My grandfather was diagnosed with emphysema fifteen years before his struggle to breathe confined him to his climate-controlled bedroom. Much of the last year of his life was spent in a hospital. The non-stop care for his declining health was beginning to take its toll on my family who never left his side. My grandfather knew that he would not be able to recover from his illness and lead a normal life. Therefore, he signed a document in which he requested that he not be resuscitated or placed on life support in the event of cardiac or respiratory arrest. I remember talking with him in his final days. I asked him if he was ready to die. “I believe I am,” he affirmed. He passed peacefully in the hospital without the assistance of life support.
My experience with a loved one’s decision regarding life support, has led me to believe that every person has the right to choose. This is one of the reasons that compelled me to write this book. I believe a person, who is kept alive by machines against his/her will, becomes a victim of someone else’s choice. No one should be denied the God-given power of free will.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For more information, you might enjoy reading the complete book More Than Meets the Eye True Stories about Death, Dying, and Afterlife available on Amazon.com.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Never an easy choice for any one involved. Sounds like a valuable book.
Emphysema is a lung disease. It leads to breathing distress due to a restriction in blowing air out. It is main form of COPD. It is caused due to smoking also even air pollution contributes it. It is still not decipherable. One can use lung gel or lung surgery is the only option. For more details on emphysema, refer Emphysema
Post a Comment