How life should be treated. This ancient and eternal conundrum is once again before us. A few days ago, a heart-wrenching incident in Gansu Province sparked widespread attention and heated discussions: a 56-year-old patient with kidney failure was forced to pull out a ventilator and passed away forever after family consultation. However, when he was dying, he wrote crookedly on the paper: "Please don't extubate, I still want to live!" The words are unbearable. How should we view this tragedy? The right to life or the right to die with dignity? Let us explore this thought-provoking question.
On April 16, a heart-wrenching piece of news sparked heated discussions on the Internet. After an ambulance took a 56-year-old patient with kidney failure home, family members gathered to discuss whether to abandon treatment. After 6 hours of difficult maintenance, most of the family members believed. Since the doctors have said that there is no way, let the patient rest in peace. So they decided to unplug the ventilator that was keeping the patient alive.
At this moment, the patient miraculously came to his senses and stretched out his hand tremblingly. On the paper, he wrote crookedly, "Please don't extubate, I still want to live!" These few words. Seeing this scene, the originally determined family members immediately cried bitterly. They also wanted the patient to continue to live and hoped that he would recover as soon as possible, but the doctor said that "there is no hope of treatment". They just couldn't find any other way. Under the dual pressure of financial inaffordability and persistent patient suffering. Eventually, they made up their minds.
This choice. It undoubtedly triggered a strong response from the public. Some netizens said angrily: "Ants are still stealing life, let alone people? Just a ventilator can use a few dollars? The patients have begged you to pull it out." I can't understand this kind of thing!" Others have also said that since the patient still has the desire to live, the family should continue to give the patient a chance to be treated, even if it is only a few more days.
This incident is truly distressing. Because we all know the preciousness of life. But we can't completely dismiss the family's choice. Behind their decisions lies a lot of unspeakable struggles and pains.
We need to understand the doctor's perspective. In the face of a critically ill patient who has fallen into kidney failure. Doctors have come to the judgment that "there is no hope for treatment". Treatment in hospitals is expensive and the chances of a cure are minimal. Therefore, the doctor advised the family to bring the patient home and let him spend his last days peacefully at home. This practice is cruel, but it is also out of consideration for patients and their families.
We also need to put ourselves in the shoes of our families. Bear huge medical expenses and cannot make their loved ones recover. This is undoubtedly a heavy burden for the average family. And seeing their loved ones struggling with their illness, the family members are also suffering. In the case where the doctors all said "no way". They may have been desperate enough to make the decision to extubate.
We need to be considerate of the patient's wishes. At the critical moment of dying, he could still struggle and write, "Please don't extubate." I still want to live". This undoubtedly shows that there is still a glimmer of hope for survival in his heart. But in the eyes of the family, that hope may be insignificant. Because they have lost the courage and financial resources to continue the treatment.
Overall, the incident reflects the complexity of life's puzzles. The trade-off of life and the dignity of good life are eternal topics in human society. For doctors, they may simply be doing what they can to alleviate the pain of patients and their families. As for the families, they want their loved ones to continue to live, but they cannot bear more pain and burden. This struggle and hardship is undoubtedly heart-wrenching.
In fact, similar tragedies are not uncommon in reality. Not long ago, a similar case occurred in Meishan, Sichuan, where a 50-year-old woman was brain dead in a car accident, and her family finally chose to transfer to an intensive care unit to maintain her life. But the woman's son later removed the breathing tube without authorization, resulting in the death of his mother, and was arrested by the police for intentional homicide.
This case reminds us once again. The choice of life is very serious and cannot be sloppy. If the extubation is voluntary, it is likely to be guilty of intentional homicide. However, simply abandoning treatment is not a crime, although it may cause moral controversy. So we have to be extra cautious when faced with such a heavy choice. The patient's wishes should be fully considered, while the family's situation and choices should be respected.
Overall, this incident has once again triggered people's thinking about complex issues such as the right to life and medical ethics. For patients who are dying, they still want to live, even if they are struggling with pain. However, for the families, it is difficult for them to continue to support themselves under the financial and mental burden. This dilemma is undoubtedly worrying.
We certainly want life to be cherished and maintained. But at the same time, it is important to understand the difficult situation faced by the families. Perhaps through the joint efforts of all parties in society. We can provide more help and support to these dying patients and their families. Let them die with dignity in their last days.