Comments on DID I MURDER MY SISTER?

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Gigimaegoodday...

...thanks for your thoughtful comment.

No, I've never felt bad about that discussion, or the outcome (given she was dying anyway, there was no point in her hanging around, suffering more and more). But it was an interesting area to explore, given the fact the trial of the other doc was kicking off at the time.

Thanks for reading.

D

posted by DamonLeigh on November 17, 2005 at 2:56 AM | link to this | reply

did you?

did you murder her or did the doctor?  Here's the deal in my opinion.  The Great Creator knows every hair upon our heads and he is aware of all of our days before we were even created in the womb of our mothers.  He knows every step we will take and every breath we'll make.  I firmly blelieve that if He didn't have it in his plan for her to pass that very day at that very hour, nothing you or the doctor could have done would have sent her to be with the Creator.  Does that make sense? 

I think of Terri Schivo.  What happened to her was inhumane and totally uncalled for and her "HUSBAND"[ NOT}  should be brought up on charges, along with what that "ticket officer" of a judge, for the crimes they committed against that precious little lambe.. My thoughts about the matter are that he did something that she saw or found out about and he wanted to be rid of her from the gitgo and when he couldn't off her after years of torture, he finally did the only thing left starve her and let her die of dehydration. 

Yet here's my point for your story with your sister.  If the Lord didn't have it written down in the lamb's book of life for terri to go that very day and hour, nothing this side f hell could of made and I say made her die. 

Perhaps this will be able to help you put this to rest in your mind.  Do I agree with people stepping in to help another die, well that is not for me to say, because I am only responsible for the things that I do on earth when I step before the White throne of Judgement.  So no, I am not agreeing or disagreeing with your decsion, and I am sure you were trying to help her and not off her like Mike did Terri.

If you feel that you made a wrong decision with regards to your sister, you know the Lord wants to listen to you and he will forgive you if you ask him.  If you feel good about your choice and have no regrets, then talk to him about that also and he will give you peace that surpasses all understanding.

 

thanks for listening.

 

posted by Gigimaegoodday on November 16, 2005 at 7:57 PM | link to this | reply

Pat B...

..thanks for your comment.

It's hard to believe, but we're coming up to the tenth anniversary of her death. Tough times they were.

D

posted by DamonLeigh on October 31, 2005 at 5:19 AM | link to this | reply

Dylan...

...well, either way, I seem to have gotten away with it, as has my doctor! And Paula went peacefully, so what else could I ask for?

Thanks for commenting.

D

posted by DamonLeigh on October 31, 2005 at 5:18 AM | link to this | reply

JanesOpinion...

...yes, I did wonder that about the dosage.

There's care, and there's careless!

Thanks for reading.

D

posted by DamonLeigh on October 31, 2005 at 5:16 AM | link to this | reply

Hemlocker...

...I feel you're right.

Thanks for the comment.

D

posted by DamonLeigh on October 31, 2005 at 5:15 AM | link to this | reply

I'm so sorry about your sister, Damon,

but how sweet to have a brother who'd risk it all to take such care. We should all be so lucky.  

posted by Pat_B on October 27, 2005 at 9:17 AM | link to this | reply

I am surprised that what happened...

...to your sister would be considered a crime. Janes Opinion cited some facts that, if proven true, do seem to indicate a different action from the gradual morphine increase given your sister.

In any case, of course you did not commit murder. I don't even think that most opponents of euthanasia could find fault with your case if they looked at it honestly (which is far from a given once an issue becomes politicized).

In Roman Catholic teaching, what matters is whether or not the action (such as, an increase in morphine) is primarily intended to kill. If it is mainly intended to relieve pain but has the unavoidable side effect of hastening death, it's okay.

That's just one perspective, of course. My college religion prof - a Protestant - rejected the "double effect" principle. I think it has merit if carefully applied.

In the U.S., the controversy over euthanasia has centered mainly around "right to die" laws that legalize the voluntary prescription of lethal drug doses to terminally ill patients up to six months prior to their anticipated deaths. The federal government has attempted to override state laws permitting the practice. They are unlikely to be successful.

If anything I would suspect the UK of being more liberal on matters like this. It would surprise me if this doctor were convicted of anything beyond perhaps poor judgment, if that. But then again, I'm not from the UK.   

posted by Dyl_Pickle on October 27, 2005 at 3:27 AM | link to this | reply

Are you sure about that?

(Always taking the opposing side but someone's gotta do it!)

Gradually titrating up on Morphine is different than giving someone 12x the standard dose.  It's one thing to give gradually increasing doses of Morphine over a period of a few days than to inject, say, 50 mg of Morphine into someone's IV all at once (approx 12x the standard dose).  I obviously don't know the details of this GP's story so I could be totally wrong.  But from what you wrote it sounds as if the GP gave 12x the recommended dose all at once.  That would be murder.  But the dosing for your sister is standard comfort care.

OK, I could not resist.  I did a google search.  Your GP injected to one pt a total of 180 mg of Morphine over a period of 10 hours in 60 mg doses.  Those are HUGE! Standard dosing in a hospital setting (with a heart monitor and SpO2 monitor -- to monitor oxygen levels) would be 4-6 mg per hour.  Rarely do you see 10 mg/hour and that dose WILL kill someone if given for more than a few hours.  I have never heard of giving 60 mg of Morphine at one time.  Or 180 mg over 10 hours.

Oops, sorry, I think I made my point.  Forgive me for belaboring the point. What I'm trying to say is that it is very possible to keep someone comfortable and to help them die with dignity and comfort -- as you did with your sister -- without overdosing them on huge doses like this GP did.

posted by JanesOpinion on October 26, 2005 at 8:11 PM | link to this | reply

DamonLeigh

Others won't agree with me but I say you did the right thing. I have a feeling your doctor would have carried out the family's wishes whether or not you asked him. If your sister had to die, she had the right to die in peace and comfort. Don't be hard on yourself. You certainly did not kill her.

posted by Hemlocker on October 26, 2005 at 9:12 AM | link to this | reply