Should there be a way to opt out of medical intervention...

[Vicky.]

Say you were in a serious accident and they had you on life support. But there was a huge chance you would be braindead if you ever came round. Should there be a way (a bit like the donors list) to decide before that happens what you would want to be done?

As it stands, its down to your next of kin. But it must be a ****ing horrible choice for them to make, and sometimes might go against your wishes.

Personally, if there was over a 1/4 chance of me being braindead, I would want them to give up on me. I have told my parents and gav this just incase, but I know it would still be awful for any of them to make that final decision.

Me and gav were just talking about a friend of his that was horrificially beaten up and was on life support...the doctors were next to certain he would be braindead. His grandad had brought him up, his grandad knew that he wouldnt want to live like that and wanted to turn the machine off, but the choice was down to his mother...who wouldnt. Now his friend is alive, but braindead...I dont think thats right at all.

Should there be some way of you making that decision yourself on the offchance that it might happen sometime in the future, and what would you chose if there was?

(Nice morbid thread to start off the day :laugh: )

[Niamh.]

Yeah probably but I guess if you're brain dead you're not going to know the difference anyway

[fruit_cake]

I think Jehovah's witnesses opt out of blood transfusions, so it may be possible already. You'd probably have to visit a solicitor and end up paying £££ though.

[Kizzy]

You can choose to sign a 'do not resusitate' form I think.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/aug/26/do-not-resuscitate-medical-patient

[joeysteele]

I think you should be able to have that choice but it can be a grey area, I do recall being told by someone that a member of their family had been in a serious car accident, they were on life support for weeks but it was felt by the Medical team that they were brain dead and that it was pointless to continue.
However in the days later as the decision was being made, the person showed signs of brain activity and then later came round.
They had some permanent paralysis but were still able to function and get around.

Hard one to maybe legislate on.

[the truth]

Say you were in a serious accident and they had you on life support. But there was a huge chance you would be braindead if you ever came round. Should there be a way (a bit like the donors list) to decide before that happens what you would want to be done?

As it stands, its down to your next of kin. But it must be a ****ing horrible choice for them to make, and sometimes might go against your wishes.

Personally, if there was over a 1/4 chance of me being braindead, I would want them to give up on me. I have told my parents and gav this just incase, but I know it would still be awful for any of them to make that final decision.

Me and gav were just talking about a friend of his that was horrificially beaten up and was on life support...the doctors were next to certain he would be braindead. His grandad had brought him up, his grandad knew that he wouldnt want to live like that and wanted to turn the machine off, but the choice was down to his mother...who wouldnt. Now his friend is alive, but braindead...I dont think thats right at all.

Should there be some way of you making that decision yourself on the offchance that it might happen sometime in the future, and what would you chose if there was?

(Nice morbid thread to start off the day :laugh: )

I suggest you spend more time and energy worrying about a persons right to live , than his right to die. Ive stated another thread whether a disabled man was left to die, without even informing any of his family or anyone. this hapens all the time, the reason given? he has cerebral palsey. this is illegal, yet happens every day. and you say nothing?

why is the right to die more important to you, than the right to live?

[Vicky.]

I suggest you spend more time and energy worrying about a persons right to live , than his right to die. Ive stated another thread whether a disabled man was left to die, without even informing any of his family or anyone. this hapens all the time, the reason given? he has cerebral palsey. this is illegal, yet happens every day. and you say nothing?

why is the right to die more important to you, than the right to live?

I suggest if you dont like my threads you dont read them, and also try to keep on topic and discuss the actual OP, rather than me :)

[Harry!]

Living wills allow this.