Last year my mom pass away due to complications from a cold. She had COPD which forced her to decide whether to go on a ventilator. She had documents in her will/health requests to prevent this action. Of course, when you can't breath you make decisions differently. She was in good health outside of COPD.
Going on a ventilator is a huge decision with potentially grave consequences. She couldn't be weened from the unit for well over a week and was kept unconscious for the most part during the time. Doctors eventually came to us saying they needed to get her off it in the next 24 hours or she would need a tracheotomy for a permanent ventilator and be moved to a center that manages these kind of patients.
We were beside ourselves knowing she did't want to wake up in that condition with essentially no chance of recovery. Fortunately, the next morning she was successfully weened off the ventilator. She couldn't swallow due to the extended period on the ventilator and was being fed via feeding tube. Then the next decision, do we surgically insert a feeding tube? Again, she finally passed a swallow test. Finally, being oxygen deprived and on a ventilator so long her mental abilities had been compromised. She was unable to get out of bed.
The hospital wanted to release her but we couldn't care for her and it was extremely difficult to find a place that would take her in this condition but we did locate a place in the Woodlands. Her condition deteriorated and she eventually passed away after 6 weeks of battling.
Hospitals are very capable of keeping people alive using a ventilator. The issue is the quality of life.
Imagine if a person in their 50s comes down with Covid and needs a ventilator to survive? For me, I'd decline it. I couldn't imagine waking up in 2-3 weeks on a trach ventilator, with some mental impact. Then living for 20-30 years in a limited mental state. I couldn't put my family through that.
Cuomo mentioned people needing a ventilator for 3-4 weeks with Covid. That means a trach ventilator which is very life changing. I think I'd pass and call it a good life.
Going on a ventilator is a huge decision with potentially grave consequences. She couldn't be weened from the unit for well over a week and was kept unconscious for the most part during the time. Doctors eventually came to us saying they needed to get her off it in the next 24 hours or she would need a tracheotomy for a permanent ventilator and be moved to a center that manages these kind of patients.
We were beside ourselves knowing she did't want to wake up in that condition with essentially no chance of recovery. Fortunately, the next morning she was successfully weened off the ventilator. She couldn't swallow due to the extended period on the ventilator and was being fed via feeding tube. Then the next decision, do we surgically insert a feeding tube? Again, she finally passed a swallow test. Finally, being oxygen deprived and on a ventilator so long her mental abilities had been compromised. She was unable to get out of bed.
The hospital wanted to release her but we couldn't care for her and it was extremely difficult to find a place that would take her in this condition but we did locate a place in the Woodlands. Her condition deteriorated and she eventually passed away after 6 weeks of battling.
Hospitals are very capable of keeping people alive using a ventilator. The issue is the quality of life.
Imagine if a person in their 50s comes down with Covid and needs a ventilator to survive? For me, I'd decline it. I couldn't imagine waking up in 2-3 weeks on a trach ventilator, with some mental impact. Then living for 20-30 years in a limited mental state. I couldn't put my family through that.
Cuomo mentioned people needing a ventilator for 3-4 weeks with Covid. That means a trach ventilator which is very life changing. I think I'd pass and call it a good life.
