Should one who is dying be kept alive..?

[size=10]Alright, here's a scenario for you. The Idea came to mind as I watched a video on another website.

Scenario:
You're on your way home from a day of work, college, school or whatever the case may be. Suddenly, a truck driver, who is driving near the sidewalk that you're walking on, loses control of the steering-wheel and the truck heads straight toward you. You leap out of the way, just barely dodging the truck and land on the ground; safe for the time. However, the truck crashes into a nearby building, house or even a gas station. Whatever (you decide). Anyway, the truck catches fire and although you barely dodged the truck, you get caught on fire somehow. You end up seriously burned.

Moments later.

You wake up in a hospital bed. Due to the accident, your body has been pretty much deformed, you're dying and well, there's no hope that you'll ever fully recover. You'd be lucky if you even "half-way" recovered. You're stuck in the hospital for the rest of your life unless some sort of medical breakthrough occurs. In addition to that, the only thing keeping you alive is medical staff and medical instruments; providing you with life support.


Now my question is: In such a horrible condition, do you believe one should be kept alive (when hope of recovery is so low and they now have such big limitations on what they can do with their life) or do you think life should go on for the individual?

-HentaiElder

P.S. I figured I'd post this thread here. Hopefully nobody minds.
Also, there is no hentai involved, but ah well? Maybe next time. [/h]

It's up to the individual if he/she wants to be kept alive on life support. If not, then pump him with morphine and die naturally.

i'd say just die, there really is a slim chance of hope.
no point in dragging your remaining life in a hospital.
its just too sad, i say this from mild experience, even for a spectator its too unbareable to watch.

anyways, unless something like Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora happens,
live dude live!! :O

Everyone has the right to live. Everyone has the right to die is their wish. Ultimately, it is their decision in the matter. In my eyes, the person should be allowed to die unless they specifically ask to be kept alive in such circumstances. Forcing someone to live in such a condition is my definition of cruelty.

Depends on euthanasia.

Well put. If we consider the vegetables that can't make a rational decision for themselves due to injuries, I might sound cruel in saying this, but I feel that it is totally up to the people who are taking care of said vegetables, aka brain-dead/panned people. Unless there is a reasonable chance that a person can regain full conciousness, it's just a waste of resources. Hell, if I ever went brain dead with no real chance of regaining a portion of my motor and logic abilities, I'd put it in my will to pull the plug if that ever comes to pass. No sense in wasting resources and time when others can use said resources and time for other patients who can heal.

Agreed with both Fiery penguin and g-money. Heh, pretty much said just what I was thinking.

Personally, if I'd be in such a condition, I'd want to be kept alive as long as my brain is fully functional. As long as I'm able to think straight I see a meaning in my life. But the other way around, if my body is in good state and I'd end up retarded from a head injury or something, I'd want them to kill me off - which they probably wouldn't do as long as my body (And at least a part of my brain.) is alright. And this is also where my answer to your question lies, I believe it should be up to the person in question to decide what to do with their lives - which massively blows if they can't decide on their own anymore - but I agree with g-money, there's no point in wasting resources if they are, for example, braindead, which basically reduces them to living corpses.

To be living in such condition equals not living at all, i had experienced a similar situation in one of my family member, lets just say assume that person A.

A had been diagnosed with cancer one day after series of vomiting, fever and other symptoms. Doctor had inform us that A will only live for another few months and it's impossible to recover with a stage 4 cancer where it had spread too far to other parts of the body. (unless a miracle happens)

I've seen A suffer day to day and the pain is seriously excruciating, word couldn't describe how bad i felt considering how close i am to A. A had been trying really hard to recover but the situation is hopeless, A even told me A couldn't stand being alive anymore many many times.

We had this big argument whether or not to send A to a hospice, my relative strongly rejects it saying one should try their best until the very end.

Each passing day we see A's health deteriorating, A had been encouraged numerous time by friends, family and also loves one to not lose hope. In the very end A couldn't defeat the disease and passed away. This happened 3 years ago and i still find it vivid how A died at the last moment breathing slowly and slowly today.

All i could say is that this is cruel, i don't care what others might say but if i were to experience such situation ever, i would want to spend the remaining time of my life in a hospice and treasure every moment until my life ends despite what others might say.

tl;dr My vote goes to No here, it is ultimately the one that is suffering to make that decision and never family, friends or love ones.

Shit, I don't have health care (thank you, Tennessee), and it'd cost my family a fortune to keep me alive for even a week. It wouldn't be worth it. They'd be crippled and living on the street, and I'd be barely alive in a hospital bed, unable to do a thing for myself. As the gambler said (not ours; I'm talking about Kenny Rogers), you gotta know when to fold 'em.

