To go in peace, part 2

Recently was on call, saw the numerous patients who are/were being artificially ventilated for various reasons. Among the reasons were inoperable metastatic lung cancer, liver failure with cirrhosis, progressive/untreatable lung disease and hypoxic brain damage.Their prognosis is worst than dismal at best. I really don't know if the patients really want to go like this. Is this really how they want to be "treated" or to leave this world? In any case they have no choice - not over here. Are we "treating" their family members rather than the patients? The world is a stage...

What would the patients say if they can or are allowed to make their own decisions? In any case, it would be over-ruled by the family members on the premise that the patient is not mentally alert or in right frame of mind to make that decision. Who wants to have a heated argument with the family members of a DYING patient? And with the sequelae that follows...

The best way is to have a living will - a legally binding document which cannot be over-ruled by the family members. To state how they want to be treated if they have a terminal/life threatening condition. Alas this is a very alien concept here. In any case, any living will has to be voluntarily produced by the family member or a legal officer - which may be with-held or destroyed too.

It is very disconcerting to see terminal dying patients having tubes shoved into their lungs, their stomach and urinary tract. And members of the public/relatives ( who can tell who is who? ) going in and out of the ward, peaking here and there - like watching a bloody blockbuster movie. And they love seeing CPR being done - like it's an entertainment show. The healthcare personnel will appear "uncompassionate" if they ask the "relatives/visitors" to leave to attend to/ resuscitate the patient. Some of the healthcare personnel are harassed and scolded by these relatives too. And like Murphy's law, these patients WILL deteriorate during visiting hours when the ward is like a fish market. Some visitors will just REFUSE to leave because they say IT'S THEIR RIGHT TO BE THERE DURING VISITING HOURS. And they will just stand around looking at the "drama" involving other patients. Bloody B***tards !!

So are you going to stand there arguing with the visitors or resuscitate the patient? Your choice.

Ventilated patients gasping for their breath, sedated or even already unconscious are being poked daily for bloods, their every bodily functions being "taken care of" artificially. Swollen limbs, bed sores, bruises, haematomas everywhere. Faecal smell permeates the whole ward every time a pampers is changed. Until the patient's heart finally stop, inevitably.

Is this how you want to die?

If I have no realistic chance of a meaningful life,
Please spare me the indignity of a prolonged painful death,
Kindly do not shove tubes down my every orifice,
Please do not inflict more pain by poking me daily for bloods,
And above all, do not hook me up to a machine while I die.