rd party given authorization to make decisions for him).

 

[esse_est_percipi]

I don't know whether the man wanted to live or not, I just find it strange that medical authorities are just willing to let him die in this case (he doesn't have the 'quality of life'), yet they and the state do everything in their power to stop people dying who really do want to die because of a lack of quality of life (i.e. making assisted suicide and euthanasia illegal, banning things like N and SN, locking suicidal ppl up in wards, etc).
Hypocrisy and cynicism.

 

[Meditation guide]

The doctor was right. He had no quality of life as a quadriplegic with brain damage and would not have survived even if put on a ventilator. It would have been inhumane to do that to him. The doctor explained he has only had 3 people survive after being ventilated. Most don't survive that with covid.

 

[lostangel]

At least he is at peace. This world is such a clown world.