Mrs. X, an 85- year- old resident of a nursing home, was taken to a hospital to receive emergency treatment for her dyspnea that resulted from chronic bronchiectasis. Emergency intubation was provided, and Mrs. X was placed on a respirator. During the period that followed, she was not able to communicate clearly, but she did occasionally acknowledge discomfort and she recognized her family members who visited. The staff was unable to wean her from respirator, and she was transferred to a chronic care hospital. A week later, during another effort to wean her from respirator, her heart stopped. She was resuscitated and then taken to another hospital for intensive care. When she did not regain consciousness, a physician indicated to the family that it would be appropriate to consider withdrawing the life – support system. Over the next two weeks Mrs. X was in a persistent vegetative state.
In this case, I am really confronted with a difficult situation. In reality, I see that there is no benefit for the patient to continue the life – sustaining treatment. In this case in fact we have only two opinions, since the patient has no ability to make choice and to decide. One is the opinions of the care – givers who are in favors of withdrawing the life – sustaining treatment since there is no benefit anymore. And other opinion is from the
family who wants maybe to continue the treatment.
As we know that God has given life to us, and only God is the one who has right to take life, as in absolute ethics theory. And we know in relativist ethics theory, for the better situation, nothing should be prohibited as long as not harming one’s neighbor. For me, I think it is better to combine these two theories. First of all, if we look carefully what is behind the care-giver’s reason, I think it is true that there is no benefit at all to continue the treatment, it is clear that there is no hope for the patient to recover. But of course we have to respect also the family who is the representative of the patient. So I think what we have to do is to continue the treatment and if there is another complication occur, it is not necessary to do new treatment, but is does not mean to let the patient just lying on her bed like that. We have also to prepare the patient in meeting God according to her religion. Most important is we have to respect the person of the patient even if she is in a vegetative state, for example, put on clothes which she likes, and play some music she likes, and so on.
In this case, I am really confronted with a difficult situation. In reality, I see that there is no benefit for the patient to continue the life – sustaining treatment. In this case in fact we have only two opinions, since the patient has no ability to make choice and to decide. One is the opinions of the care – givers who are in favors of withdrawing the life – sustaining treatment since there is no benefit anymore. And other opinion is from the
family who wants maybe to continue the treatment.
As we know that God has given life to us, and only God is the one who has right to take life, as in absolute ethics theory. And we know in relativist ethics theory, for the better situation, nothing should be prohibited as long as not harming one’s neighbor. For me, I think it is better to combine these two theories. First of all, if we look carefully what is behind the care-giver’s reason, I think it is true that there is no benefit at all to continue the treatment, it is clear that there is no hope for the patient to recover. But of course we have to respect also the family who is the representative of the patient. So I think what we have to do is to continue the treatment and if there is another complication occur, it is not necessary to do new treatment, but is does not mean to let the patient just lying on her bed like that. We have also to prepare the patient in meeting God according to her religion. Most important is we have to respect the person of the patient even if she is in a vegetative state, for example, put on clothes which she likes, and play some music she likes, and so on.
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