Euthanasia: Who has the Right to Decide?
Euthanasia: Who has the Right to Decide?
[i:d77656f8d3] The fear not merely of death but of vegetating encrust-
ed with tubes, respirator, and pacemaker drugged into
stupor or mindlessness and nevertheless alive, some-
times agonizingly so - in short, the fear of ending in
a 'living death' - has made many converts to the cause
of euthanasia. Their position can be summed up in a
single cry: Death with dignity. (Kluge, 42)[/i:d77656f8d3]
In December of 1979, on a lonely two-lane road, Gary Fickler, a 23-year-old Kewaskum, Wisconsin man, lost control of his vehicle after hitting a patch of ice. The car flipped over trapping Gary inside. When medical help arrived approximately 10 to 15 minutes later, Gary was pulled from his car and his breathing was restored with the help of a respirator; his brain had been without oxygen during this time. Gary was admitted to the hospital listed as brain dead, meaning there was a cessation of activity of the brain. Gary never thought about something like this happening to him. He never planned ahead for his death. He never thought about power of attorney or a living will.
After the doctors confirmed to Mr. & Mrs. Fickler that Gary would not survive without life-support machinery, the Ficklers discussed the removing of all tubes that would prolong their son's life. They wanted their son to be able to die with dignity. Soon after Gary was disconnected from his life support he died. This story is from a personal interview with Stephan Bradford, Gary'' brother-in-law, is not an uncommon story.
Incompetent patients such as Gary, with no hope of recovery, cannot relay their desire to end their own lives; to make certain these wishes will be carried out family members need to be given the right to act on behalf of the incompetent patient. Patients also need to be informed of their rights and options for future medical care.
In an article in Modern Healthcare by Lynn Wagner, nation- wide estimates show that between ten and fifteen thousand patients are existing in a "vegetation state." The approximate cost to keep these patients alive is $1.3 billion dollars annually. Rough estimates show that this could break down to almost $1,000 per day for a room and artificial feeding with additional costs of $24 per hour ventilator usage (36).
Patients kept alive with the help of machinery and tubes might consider death a relief. Some believe that...