Mercy Killings In New Orleans

[k9catts]

There aren't too many US news media covering this topic but apparently it is in the news in other countires.

This was posted by World News/Daily News/Christian Media apparently a net billboard.

It doesn't have a lot to say but does have numerous hyperlinks.

http://www.worldmagblog.com/blog/archives/018114.html

 

[Dominus Fidelis]

Yep, saw that on the BBC.

Let's kill people so they don't get killed. Errrr...or something like that.

 

[trunks2k]

Yep, saw that on the BBC.

Let's kill people so they don't get killed. Errrr...or something like that.

It's more like "We need to kill these critically ill patients because there is no chance they can survive, and to keep them alive for the next few days would leave them in agony as well as be a drain on extremely limited resources that could be used to save someone else's life."

It's a real dilema. Consider a battlefield hospital. 12 soldiers are in triage. 1 Soldier is so severely injured that it will take 4 surgeons 8 hours to even give him the slightest chance of living (say, less than 5%). If you work on the soldier, the manpower and supplies used will cause 5 other soldiers to die because nobody can get to them in time, or there aren't enough supplies to perform the necessary procedures. So what do you do?

Lets say you opt to sacrifice the one soldier for the sake of the other 5. But the problem is, that it will take this one soldier 8 hours to die, and in those 8 hours, he'll be in immense pain. You have plenty of morphine and can't spare the manpower to constantly look after him. What do you do?

 

[NothingButTheBlood]

In situations like this it's hard to tell someone they are wrong for making a judgement call. Especially when they are in the "front line" so to speak. These hospitols and their staff were under tremendous stress and had dwinlding resources. I am usually one to opt for life but I will trust the judgement of the hospitol staff on this one. Some of these workers who sat and fanned residents for hours and still had to watch them die aren't going to get accusations from me. To be left helpless (staff without sleep, no power, supplies not coming in) and then having looters had to be aweful.

 

[MoodyBlue]

Sounds more like a case of physicians/nurses doing their best to relieve the suffering of dying patients, rather than "mercy-killing".

 

[SpaceProg]

Yeah. Sometimes during dire situations (Which we've not really had very many in this country), hard choices have to be made. Life or death choices. It's tragic, but sometimes one must die so that others have a better chance at living.

 

[Dominus Fidelis]

It's more like "We need to kill these critically ill patients because there is no chance they can survive, and to keep them alive for the next few days would leave them in agony as well as be a drain on extremely limited resources that could be used to save someone else's life."

It's a real dilema. Consider a battlefield hospital. 12 soldiers are in triage. 1 Soldier is so severely injured that it will take 4 surgeons 8 hours to even give him the slightest chance of living (say, less than 5%). If you work on the soldier, the manpower and supplies used will cause 5 other soldiers to die because nobody can get to them in time, or there aren't enough supplies to perform the necessary procedures. So what do you do?

Lets say you opt to sacrifice the one soldier for the sake of the other 5. But the problem is, that it will take this one soldier 8 hours to die, and in those 8 hours, he'll be in immense pain. You have plenty of morphine and can't spare the manpower to constantly look after him. What do you do?

Redemptive suffering...how it is so neglected outside of Catholicism.

 

[christalee4]

Sounds more like a case of physicians/nurses doing their best to relieve the suffering of dying patients, rather than "mercy-killing".

There were cancer patients, who, without power and medication to relieve their pain and discomfort, suffered increasing agony. If you were a doctor, and a patient in THAT PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCE (no apparent help on the way for days), was screaming for you to end it, would you do it?

 

[Maynard Keenan]

I'd say they're justified in their decisions. If they are going to die, don't leave them in agony. Give them the morphine to ease their pain and let them die peacefully. These were NOT normal circumstances.

 

[Cerberus~]

Redemptive suffering...how it is so neglected outside of Catholicism.

There is a difference between redemptive suffering, and needless suffering. To allow someone who is dying to just die in agony when you can prevent it is the epitamy of cruelty.

 

[sanaa]

yes this hit the news in india as well. a doctor commented that she was begging God to have mercy on her soul while doing that because she did not have another choice . i kind of understand why they had to do that , if there was any chance of these people surviving, the decision would have been otherwise . ofcourse i magine it happening to one of my loved ones and shudder . but i understand the doctor's decision

 

[MoodyBlue]

There were cancer patients, who, without power and medication to relieve their pain and discomfort, suffered increasing agony. If you were a doctor, and a patient in THAT PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCE (no apparent help on the way for days), was screaming for you to end it, would you do it?

Absolutely. I'm a big believer in quality of life vs. quantity of life. I don't see the purpose in needless suffering.

 

[I <3 Abraham]

Redemptive suffering...how it is so neglected outside of Catholicism.

Someone else's suffering isn't going to help YOU. Making someone else suffer doesn't you a stronger person. Redemption doesn't come through your own suffering, REDEMPTION only comes through one thing, I think you know what it is so I wont bring it up in this thread.

 

[Harlan Norris]

There aren't too many US news media covering this topic but apparently it is in the news in other countires.

This was posted by World News/Daily News/Christian Media apparently a net billboard.

It doesn't have a lot to say but does have numerous hyperlinks.

http://www.worldmagblog.com/blog/archives/018114.html

I was listening to the radio yesterday, some talk drivel. Anyway the subject while I was listening was about the mercy killings. I figure it's probably true. It's not surprising that not much coverage has been on this subject. Lawsuits, murder counts will definatly result. It would be hard to watch someone die in agony. However, euthanasia is in my view murder, just the same as abortion.

 

[TeddyKGB]

It would be hard to watch someone die in agony. However, euthanasia is in my view murder, just the same as abortion.

From the link, it is unclear whether morphine was administered in a lethal dose or given to ease pain while the patient died naturally.

 

[Cerberus~]

I was listening to the radio yesterday, some talk drivel. Anyway the subject while I was listening was about the mercy killings. I figure it's probably true. It's not surprising that not much coverage has been on this subject. Lawsuits, murder counts will definatly result. It would be hard to watch someone die in agony. However, euthanasia is in my view murder, just the same as abortion.

Why is death the enemy? What's so bad about it? Why is worth spending hours, days, even longer in agony just to delay the inevitable? How is helping someone die peacefully, somehow more wrong than watching someone die in agony, and doing nothing about it when you have the power to ease their suffering. That's a step away from torture.

 

[k9catts]

There aren't too many US news media covering this topic but apparently it is in the news in other countires.

This was posted by World News/Daily News/Christian Media apparently a net billboard.

It doesn't have a lot to say but does have numerous hyperlinks.

http://www.worldmagblog.com/blog/archives/018114.html

I appreciate the responses. I appologize for the link. I turns out there was not much there. But you CF'ers did a great job in running it down.

I cannot imagine making a decision like this. I would have nightmares for weeks and I would be changed forever.

I just pray I never have to make that type of decision and if I must make that type of decision, God would guide me in my actions.

 

[Harlan Norris]

Why is death the enemy? What's so bad about it? Why is worth spending hours, days, even longer in agony just to delay the inevitable? How is helping someone die peacefully, somehow more wrong than watching someone die in agony, and doing nothing about it when you have the power to ease their suffering. That's a step away from torture.

The program I was listening to indicated that some of the patients involved were feverish, but not terminal. I'd have no way to know for shure if this is true. The ones in question may not have been aware of their impending demise. That was the slant of what I heard.