Dear Judy,
I’ll bet you read the long article in Sunday’s New York Times about “Drug-Induced Sleep” — which in my view is just a nice phrase for “Hastening Death Through Oblivion.”
What do you think? I’m a nurse (although not a hospice nurse) and personally, I am positive that a lot of those end-of-life drugs like morphine actually reduce respiration and bring on death. I couldn’t believe they even named the drugs like Sodium Thiopental!!
Erin
Dear Erin,
Yes, I did read the New York Times article on palliative sedation. And I also know that many hospices tend to inform not only families but volunteers that end-of-life pain-killing medications do not hasten death.
They used to be far more candid — with volunteers anyway. For example, when I first started out as a hospice volunteer, over 20 years ago, we were informed that morphine did indeed depress breathing, and might in some circumstances hasten death.
The fact is — as the valuable article makes clear — there are a number of medical personnel, experts in the field, who choose not to comment; others who obfuscate; and still others who believe that certain opiates may well contribute to a faster death.
So here’s where I stand: It is up to all of us to write a Living Will, well before we’re in danger of dying, while we’re conscious and of sound mind. This document should state clearly and directly what we want done in the event of a terminal illness that might involve great pain — and what we won’t want done. These decisions should also be communicated to a patient’s doctor, along with a copy of the Living Will.
Personally, if I have a painful illness that will likely kill me within a matter of weeks, I want the drugs, thank you very much, and as many as possible: Sodium Thiopental, morphine, Propofol — bring it on. But that’s me.
I am fully aware that some doctors, some nurses, some states, and some hospitals won’t necessarily abide by a patient’s Living Will. But many do as the patient suggests, and I’m hoping my relatives will make sure I land in a kind environment.
Death doesn’t have to be as horrible as promised.
Thank you for writing
Judy
