Resuscitate or Not ?

[Beetlejuice]

Thanks for all of your input. There has never been any question about stopping treatment for my wife.

I believe that Sheryl has hit the nail on the head with her detailed response. Recovering from illness with medicine and appropriate diet is very different to recovering after resuscitation.

What does that mean? Your wife would be resuscitated after a cardiac arrest or not? Because so far you have avoided all my questions.

If not, why not in your opinion?

[h90]

What I don't get:

If she has problems swallowing solid food. It might be a stupid question, but shouldn't it be possible to live complete on liquid food (Like mulinex everything).

It might not taste good and might be very boring but sufficient to live healthy.

I frequently mulinex mixed fruits and vegetable to a drink...I am sure some pork or chicken could be mulinexed the same.

[thaibeachlovers]

I am shocked and appalled that the doctors would even ask such a question regarding a patient who has a hope of recovery.

Considering what the OP has explained, than there is no question to ask, meaning, every attempt possible must be made to save the OP`s wife until all hope is lost, especially taking into account that the lady is only 49 years old.

May I ask the OP; is his wife receiving medical care under the Thai 30 baht scheme or is she being treated under private care? Perhaps if on the 30 baht scheme than the hospital will only provide limited care under the scheme and if private, maybe the OP has problems financing his wife`s medical treatment that can be ultra expensive if the patient is not covered by any medical insurance.

My advice to the OP; to seek other doctors opinions at a different hospital and have her transferred if not satisfied with the hospital in question Or perhaps the OP has concerns about his wife`s future quality of life if she was resuscitated after a cardiac arrest?

Lots can be involved here as something like this is not cut and dry, and in order to give a sincere opinion, the OP needs to give some details as mentioned above.

<than there is no question to ask, meaning, every attempt possible must be made to save the OP`s wife until all hope is lost, especially taking into account that the lady is only 49 years old.>

Age doesn't come into it ( I helped look after a young child that was kept alive by extraordinary means for a year, but died anyway. He suffered every day of his life, and by the time he died, his family was destroyed because of the conflict he engendered between the parents. His sister will be traumatised for life. Was it worthwhile? OTY ). The only thing, IMO, that should be considered is quality of life, and that is up to the individual and if they can't speak for themselves, the family.

I asked my wife what she wants and she says that she wants the same as myself ie no resucitation and no ventilation.

Existing is not the same as living, and if you'd looked after as many hopeless cases as I, you'd agree that life at any case is not necessarily a desirable option.

Edited September 11, 2014 by thaibeachlovers

[Beetlejuice]

I am shocked and appalled that the doctors would even ask such a question regarding a patient who has a hope of recovery.

Considering what the OP has explained, than there is no question to ask, meaning, every attempt possible must be made to save the OP`s wife until all hope is lost, especially taking into account that the lady is only 49 years old.

May I ask the OP; is his wife receiving medical care under the Thai 30 baht scheme or is she being treated under private care? Perhaps if on the 30 baht scheme than the hospital will only provide limited care under the scheme and if private, maybe the OP has problems financing his wife`s medical treatment that can be ultra expensive if the patient is not covered by any medical insurance.

My advice to the OP; to seek other doctors opinions at a different hospital and have her transferred if not satisfied with the hospital in question Or perhaps the OP has concerns about his wife`s future quality of life if she was resuscitated after a cardiac arrest?

Lots can be involved here as something like this is not cut and dry, and in order to give a sincere opinion, the OP needs to give some details as mentioned above.

<than there is no question to ask, meaning, every attempt possible must be made to save the OP`s wife until all hope is lost, especially taking into account that the lady is only 49 years old.>

Age doesn't come into it ( I helped look after a young child that was kept alive by extraordinary means for a year, but died anyway. He suffered every day of his life, and by the time he died, his family was destroyed because of the conflict he engendered between the parents. His sister will be traumatised for life. Was it worthwhile? OTY ). The only thing, IMO, that should be considered is quality of life, and that is up to the individual and if they can't speak for themselves, the family.

I asked my wife what she wants and she says that she wants the same as myself ie no resucitation and no ventilation.

Existing is not the same as living, and if you'd looked after as many hopeless cases as I, you'd agree that life at any case is not necessarily a desirable option.

Every case and situation is different.

The OP asked the question and I am interested to hear of the whole circumstances involved and what he has a actually decided regarding if it came to having to resuscitate his wife?

Now the question is; will he let us know?

[GarryP]

Thanks for all of your input. There has never been any question about stopping treatment for my wife.

I believe that Sheryl has hit the nail on the head with her detailed response. Recovering from illness with medicine and appropriate diet is very different to recovering after resuscitation.

What does that mean? Your wife would be resuscitated after a cardiac arrest or not? Because so far you have avoided all my questions.

If not, why not in your opinion?

What do you not understand? As pointed out by Sheryl, a person recovering from illness through medicine and diet (no heart failure) is much more likely to have a reasonable quality of life than someone who suffered heart failure and was subsequently resuscitated and treated.

I am not going to answer your second question as it is none of your business what has been decided.

[animatic]

Asking complete strangers on an internet forum about such an important decision is totally disrespectful to your wife.

Ask her.........now. She's your wife fer chrissake. The only opinion that counts is hers.

I disagree. The decision was already made.

He was asking for opinions, not validation, nor was he soliciting advice on how to make his decision. Just an open discussion of the issue.

If I were the wife, I would be grateful he was so thoughtful and not blindly arbitrary about this serious issue.

Like everyone else, he can winnow the wheat from the chaffing of idiots.

But if she is lucid, then her opinion is paramount.

Edited September 11, 2014 by animatic

[rgs2001uk]

Asking complete strangers on an internet forum about such an important decision is totally disrespectful to your wife.

Ask her.........now. She's your wife fer chrissake. The only opinion that counts is hers.

I disagree. The decision was already made.

He was asking for opinions, not validation, nor was he soliciting advice on how to make his decision. Just an open discussion of the issue.

If I were the wife, I would be grateful he was so thoughtful and not blindly arbitrary about this serious issue.

Like everyone else, he can winnow the wheat from the chaffing of idiots.

But if she is lucid, then her opinion is paramount.

I hope to whatever diety you pray to, when the time comes your mrs can make an unbiased decision.

I have already told my wife what to do in the event, its taken me years to get her to shed herself of her baggage.

Too many on here are thinking like guilt ridden farangs with a throwback to their western based religions.

My mrs now accepts, instead of a life ending, its the start of the re-cyle of birth and a new life beginning.