The Killing of Mikey

[Belle]

I'm so sorry for your loss, chanlo23. It is especially difficult when it seems so totally unnecessary...the grieving process requires rationalizing the hows and whys of the situation until acceptance of the loss has been reached.

I now understand that this thread is a part of that rationalizing process and a hope that no one has to go through this kind of pain.


Responding to camper...had chanlo23 begun this thread with post #9, there would have been no mistaking her intent nor offense taken.

What happened to her friend Mikey can and does happen by doctor recommendation in hospitals in every country of the world. By singling out Holland in the first post without explanation as to why, it was easy to infer the discussion was about one particular countrys medical policies...to which 778 responded.

Let's face it, there is more than a little American bias here at PA, and it is not unknown for Americans to take 'pot shots' at other countries or to ignore events that occur elsewhere...as was the case with the suspicious train mishap in Canada, for example.

I understand why 778 was 'pissed off'...and I understand chanlo's attempt at rationalizing how such a thing could happen to her friend.

Misunderstandings occur, sh1t happens...especially when we only have the written word.

A little more patience and sensitivity on all our parts when posting/reading a thread would go a long way, methinks.

[kirolak]

I would not prescribe what others should believe, nor take issue with their point of view based on their personal experience, but personally, I would prefer to be in the Netherlands if I were seriously ill. I have no desire to live in the face of unbearable pain; no desire to cost my family money we don't have; and I am convinced to my own satisfaction that dying is not a terrible thing. . . especially if it is done consciously and with the good of other beings in mind.

[Chanlo23]

Thank you all for your comments. I have learned a great deal from them. I truly sympathize for all of you who have had similar experiences, and I pray that those of you who have not, do not have them.

I hope that you all will be vigilant should you, or someone you care about, undergo deep sedation and/or induced coma following an accident (regardless of the country where it occurs).

The key points I was trying to make in this thread were:

• Deep sedation drugs that are used to induce coma take 4-6 weeks to leave the blood stream.
• Almost every civilized country gives a 3 month minimum window to head injury patients who have had coma induced to wake up.
• Almost every civilized country will wait 2-3 weeks after the patient is taken OFF deep sedation drugs to test for brain function, because prior to that, the results will be false.
• Make your choices in advance in writing, and give them to your family so that they know AND can show those to doctors who may be trying to 'persuade' them to give up before it is necessary.
• In a life/death situation, get a second opinion.

Since some folks seem to have difficulty reading the entire posts, I will repeat:
NONE of the conditions that most people face in a medical emergency, where a decision to terminate is made, were present here with Mikey.

The facts given to me by the FAMILY were: Mikey was NOT in pain, his family would not have been 'out' any money, and his family was blatantly discouraged from getting 'all the facts' while being seductively wooed to pull the plug. (The family WAS given numerous loving sessions with several different organ donor groups. )

Mikey's family was specifically told he was NOT in pain, that there was no inter-cranial bleeding, and that there was no swelling. They were also told that the spinal cord was not compromised or damaged. They were not told the amount of time it takes for the sedation drugs to wash out of the system, nor were they were told that waiting even 2 weeks would have radically altered the brain function tests. Mikey was NOT given an MRI/CATScan that would have shown dead brain matter.

Mikey was only given THREE days to regain consciousness after having been drugged to the gills with deep sedation drugs that rendered him unconscious for over two weeks. The amount of time it takes for deep sedation drugs to wash out of the system IS longer than 3 days. (They should have waited 2-3 weeks for the sedation to clear and the brain to reset.)

Where you choose to live and how you choose to live/die are your own choices to make. I would hope that you each get to make them for yourselves.

When a doctor is left to be the decision maker, and you have little or no say in the matter, you are at risk. There is a tendency for doctors to NOT look for the patient's best interest to help them to recover. There is a tendency to push for early termination, to "save money, particularly for the hospital/doctor" and then harvest organs.

Knowing Mikey, I know Mikey wanted to survive, not to be abandoned this way. Mikey was not given his choices, nor was he able to have his free will honored.

[Debra]

Thank you! To all posters. I have learned a great deal.
My sincere condolences to each of you who have shared personal stories about loved ones.

xox