Euthanasia in New Orleans

"NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana (CNN) -- Three days after Hurricane Katrina flooded New Orleans, staff members at the city's Memorial Medical Center had repeated discussions about euthanizing patients they thought might not survive the ordeal, according to a
doctor and nurse manager who were in the hospital at the time."
I find this to be very troubling. There were so very many problems and so many challenges that needed to be overcome. However the reality is that this discussion started very early in the game and I am concerned that people would be willing to throw in the towel so quickly.

I think that I need to sleep on this and think about it some more.

4 comments:

dorothy rothschild said...

It's hard to know what I would do in a situation like that, but I'd like to think I would have thought to somehow make it to someone important to let them know that we needed help for the patients right now, right now (if that took flagging down a reporter or someone with a boat, or whatever it took). And I'm not someone who is against euthanasia. Like you, Jack, I think maybe thoughts turned to that a little quickly in this case. But again, I wasn't there, so I don't know what I really would have done in the face of people being in pain and their being no end to it in sight.

Jack Steiner said...

DR,

I know what you mean when you say that we were not there and perhaps if we had been our thoughts would have been different.

But I cannot help but believe that I would have held out from going Lord of The Flies for more than a couple of days.

It is important to have standards, not saying that you don't. Just my thought on this.

Assorted Babble by Suzie said...

When I heard this I was furious! actually being reminded I still am.

So many these days err towards death instead of LIFE. Unbelievable! And so quick to do it too!

I told my daughter we have got to get my paperwork in order making things very clear on each detail. I see TV programs where the doctors want your organs so bad, that they will pull the plug before you even die or even give a little time for a miracle to occur.

Jack Steiner said...

Suzie,

I know what you mean.

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