I think the question isn't as simple as "Would you want yourself to be able to die?" It concerns euthanasia and what we think of it. Personally, I'm all for it. As just about everyone else said, a person has a right to die, but more than that, the earth could use less people.

well in the poll i choose no because i wrong clicked the mouse (shit happens!)

but to think it wisely.... we should not lose hope until the last day of our life.... Because Our age is gift from God.... why we kill ourself and waste that kind of gift? if i were him i would make a new invention that will make a very good use for all people even after i died (like Alva Edison and his Lamp) or to told other people to be more careful in life and try not to be like me...... if i can i want to say sorry to all people i know.... so with that way who know that God might forgive me and give me the cure or make me dead in peace....

sorry 4 the bad english

[size=10]I appreciate the answers that all of you gave; especially the answers that seemed to have had a lot of thought put into them.

I, like most of you, wouldn't really wanna be kept alive in such a situation because, in my eyes, it is a waste of resources. However, there are some people who believe you shouldn't end someone's life no matter how bad things may seem. I figured I'd just ask and see how the majority responded.

When it comes to Euthanasia, I'd be voluntarily killed if I were in a situation like that. And if a loved one were in a situation like that I would have probably wanted them to "pull the plug". But then again, that'd be a hard decision and a very emotional one.

I guess I'd never know for sure (what I would do) unless the situation came up. Overall, I don't think it helps to keep someone alive when the person is in such bad condition.

Again, thank you for the answers. I appreciate each of them.[/h]

The only group that would strictly vote "Keep them alive" are the religious people who believe life is "god's doing" like dragonide said which I will resist the urge for a tirade. Besides euthanasia, it also takes into account of the question "What is your definition of life".

Whether to pull the plug or not is a very difficult subject, especially when it's your own life or a family member's life that hangs in the balance. I'll be honest, I can't make that sort of decision. So, I rely upon practicality to make the decision for me. I, and every member of my family, isn't well to do, and we don't have health insurance. To let someone live for an indeterminable amount of time, with hospital bills increasing with every passing minute, when the person may be braindead or may never wake up or may wake up being unable to do anything for themselves, is insane. We'd have to pull the plug, or perhaps even kill the person ourselves (euthanasia, I mean), to spare ourselves an outrageous fortune.

It sounds like an easy decision, and it is, but really, it's dodging the issue. I can't say what I'd do if we had all the money in the world. If my mother, right now, got into an accident and went into a coma she might never come out of, and we were rich and could afford to keep her in a hospital indefinitely, I probably wouldn't pull the plug. Because there's the chance that she could come out of the coma and be better. I'd only pull the plug if she took a turn for the worse, and there were overwhelming odds that if she did wake up, she wouldn't be able to function as a normal human (in any sense).

Most people don't want to die, and most people don't want their loved ones to die, especially if it doesn't seem to be their "time" (ie, if the person isn't over sixty or something, it's harder to pull the plug).

I remember part of George Carlin's standup, saying that we think people in comas are having horrible times, but we don't know. It could be like heaven to them, and we'd just be dooming them to nothingness by pulling the plug. Well, I think that was George Carlin. I could be confusing things.

it depends, does my Penis still work?

If I was walking home, and dodged a truck, and then caught on fire, my confusion would probably be enough to kill me. But at least ninjas wouldn't be able to catch me.

In all seriousness, do I have use of my hands, and can I see and comprehend normally(well, as normally as someone in that condition could)?
If so, I'd like to be kept alive, and play video games/listen to music. I think that could keep me sane. If it was somebody else, I believe it's their decision.

BTW, why didn't I stop, drop, and roll?

P.S., could I just be burned, like Two-Face from TDK, without the guilt and such? Cause that's be cool.

[size=10]@Fiery_Penguin_of_Doom: Yeah, it's likely that one who is religious (or religious groups) would avoid taking away lives, under the belief that it is "God's Doing". That's something that I noticed occurs with abortion. Good point.


@ShaggyJebus: Yeah I definitely see what you mean. In a situation like yours it probably would be best to pull the plug. But at the same time, taking away someones life is very difficult; especially depending on the age of the person and who they are to you. There's a lot to take in consideration. But yeah, as you mentioned if a person is over sixty years of age, taking away their life could be even harder. Of course they'll die when the time comes, so maybe we shouldn't end their life so soon.

Who knows, maybe they really are happier in a Coma.

KingRat:

Lol, that was pretty funny.

Anyway, I'd say nope. You don't have use of your hands, and if you do, the use is limited.

@lemiel: Sure, your penis works. But I think you'll need lots of luck in finding someone who will visit you and have sex with you. Maybe you'll run into a lustful and laughing nurse.


@Aknop88: Yeah, that's my opinion; overall. I feel that cutting off ones life in that situation may be best. However, doing so could be pretty hard (emotionally and all).[/h]

I'd say die, but actually. . . The future cannot be foretold, so the slim chances is still hope. When there's hope, there's a way. Would you die, and find out in your after life that there's a cure? But, it takes strong heart and will to survive through low hopes of cure. Not much of these type of people are born, so most of people would rather die than to live a life of pain and suffering. I've been in an accident that cost my left growth plate, so my left arm can't grow anymore.

So my answer is this:
Those with low of hope shall die.

Basic reality.