Did she express a wish one way or another before the dementia set in? If she did not, then this is a hard decision for her children. It will involve prayer and contemplation.
I am unfamiliar with Lewy Body Dementia so I cannot comment on my personal feelings on this. For myself, if there is a possibility of a cure than keep me alive as long as there is brain function and I (a personality and memories) am still in my brain. If I go brain dead or there is no chance of a cure that will return me to my family, please let me die with some dignity. Withhold heroic measures and remove the feeding tube. Russel Madere Webmaster 504.832.9835 SunShine Pages by EATEL www.sunshinepages.com -----Original Message----- From: Deanna Schneider [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, January 31, 2005 11:30 AM To: CF-Community Subject: Real Life Ethics (or the Schiavo Case Comes Home, sort of) Okay, my grandmother has Lewey Body Dementia. She's been pretty wacked out for years - very little quality of life. One of the side effects of it is that she'll eventually lose the ability to swallow. She's just about there - she has nearly no ability to swallow. Last week she ended up in the hospital because of a UTI and pneumonia combined. Today, they're sending her home (well, to the nursing home). Chances are good that she's going to die - starve to death or die of dehydration - in the very near future. The folks are coming home from their snow-bird place in AZ to do the death watch thing. Would you do it? Or, would you do the feeding tube? Discuss. (Note: no sympathy needed, as far as I'm concerned. I fully support my parents' decision, and we've all been wishing for a quick and painless death for quite some time. Sort of sucks that it has to be this. They wish she hadn't been sent to the hospital, as dying from infection is probably a lot quicker) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Find out how CFTicket can increase your company's customer support efficiency by 100% http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=49 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:5:145521 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/5 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:5 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
