Final days
I have become aware, over the last few years, of people’s experiences in their final days and I am not liking what I have been hearing.
It seems that a lot of the thought these days is to not treat or feed elderly people whose time it is known to be close. An example of this is an elderly person who has had a stroke, or someone suffering from Alzheimer’s who has had an infection. Relatives have been told not to feed them or offer fluids, even when the person is showing signs of wanting these. They are being told that doing so will only prolong this person’s suffering and any attempts to keep them alive will be for a life not worth living.
I get this argument. Why would one prolong someone’s life when there is no hope of any meaningful rehabilitation? But I also know that we all die. We do not live eternally in our physical bodies so why wouldn’t one give fluids to someone who is dying, to make that time more comfortable for them. Yes, they might live a little longer or even recover, but they will still die when they are ready.
When I was nursing, and that was back in the 70s, we stopped medication when the patient could no longer tolerate it. Sometimes, after doing so, the patient recovered and went on to have many more happy days. It had been the medication that was making them sick. But most often, they would die a day or two later. We continued offering fluids through a straw, if that was their wish. They still died when they were ready. But to withhold fluids when a person obviously wants some, seems cruel.
I have my own past life memories of starving to death in the American desert and they weren’t pleasant ones, coming through into this life with me to be healed, such was the impact of the trauma. I would hate to think of people today who are dying, who feel they are being starved to death.
I have heard of people going on for as long as three weeks, once fluids have been withheld. That is a long time for relatives, gathered at the bedside, to endure. And for the patients, themselves. I get that it is probably the correct decision to not offer IV fluids in cases such as these, but I am not sure I agree with this thinking when it comes to oral feeding. As I have already stated, these same patients will still die, but is it humane, to actually cause them suffering in their final days?
I would certainly hate to be thirsty and be prevented from having some fluid when my time comes.