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Physicians will often issue "standing orders." Pain medication as needed.
I know when my grandmother was in her final hours she would awaken with difficulty breathing. All we would have to do is notify the nurse who would soon arrive with an injection which would allow my grandmother to drift back into unconsciousness and peace. Everyone knows at this stage that the end is near. I don't think anyone pays much attention to the "how much and how often," especially if the patient and/or the family requests it.
Having an advanced care directive and a conversation with your caregivers (or family if you are not able) to make sure they know that you want aggressive management of your discomfort is important. It takes the uncertainty away and often allows the attending physician or nurse to be completely relieved of doubt about what the patient wants.
You are correct. Everyone knows what is really going on. And that is just fine with me.
I've had to witness some terrible terminal weans (a PC way to say pulling the plug) on some of my patients. There is no reason to let someone labor for one minute more then they have to. Nor should family members have to sit there watching that.
One quick shot to knock them out, one quick shot to stop their heart. When they're gone, remove the breathing tube and turn off the life support. It's much kinder to all involved.
The one size fits all mentality needs to mind their own business and stop trying to make the rest of us fit into their tight mold. I do not believe in suffering until I meet a natural end. Nor do I feel it's right to force me to do so for a belief system that doesn't reflect my definition of how I live my life, or my death.
I hope when my time comes that there will be options to end the suffering at a time I chose, if not, I'll gladly go some where that it's available. How unfortunate to force someone so sick to have to travel to do so.
Actually, pneumonia IS a terrible way to go, unless you like drowning and suffocating... I don't believe there are too many "pleasant" ways to die, despite all the attempts to romanticize natural death. In your sleep (assuming you stay asleep), sudden strokes, arrhythmias, and coronaries that immediately cut off blood supply to the brain. Unfortunately, modern medicine has eradicated most of the "quick" methods of dying. It's none of it a walk in the park; that's why it kills you!
Actually, pneumonia IS a terrible way to go, unless you like drowning and suffocating... I don't believe there are too many "pleasant" ways to die, despite all the attempts to romanticize natural death. In your sleep (assuming you stay asleep), sudden strokes, arrhythmias, and coronaries that immediately cut off blood supply to the brain. Unfortunately, modern medicine has eradicated most of the "quick" methods of dying. It's none of it a walk in the park; that's why it kills you!
It is as you describe if it is not managed properly. If the "air hunger" is not dealt with then it is horrible for the patient and those watching it happen. With management, it is peaceful--a bit hard to listen to for those at the bedside, but not someone struggling, drowning or suffocating.
I have seen this many times, and would opt for it myself if given a choice.
I've had to witness some terrible terminal weans (a PC way to say pulling the plug) on some of my patients. There is no reason to let someone labor for one minute more then they have to. Nor should family members have to sit there watching that.
One quick shot to knock them out, one quick shot to stop their heart. When they're gone, remove the breathing tube and turn off the life support. It's much kinder to all involved.
The one size fits all mentality needs to mind their own business and stop trying to make the rest of us fit into their tight mold. I do not believe in suffering until I meet a natural end. Nor do I feel it's right to force me to do so for a belief system that doesn't reflect my definition of how I live my life, or my death.
I hope when my time comes that there will be options to end the suffering at a time I chose, if not, I'll gladly go some where that it's available. How unfortunate to force someone so sick to have to travel to do so.
It has always been interesting to me that what we make some humans endure at the end of life would result in prosecution if done to an animal under our care.
Actually, pneumonia IS a terrible way to go, unless you like drowning and suffocating... I don't believe there are too many "pleasant" ways to die, despite all the attempts to romanticize natural death. In your sleep (assuming you stay asleep), sudden strokes, arrhythmias, and coronaries that immediately cut off blood supply to the brain. Unfortunately, modern medicine has eradicated most of the "quick" methods of dying. It's none of it a walk in the park; that's why it kills you!
That's why it's misnomer to say "He died 'peacefully' in his sleep". Nobody dies asleep unless they are in a deep drug-induced coma. For people in regular sleep who have a heart attack like say from a bad dream, they awake in cold sweats and then their heart goes into arrhythmia and, depending on how fatal an arrhythmia it is, it might takes seconds to minutes as they gasp and struggle. It's a pretty horrible way to go. The best if you're of a mind to is to be put into palliative sedation and as you drift off that will be your last memory even if you're in the coma for a week. Then you either go dark (die the way atheists believe you die) and are no more, or the next thing you realize your spirit is lifting out of your body and, if we are to believe millions of NDE's, angels or deceased relatives or both are there to greet you and take you to your new home.
Physicians will often issue "standing orders." Pain medication as needed.
I know when my grandmother was in her final hours she would awaken with difficulty breathing. All we would have to do is notify the nurse who would soon arrive with an injection which would allow my grandmother to drift back into unconsciousness and peace. Everyone knows at this stage that the end is near. I don't think anyone pays much attention to the "how much and how often," especially if the patient and/or the family requests it.
Having an advanced care directive and a conversation with your caregivers (or family if you are not able) to make sure they know that you want aggressive management of your discomfort is important. It takes the uncertainty away and often allows the attending physician or nurse to be completely relieved of doubt about what the patient wants.
You are correct. Everyone knows what is really going on. And that is just fine with me.
Standing orders is for the Military not Adult Civilian US citizens.
That's why it's misnomer to say "He died 'peacefully' in his sleep". Nobody dies asleep unless they are in a deep drug-induced coma. For people in regular sleep who have a heart attack like say from a bad dream, they awake in cold sweats and then their heart goes into arrhythmia and, depending on how fatal an arrhythmia it is, it might takes seconds to minutes as they gasp and struggle. It's a pretty horrible way to go. The best if you're of a mind to is to be put into palliative sedation and as you drift off that will be your last memory even if you're in the coma for a week. Then you either go dark (die the way atheists believe you die) and are no more, or the next thing you realize your spirit is lifting out of your body and, if we are to believe millions of NDE's, angels or deceased relatives or both are there to greet you and take you to your new home.
I have watched several people develop an arrhythmia and then flatline, with no struggle. One of my uncles died of cardiac arrest in a recliner with all of the family sitting around him, unaware of what was happening. He was just "gone." Talking and laughing one minute, dead the next. Many people die in deep sleep without struggle. A good way to go.
I think there would be a point where you would want to stop fighting, but it's impossible to predict.
good point....
we didn't get to choose when we came in this world it was chosen for us...
and we all can agree life is/can be a gift
but
when we have a disease/illness/cancer than weakens us into a person that we aren't or no longer want to be ...then ill be the first to raise my hand and say ---IM DONE...time to go
if my life is being prolonged by pumping morphine in my veins...and I'm bedridden... with little or no hope to get up ..
time to go
I want to go while I am still me ...
why is it ...we all can take our family dog in to put him down and its merciful, but we cannot make that same decision for ourselves.
there should be a place called "crossing over" where you (we) get to spend the last month of our lives..... we can have parties if we want... - lawyers are there for the wills,,,, video people to shoot videos if we want..
could be a resort like place ...called bucket list where we check off what we want to do everyday ..
then we check out ...given shots like our dogs put us to sleep peacefully and go with dignity
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