Someone recently posed this question, "Is is suicide to stop dialysis?" and most people I saw that responded did not end up answering the question. As a matter of fact, at last check, only one person had directly answered.
It is a difficult question to read, even for me; I do not know this person, and I have been in his/her shoes, nearly refusing it myself. I cannot imagine being the family member who has
not been in our shoes having this discussion with a loved one.
The end-of-life decision is one many people must face, at one time or another, not transplant patients alone. Some people attempt to make future decisions, such as DNRs, or Do Not Resuscitates, in the event that a medical team would deem it necessary otherwise. It's opting out of treatment. Just like choosing not to dialyze, or have a transplant, or have chemotherapy treatments, is opting out.
It is our right to choose. Our right to choose to cease suffering. When the treatments has ceased to work for us. When the treatment becomes more unbearable than letting go of life. I appreciate our right to choose this path. Just like I appreciated Dr. Kevorkian helping people that wanted to move on out of this life, to move on. (I only heard tidbits about him, and this is what I understand - I don't mean to start controversy!)
I heard about a man who lost both of his legs and one of his arms due to his long duration of dialysis treatments while awaiting a kidney transplant. He finally decided to discontinue diaylsis, knowing full well the outcome. It had become unbearable, despite having his grown son and grandchild to live for. He was only 40 when he passed away.
Next time you hear someone posing this question (that is in the U.S.).... if it comes down to a time that s/he makes a decision not to have treatment... the silver lining, or tension reliever, for this person or the family is that, apparently,
Medicare covers home care for this. I, for one, am very much relieved. Finances are just one thing my husband has to handle completely because it is just one more stressful thing on my plate that causes me to have a meltdown.
I just hope that it helps someone out there, should it come down to this.
http://kidneyfoundation.wordpress.com/2013/06/03/are-there-home-care-or-palliative-care-options-for-someone-with-esrd-who-wont-consent-to-dialysis/
