Police: Ohio man shoots wife in hospital ICU

[davidmash]

AKRON, Ohio (AP) — A 66-year-old man entered a hospital intensive care unit and shot his 65-year-old wife while standing at her bedside, Ohio police said.

Police: Ohio man shoots wife in hospital ICU

I'm not sure why, in a supposed civilized society we have to resort to killing our loved ones with a gun in order to prevent suffering.

I know that due to HIPA not all the info can be released so there is some speculation involved but I feel safe in assuming that since they were married for 45 years and she was in ICU I am betting the prognosis was not favorable and he was not just looking to off her to hook up with the baby sitter.

This country has some jacked up perspectives on the sanctity of life in my opinion.

[jplinville]

Originally Posted by davidmash

Police: Ohio man shoots wife in hospital ICU

I'm not sure why, in a supposed civilized society we have to resort to killing our loved ones with a gun in order to prevent suffering.

I know that due to HIPA not all the info can be released so there is some speculation involved but I feel safe in assuming that since they were married for 45 years and she was in ICU I am betting the prognosis was not favorable and he was not just looking to off her to hook up with the baby sitter.

This country has some jacked up perspectives on the sanctity of life in my opinion.

First off, after 45 years of marriage, I highly doubt they have children that are in the age group requiring babysitters to watch them...they are of the age to have grandchildren.

Second...I also highly doubt that a living will was in place prior to her health problems. He knows her wishes, and is probably doing what he knows...

Somehow, I doubt you would understand...

[davidmash]

Originally Posted by jplinville

First off, after 45 years of marriage, I highly doubt they have children that are in the age group requiring babysitters to watch them...they are of the age to have grandchildren.

Second...I also highly doubt that a living will was in place prior to her health problems. He knows her wishes, and is probably doing what he knows...

Somehow, I doubt you would understand...

First, sarcasm is lost on you huh? I'll try and put a happy face there for you next time. In other words.... Duh. Thank you Cpt Obvious.

Living will has nothing to do with allowing someone to end their life when they see fit. That has to do with DNR's and life saving/prolonging methods.

Really. I guess I was mistaken when my mother and one of my best friends dies horrible deaths due to cancer.

[kerry]

Sad that it has to come to this. If they lived in Holland, they would have had much better choices.

[Stoney]

A close relative chose euthanasia recently. Age 96. They passed peacefully and with MD signoff on their choice of way to leave this world.

No strum und drang, no legal hassles.

He was at home in his bed with no pain at all.

I hope that if/when I have to make this choice I have his courage.

[davidmash]

When I am ready I hope I have the right.

[Dudesky]

Originally Posted by davidmash

First, sarcasm is lost on you huh? I'll try and put a happy face there for you next time. In other words.... Duh. Thank you Cpt Obvious.

Living will has nothing to do with allowing someone to end their life when they see fit. That has to do with DNR's and life saving/prolonging methods.

Really. I guess I was mistaken when my mother and one of my best friends dies horrible deaths due to cancer.

Correct, but until legislation is passed to allow these choices, its a moot point.
Unless you take matters into your own hands.
You had that choice.

[layback40]

Gun is a bit over the top. Turn the Morphine pump up to max or turn off the ventilator. Much less dramatic.

[davidmash]

Originally Posted by Dudesky

Correct, but until legislation is passed to allow these choices, its a moot point.
Unless you take matters into your own hands.
You had that choice.

Thar was the point of this thread. The law needs to be changed to allow us to die on our terms and with dignity.

[davidmash]

Originally Posted by layback40

Gun is a bit over the top. Turn the Morphine pump up to max or turn off the ventilator. Much less dramatic.

Given the current environment here in the US I see a few problems with that. In a hospital the second you turn off the vent alarms will sound. The pumps are locked down so unless you have a key any tampering will be caught by staff and probably passed on to local law enforcement. Same would probably apply to home hospice.

