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Forums - General Discussion - Brain-dead victims: suffer or pull the plug?

If someone you knew was brain dead(and guaranteed to never recover, let alone be able to do anything), would you let them continue to live? Or would you pull the plug and not make them suffer?

This also applies to diseases such as cancer.

 

Personally, if I was in the shoes of the person who's braindead/basically going to die eventually, I'd want the plug to be pulled. Of course it'll suck dying, but having to deal with pain that's similar to dying is much worse. Quick pain VS long suffering



 

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12/22/2016- Made a bet with Ganoncrotch that the first 6 months of 2017 will be worse than 2016. A poll will be made to determine the winner. Loser has to take a picture of them imitating their profile picture.

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I wouldn't do anything unless I had consent. As much as I'd want too, there are lots of consequences for doing it. "Murder" could end up being one of them...



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If they're braindead and there's no chance or coming back, the only reason to keep them alive artificially would be to say final goodbyes and to allow the hospital to raise the bill a few hundred grand more.



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barneystinson69 said:

I wouldn't do anything unless I had consent. As much as I'd want too, there are lots of consequences for doing it. "Murder" could end up being one of them...

I understand your viewpoint for situations that are guaranteed death, but what about brain-dead people? It's not like we can wake them up and ask them for their opinion.

 

Also, while I'm not a super scientist, would they even feel pain if the plug were pulled on them? I mean, their consciousness is nonexistent, and the only thing typically leaving them alive is a machine



 

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12/22/2016- Made a bet with Ganoncrotch that the first 6 months of 2017 will be worse than 2016. A poll will be made to determine the winner. Loser has to take a picture of them imitating their profile picture.

Well that'd worded kind of oddly, as brain-dead people aren't "suffering".

It's exceedingly difficult to decide, as many people who were thought to be brain dead have made some miraculous recoveries, but others have never come out of it. I'm not sure there's a right answer here, which is why I prefer leaving it up to close relatives to decide if no directions were provided in a will.



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hershel_layton said:

If someone you knew was brain dead(and guaranteed to never recover, let alone be able to do anything), would you let them continue to live? Or would you pull the plug and not make them suffer?

This also applies to diseases such as cancer.

 

Personally, if I was in the shoes of the person who's braindead/basically going to die eventually, I'd want the plug to be pulled. Of course it'll suck dying, but having to deal with pain that's similar to dying is much worse. Quick pain VS long suffering

If they're actually braindead with no hope of regaining cognitive function, then they are dead. Everything that is "you" is simply cognitive function. Lack thereof symbolizes the end of personhood. I would have no regrets about pulling the plug, saving their family/myself/the hospital time and money.



They're not suffering if they are brain dead. They don't feel a thing because they are no longer with us, even if machines are making them breath and having their heart beat. 



Let the patient decide if he or she wants treatment (in this case life support) but if unable to consent to terminating/not receiving reatment, do not pull the plug.



If I had the authority over the decision (i.e the person never said anything or left nothing stipulated) I'd pull the plug.

I haven't experienced such a situation but I imagine it would be pretty painful if you care about that person. You'd just be extending your mourning indefinitely, not being able to move on.

Now, about cancer: as I understood it from this context, I think that would be talking about euthanasia, which is way different.



Johnw1104 said:
Well that'd worded kind of oddly, as brain-dead people aren't "suffering".

It's exceedingly difficult to decide, as many people who were thought to be brain dead have made some miraculous recoveries, but others have never come out of it. I'm not sure there's a right answer here, which is why I prefer leaving it up to close relatives to decide if no directions were provided in a will.

Reason I mention this is because not everyone makes comebacks(sadly). And it costs A LOT of money. Yes, money isn't everything, but i had family members who had their plug pulled because we couldn't afford to go into six-digit debt.



 

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12/22/2016- Made a bet with Ganoncrotch that the first 6 months of 2017 will be worse than 2016. A poll will be made to determine the winner. Loser has to take a picture of them imitating their profile picture.