[Oliver_W]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

See that's where I think there's a slight moral issue though; I'm not saying keep the machines on indefinitely, however if the reason for turning them off is because they're needed elsewhere rather than to reduce suffering EVEN IF there is no chance of recovery, then I think it's a shame that we're in that situation and can't give the family a little more time to come to terms with their loss before forcing the issue. "Lack of resources" doesn't seem a good enough reason to force traumatic action on the family. He isn't suffering so there's no moral reason not to keep the machines on, from that angle.

Again I'm not saying keep the machines on indefinitely, just that (in a perfect world) they could be given more time and counselling to understand what's happened, what brain death means, to come more to terms with the fact that he will never wake up etc. before "brute force" taking control of the situation.

Well yeah. Clinging onto blind hope aside,I'm not entirely sure his family fully grasps what braindeath means, as in, what's going on with him physically and neurologically, and what things would be like for him if he woke up.
I'm not saying potential brain damage means someone's life isn't worth living, by the way.