Hippocratic Oath And Human Dignity.

nailedit | 22:35 Fri 17th Nov 2023 | ChatterBank

12 Answers

Where does one begin and the other end?

Could be argued that this be in B&S but its a wider discussion.

My 41 Yr old nephew is currently in intensive care. He has congenital spina biffida and hydrocephalus.

He was blue lighted to hospital over a week ago after becoming seriously ill.

He now has bleeding from both kidneys, a spot on his liver that medics don't know what it is yet. He has gangrene in his scotum, his feet are infected and black, its believed that his shunt (for his hydrocephalus) has become infected and caused brain damage

He has been sedated for a week. He has now come around but can only move his eye lids. He was paralysed from the waist down since birth but now can only move his eyes. Medics now presume that he has brain damage. They are preparing to remove scrotum and presumably testicles. On the cards to remove feet as well. This is from someone that can longer give consent.

Visited him in hospital few day ago when he was unconscious. Wouldn't keep an animal in that condition..

On so much life support.

If that was me, I'd rather just be switched off!

Bbc Quiz : Week 46

Don't Know How I Feel

Answers

1 to 12 of 12

Best Answer

No best answer has yet been selected by nailedit. Once a best answer has been selected, it will be shown here.

For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.

nailedit

Question Author

Hippocrat oath affirms do no harm.

Does it also affirm do no harm by continuing human life at all costs?

calmck

We treat animals better than that. What do his next of kin want? They have the right to request a DNR order. As an ex nurse I cannot understand why invasive treatment is even being considered. Doctors and hospital trusts go to court to be allowed to terminate treatment against the wishes of parents of terminally ill children. To me to continue treatment would constitute criminal abuse.

Old_Geezer

I suspect their actions are guided by what is legal, not by who wins the moral debate.

nailedit

Question Author

Calmck, his next of kin is his mother (my sister).

I currently don't have all the facts. Only what I posted here.

But I visited a couple of days ago with my other sister. I cried at the sight of him wired to so many life support machines and devices and now he has regained a degree of consciousness only to be chopped up.

I've been close to him all my life but this is not medical care, it is brutality.

My father begged my

nailedit

Question Author

Calmck, his next of kin is his mother (my sister).

I currently don't have all the facts. Only what I posted here.

I've been close to him all my life but this is not medical care, it is brutality.

My father begged my

nailedit

Question Author

My father begged my sister to smother him as he was dying in so much pain. Isn't about time that we just let people die with a little dignity rather than trying to preserve life at all cost

seekeerz

Totally agree and you have my deepest sympathy, having to watch a loved one go this - to me it borders on abuse - where is common sense and compassion in all this.

jno

the oath isn't what it used to be. It ceased to be compulsory years ago; lots of med schools still get graduates to take an oath, but what it says varies from one place to another.

rowanwitch

Seems from what you posted unfortunately he wouldn't meet the criteria for discontinuing treatment, The key issues are brain stem death, circulatory support dependent on inotropes but still having failing circulation with no further ability to increase dosage, or acid build up in the blood and tissues incompatible with recovery, or in a conscious and fully competent patient the refusal to accept further additional treatment.

Sounds like nature will intervene fairly soon though.

Lie-in King

"Isn't about time that we just let people die with a little dignity rather than trying to preserve life at all cost" - yes, absolutely.

I've had to sit & watch three loved ones suffering (no, really suffering), all of whom would've happily had me "pull the plug", had it not been for the fact that it's illegal & they were worried for me. I bottled it & those people haunt me every day.

My best wishes to you, nailedit, to your nephew & to your family.