The family of a severely injured hunter made an unusual request of doctors: that he be brought out of sedation to decide for himself whether to continue his own life support.
An Indiana man fell 16 feet from a tree during a hunting trip, suffering a spinal injury so severe that doctors told his family he would be paralyzed from the shoulders down and that he’d likely never breathe on his own again.
Is that any way to live? Put yourself in the place of the man’s loved ones and try to imagine what they must have been going through as doctors delivered that devastating news. How would you handle it?
This man’s family had a unique response.
They asked doctors to bring him out of sedation so that he could decide for himself if he even wanted to go on under those circumstances. The doctors agreed, and the man, unable to speak because of a breathing tube, “shook his head emphatically no,” according to his sister.
Eventually, that breathing tube was removed and he was able to repeat his request to doctors himself. For five hours, the Associated Press reports, he was able to spend time with family and about 75 of his friends, and had the chance to say goodbye.
Courts have upheld a patient’s right to decide for themselves on end-of-life care.
But how do we feel about this?
I don’t know any avid outdoorsmen who’d say that they’d want to face a lifetime being paralyzed and breathing by a machine. But it’s easy to say it isn’t what you’d want when you aren’t in that condition. The quality of life, by comparison, is just too horrible to even imagine.
Is it too easy to make that call soon after a such an injury leaves you facing such a scenario? Is it too simple to just say no to a life that isn’t the way you planned?
The article mentions the option of a “personal representative”. A dear friend of mine appointed me to be his representative in case something like this happens and his wife isn’t able to make such a decision. But I realize, after reading this article, that I need to have a conversation with him about exactly what he would and wouldn’t want in such a scenario.
I think I know. I’m pretty sure I know.
But I want to hear it from him.
Which makes it all the more understanding that this man’s family asked doctors to wake him up so he could be the one to decide. In that respect, it was a blessing for all of them that he was able to express his wishes, even if what he wanted wasn’t what some of them might have hoped he’d choose.
Your Turn:
Would you make such a request of doctors if you had a loved one facing such a prognosis? Have you ever been asked to be someone’s personal representative? Do you feel that you could make the choice that person would want if they weren’t able to make their own wishes known at that time?
Is it time to have some uncomfortable conversations with those you’re closest to?
Thank you, Patrick, for bringing up this issue. Its caused me to realize I need to rehash conversations already had with my mother and conversations that still need to be had with others. I do not think “quality of life” should weigh much on this issue more than what does the Bible and the Constitution say? As a father, I would live with quite a bit of discomfort for my children’s continued discipleship. We also need to take care not to violate each others inalienable rights.
SuziShumaker interesting this will be more common, coming against the patients will the #deathpanels will decide who gets life support
This actually impresses me. I’m a believer somebody, in a situation like this, should be able to choose for themselves, if they can. Plus, it seems like he had several hours to spend with family and be at peace with it. I’m not sure I could live in that state, either. Besides quality of life, I think about what my family and/or friends would have to go through. It’s not fair. Thanks for posting this, Patrick.
A person should certainly have the right to choose whether to continue life, but making such a significant decision so soon after the injury concerns me. Â What looks bleak initially might seem different after time has passed and a new normal has been realized. Â
I have a friend who nearly died in an explosion. He lost an arm and a leg. He was disfigured. Â The first responders chose not to treat him initially as he looked so close to death. Â But, he survived. Â It’s been a horrible struggle, but he’s thankful for life now. Â
I wonder if, given time and therapy, this hunter might have found that he still valued life. Â I wonder if perhaps he felt he would have been a burden to his family had he chosen to go on living. I wish he’d been advised to wait 6 months before he made this unchangeable decision.
Shock is a terrible stress to the body. Â Making a decision while experiencing it is not wise. Â I wish this man’s family had encouraged him to wait until the shock had passed to consider this final decision. Â Yes, the decision should be his, but recognizing he needed time to adjust before deciding was the responsibility of his medical team and his family.