I think it is disgusting that we have to break the law in order to die with dignity on our own terms.

[Benz Dr.]

Hey! Where's pastor M. on this one!

Um... on second thought. Never mind..............

We have the same laws here. Some people die really hard - it can can just about suck the life out of the living who witness such things. Others die peacefully and none can say how they will go.

[Txjake]

Originally Posted by davidmash

Given the current environment here in the US I see a few problems with that. In a hospital the second you turn off the vent alarms will sound. The pumps are locked down so unless you have a key any tampering will be caught by staff and probably passed on to local law enforcement. Same would probably apply to home hospice.

I think it is disgusting that we have to break the law in order to die with dignity on our own terms.

X 1000000000000: the laws MUST change

[kerry]

Originally Posted by Stoney

A close relative chose euthanasia recently. Age 96. They passed peacefully and with MD signoff on their choice of way to leave this world.

No strum und drang, no legal hassles.

He was at home in his bed with no pain at all.

I hope that if/when I have to make this choice I have his courage.

When did NY get a death with dignity law? I thought only Oregon and Washington had those laws.

[raymr]

A doctor's assessment, a relative's signature, and a friend's signature is all that should be required for legal euthanasia. Why should people go through terrible suffering with a terminal illness?

[barry123400]

Not from a mercenary perspective. This thought of squeezing the maximum time out of a suffering individual. Especially in situations where they do not want it has a serious cost factor to it as well.

I have heard it stated that the bulk of medical expenses for an average person occurs during their last year of life. That fact may well be in the majority of cases for all I know.

If it is absolutly hopeless and suffering is involved. Why not let them go peacfully and quick if they want. What is the upside otherwise does concern me. As we see it is absolutly nothing.

Laying around especially in pain waiting to die cannot be any fun. Many doctors also will not pain medicate at high enough levels as well. Both to not make an individual an addict. If that can in reality be seen to be a really valid consideration at that stage. Or getting there hands slapped for over prescribing. This in the face of one of the doctors primary functions being to remove pain.

People in white towers and totally out of touch make these insane no relief type of laws. As I see it if two doctors state in their opinion the end is near and the patient wants relief from the pain and anxiety. It should be a real viable option. Doctors like the rest of us can develop mental conditions or biases so it should be two doctors that concur in my opinion.

I am not facing this situation I call the end of the road in an active fashion right now.It would be nice though if I had a real option of how to terminate if a bad situation evolved. Something of some nature legally has to occur hopefully prior to mine and the wifes need. Or senselesly prolonging the inevitable will increase and the costs of the practice will balloon beyond belief costwise. The population on average is aging very fast. This should result otherwise in an individuals medical coverage costs really escallating to enable it.

The money saved in the system might even allow better medical treatment for people that have a fighting chance with whatever is wrong. It really disturbs me that many people cannot get the average level of care or have to live with treatable conditions because of a lack of money. In some societies even delaying treatment because of these factors. I no longer think it is arguable that the higher early death rates or longivity shortfall in a society that has people in bad situations should be tollerated. Except for the grace of god so to speak any of us could be there. Also I am a believer that societies without proper medical care for all are on the decline. This is just common sense.

They cannot in reality really care about their populations and fellow citizens.Medicine for profit primarily is or should be obsolite by now.

I feel our long term family doctor will not let us suffer too much. This hopefully because he is both a personal friend and knows us and our family extremely well. Unfortunatly I have no assurances of this. At the same time I really feel that having a good relationship with your doctor and being a well balanced person might help a doctor act in a much more responsible fashion as the end nears. An almost total stranger of a doctor cannot risk doing much for you if he has no ideal of what the members of that family are really like and would naturally go along with him under todays laws in north america.. Two thousand and thirteen is approaching yet these basic problems in many of our societies have not been well taken care of in my opinion.

One has to ask themselves if we elect representatives to act in our best interests why they are they not doing so. To me it is pretty obvious they are not on many, many fronts.