Is starvation a painful way to die?

[SeaSpray]

ITA! What's the difference in "putting her to sleep" vs. withholding water & food? The end result is death either way and one simple shot could save a lot of suffering - for everyone involved.

Why is it ok to put dogs and cats to sleep, but not humans - who in some cases - beg for it? So sad.

I was at my mother's side when we basically killed her by starving her and dehydrating her. (Yes, I still have issues with this, and feelings of guilt. While it was not my decision to make, it was my father's, I was there at her side 24 hours a day while she was dying, and until she died). While I only hope to God that it wasn't painful, we can't really know this for a fact, can we.

Since it's one's intentions to KILL the person when we withhold nutrition and water ANYWAY, why not just give a shot that will accomplish the same thing instantly and at the same time we are SURE they are not suffering needlessly, for days, even weeks.

P.S. At the moment of her death, and earlier that moment, there was nothing "peaceful" about it. I won't go into details, but suffice it to say that these are images I see in my mind far too often. It's been over a year and a half since her death.

EDITED TO ADD: I don't want my post to be misconstrued. I definitely agreed that my mother was dying and to keep her alive by means of Intravenous methods (she wasn't on a feeding tube), was only prolonging a life that was probably painful already and was deteriorating daily. My *only* problem with this whole "end of life" thing is not the decision to end a loved one's life, but rather to do it in the least painful way to both the one who is dying and also the family. But MOST importantly, for the one who is dying. Families are making this most painful decision, I would imagine hundreds of times a day in this country; there's GOT to be a better way to end someone's life than to starve/dehydrate them to death. I don't care HOW "peaceful" it may seem and hopefully in most cases it IS peaceful (and in my mother's case, it didn't seem peaceful at all), there is just no need to make the death process last so long in these cases, where the end result is death anyway. (Again, not to be confused with cases where the patient may *not* be facing imminent death).

 

[JennyMominRI]

I was at my mother's side when we basically killed her by starving her and dehydrating her. (Yes, I still have issues with this, and feelings of guilt. While it was not my decision to make, it was my father's, I was there at her side 24 hours a day while she was dying, and until she died). While I only hope to God that it wasn't painful, we can't really know this for a fact, can we.

Since it's one's intentions to KILL the person when we withhold nutrition and water ANYWAY, why not just give a shot that will accomplish the same thing instantly and at the same time we are SURE they are not suffering needlessly, for days, even weeks.

I'm sorry about your Mom. What a tough decision to have to make.I wish we could just give someone an injection..I believe you can in Oregon

 

[SeaSpray]

I'm sorry about your Mom. What a tough decision to have to make.I wish we could just give someone an injection..I believe you can in Oregon

Thank you, I sincerely appreciate that. I just don't understand why it's illegal to do that to an animal, even if the animal is terminally ill, yet it's acceptable and legal to do to a human.

 

[shelbyjosh]

Where's Dr. Kevorkian when you need him?? He was a blessing in disguise. Too bad they wouldn't legalize assisted suicide. I am sure many people would opt for this rather than suffer.

 

[Disney Doll]

We are being told that the death planned for Terri is just wonderful. Why only limit the beauty of it to her. Surely you wouldn't resent death row prisoners from having the last great experience, would you?

Actually Dawn, if they really decided they wanted to starve death row inmates instead of lethal injection, the electric chair, gas chamber or whatever the accepted methods were, I wouldn't have a real problem with that. And I am sure the families of the people they killed wouldn't have a problem with it either.

I am not sure what your end-of-life experiences as a nurse have been, but mine have been pretty similar to what is described. The person stops eating, and they drift away. Doesn't appear to be a lot of pain or drama...not nearly as dramatic as you make it out to be.

 

[Disney Doll]

Thank you, I sincerely appreciate that. I just don't understand why it's illegal to do that to an animal, even if the animal is terminally ill, yet it's acceptable and legal to do to a human.

Neither do I seaspray...neither do I.

 

[skiwee1]

I witnessed my grandmother's death two years ago the way Terri is expected to go. My grandmother died without any living will so it was up to my mom as to whether to remove the feeding tubes. My grandmother was kind of like Terri in that she would smile, follow you with her eyes, even squeeze your hand. The doctors ran tests and came to the conclusion that these were only perfunctory movements and that she really was in a vegetative state. My mom got 5 other doctors opinions, which were the same, and she decided to stop all liquids and nutrition. Funny thing is that there was no mass movement to save my grandmother! I guess only certain folks qualify for the massive invasion of one's privacy. Anyway, my grandmother died in 12 days. She went peacefully and with a smile on her face. We have NO regrets.

 

[disney4us2002]

Is it painful? I don't know. I know what I've read. I know it isn't what we experienced with my mother's death. Yes, she was end stage cancer but her death certificate didn't list cancer as death; it listed something along the lines of complete organ failure or some such term. Even on morphine patches she seemed to be in excruciating pain.

Unless someone dies of starvation/dehydration and is brought back to share that experience, can we really know?

 

[JennyMominRI]

Unless someone dies of starvation/dehydration and is brought back to share that experience, can we really know?

Many of them are conscious and speaking until the end...And they still have their cerebral cortexes