Would you pull the plug?

36 Comments

So this is a really long story but I'll try and keep it as short as possible. My sister had a brain tomour and went into a coma.Her heart rate had slowed and she was about to die when the doctor came in a found a way to keep her existing. But in the process he took out a chunk of her brain, the part that can communicate. All she could ever do was open one of her eyes (because the other came out with the operation) and move one hand. She would never walk, never talk, she just sat in that bed, she was existing she wasn't living.
I always believed that everyone had a right to life and theirs always hope. But when I saw my sister stuck in that bed suffering, everything I believed went out the window. Our family was split her husband and my brother and sister believed that she would get better and that I was just being negative. My parents and I didn't want her living like this and that they should pull the plug.

So my question isn't what should I do, because this was 11 years ago. My question is if you had the right to decide would you want the doctors to pull the plug or keep her alive. If this was your sister, daughter, wife, or mom, what would you do?

I would pull the plug (explain why)	64
I'd wouldn't pull the plug (explain why)	6

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Comments ( 36 )

Captain_Kegstand

11 years ago

I have no idea what to tell you. That is a horrible situation that I wish nobody would ever be exposed too, but without being put in your shoes... I just have no idea. I am getting slightly anxious just thinking about what it would be like to see my little brother in such a state.

All I can say is that I am very sorry to hear this happened to you, and which ever decision you made, nobody can blame you for it.

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kingsleycrowne

11 years ago

First of all I would like to say I'm sorry to hear of what your sister, you and your family have been through. I wouldn't wish this upon my enemies. But I'm pro life, every life is worth something and without her being able to communicate with you, you can only assume that she wants to die whereas perhaps there is an inner strength in her that is grateful to have survived. I could not make that choice for her. So I voted no, I would not pull the plug.

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iEatZombies_

11 years ago

Curious: Is she alive now?

Is it just communication or was their substantial brain damage, aka unable to think? If she already knew there was a tumor, didn't she tell you her thoughts about vegetation vs. death? The outcome of the situation would depend on many details. I wouldn't have a simple answer to a complicated situation.
The most important motive for my decision would be based soley on the victim's feelings. Very little to do with mine. Of course, I've been known to ask family members and even close friends what they would choose- I find such things very important and very possible.

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- Anonymous Post Author
  
  11 years ago
  
  no she isn't we ended up pulling the plug.
  
  It's a really long story so I was trying to shorten it up and left out some details. If was really confusing because I asked her one time to squeeze my hand and she squeezed it, they said she may have been in and out but they said she would never have any quality of life, and to me it would be worse to be able to think but never do anything you're trapped in your own body. And yes she knew before going in and she always said she never wanted what happened to her, that was the last thing she'd want, she as well said to always listen to the nurses they know their patients better then anyone, I had 3 nurses tell me she was never going to get better. The doctor did anything to keep her alive even take out almost half her brain, she was just another notch in his belt.
  
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  - iEatZombies_
    
    11 years ago
    
    Well then, the right thing was done and I woul've done the same. You're sister would be proud of your selflessness.
    
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- TerryVie
  
  11 years ago
  
  fully agree with this.
  
  Did she herself say anything BEFORE it came that far?
  
  If she can open her eye/hand, could she communicate(albeit slowly) e.g. by using morse code?
  
  Is she a vegetable or conscious to an extent that allows the assumption she KNOWS about her situation/can express herself some way?
  
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anti-hero

11 years ago

I'd pull the shit out of it. Too many people on this planet already. We need to get rid of about 90% of everyone.

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- Anonymous Post Author
  
  11 years ago
  
  how were you able to comment on here?? they haven't even approved this pole yet. Confused.
  
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  - anti-hero
    
    11 years ago
    
    IIN Gold.
    
    Seriously I would pull the plug because nobody wants to "live" like that.
    
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- [Old Memory]
  
  11 years ago
  
  "We need to get rid of about 90% of everyone."
  
  Wow...and you think i'm dumb. That's quite an illiterate sentence you have there.
  
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  - anti-hero
    
    11 years ago
    
    You are dumb and I was/am drunk and don't give a fuck. So we are even. I drank myself down to your level.
    
    So why don't you correct the sentence? If you can, I'd love to see it.
    
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    - [Old Memory]
      
      11 years ago
      
      If I can't how could i point it out. This is something the American has to figure out.
      
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      - anti-hero
        
        11 years ago
        
        In other words, you are unable. Good job Aussie, good job.
        
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        [Old Memory]
        
        11 years ago
        
        I'll give you a hint. It's something to do with the last letter, but not the spelling.
        
        You reported this comment bwahahaha that won't get you out of it dumb dumb.
        
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      - iEatZombies_
        
        11 years ago
        
        =< I'm American- whom has magnificent nostrils. =P
        
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AssBurgers

11 years ago

I'd pull the plug because I know my Mum or either one of my sisters wouldn't want to 'live' like that.

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GuessWho

11 years ago

Pull the plug, because that's what I'd expect them to do for me if I ended up in that situation.

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Ono

11 years ago

That's why it can be really important to discuss your end of life wishes with your loved ones. Ultimately her husband was the one who would be most impacted by it and they may have discussed her preferences.

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- Anonymous Post Author
  
  11 years ago
  
  I had discussed it with her and she said if that happened she wanted to have the plug pulled. But like you said her husband was the one who had to make the decision, he was sick himself though. He was delusional he was telling her kids that she was getting better and that she'd be home for the summer when things had only gotten worse. The way he was seeing everything wasn't like how he normally would.
  
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  - Ono
    
    11 years ago
    
    Highly stressful situations like this can cause people to act without thinking things through clearly. It can be a really really hard thing to make the call, especially with children involved. Sometimes we make decisions to suit ourselves and not what may or may not be best for the person involved. From my experience funeral cerominies are always a lot more about the people attending than the actual deceased for example.
    
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flutterhigh

11 years ago

When you say "the part that can communicate", what exactly do you mean? Speech specifically, or is she actually no longer able to form coherent thoughts? Could she blink (or wink, I guess) once for yes and twice for no, and answer questions that way?

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Aleks85

11 years ago

Yes cause I believe in Euthanasia. She's a vegetable. I can't imagine how painful that would be. But you have to think of her best interest. That is no life.

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NeuroNeptunian

11 years ago

Depends on what the doctor says. If she has little to no brain activity and more than one doctor has verified this and that she will not recover, I would have pulled the plug and hope that someone would do the same for me. That is not "living". Living is more than just existence.

My Mom had to face this decision with her Mother, but they spoke about it years prior. My Mom pulled the plug herself, and she told me that if I ever must make the call for her, then I am to pull it myself as well.

I'm very sorry for your loss. It is a difficult decision, to take a life based on the medical assumption of the worth of the life, but I doubt anyone would want to lie in a bed for the rest of their lives and just... be there like that. I'd like to know the rest of the story. Maybe they were right and she did recover. I don't want to make any assumptions ^^;

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Justsomejerk

11 years ago

Pull the plug.

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NerdyChickFTW

11 years ago

She doesn't deserve to suffer. As much as I love my family, I would feel better if they moved on, instead of vegetating in a hospital.

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Avant-Garde

11 years ago

Pull the plug. No one needs to suffer like that.

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Would you pull the plug?