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StephN · 11-23-2007, 12:46 PM

Hi Nicola -
I am answering based on recent history with my family.
I have had the horrible experience over the past 7 months where my father was put on a feeding tube and ventilator via the trach/PEG interventions. This is artificial life support. In the case of my father his heart was bad and his lungs had gotten weak from infection. He did not have cancer or other major health problems like diabetes, etc. His quality of life after that was very poor. He passed away on November 5 from a ravaging infection.

He was never able to wean off the ventilator and the pulmonologist said that he was weak because for him it was like running a marathon every day and this used all his strength. He was never able to really get back on his feet or rehab to any successrful degree because of his weakness and bad heart. It was a vicious cycle as the heart and lungs are closely connected.

The hospitals will recommend this ONLY in patients they feel have half a chance. The doctors really do know which patients have any hope of pulling through. My Mom was not ready to honor dad's Advance Directives as you know how hard it is to know when it is really not fair to subject your loved one to further indignities. The risk of infection is much greater with all these tubes entering the body. If your mom has low white counts now an infection could be terrible for her.

After what I have seen, I have asked my family to never keep me alive that way. I want them to love me by knowing when to let go of my earthly body.

11-23-2007, 12:46 PM	#8
StephN Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Misty woods of WA State Posts: 4,128	So hard to know ... Hi Nicola - I am answering based on recent history with my family. I have had the horrible experience over the past 7 months where my father was put on a feeding tube and ventilator via the trach/PEG interventions. This is artificial life support. In the case of my father his heart was bad and his lungs had gotten weak from infection. He did not have cancer or other major health problems like diabetes, etc. His quality of life after that was very poor. He passed away on November 5 from a ravaging infection. He was never able to wean off the ventilator and the pulmonologist said that he was weak because for him it was like running a marathon every day and this used all his strength. He was never able to really get back on his feet or rehab to any successrful degree because of his weakness and bad heart. It was a vicious cycle as the heart and lungs are closely connected. The hospitals will recommend this ONLY in patients they feel have half a chance. The doctors really do know which patients have any hope of pulling through. My Mom was not ready to honor dad's Advance Directives as you know how hard it is to know when it is really not fair to subject your loved one to further indignities. The risk of infection is much greater with all these tubes entering the body. If your mom has low white counts now an infection could be terrible for her. After what I have seen, I have asked my family to never keep me alive that way. I want them to love me by knowing when to let go of my earthly body. __________________ "When I hear music, I fear no danger. I am invulnerable. I see no foe. I am related to the earliest times, and to the latest." H.D. Thoreau Live in the moment. MY STORY SO FAR ~~~~ Found suspicious lump 9/2000 Lumpectomy, then node dissection and port placement Stage IIB, 8 pos nodes of 18, Grade 3, ER & PR - Adriamycin 12 weekly, taxotere 4 rounds 36 rads - very little burning 3 mos after rads liver full of tumors, Stage IV Jan 2002, one spot on sternum Weekly Taxol, Navelbine, Herceptin for 27 rounds to NED! 2003 & 2004 no active disease - 3 weekly Herceptin + Zometa Jan 2005 two mets to brain - Gamma Knife on Jan 18 All clear until treated cerebellum spot showing activity on Jan 2006 brain MRI & brain PET Brain surgery on Feb 9, 2006 - no cancer, 100% radiation necrosis - tumor was still dying Continue as NED while on Herceptin & quarterly Zometa Fall-2006 - off Zometa - watching one small brain spot (scar?) 2007 - spot/scar in brain stable - finished anticoagulation therapy for clot along my port-a-catheter - 3 angioplasties to unblock vena cava 2008 - Brain and body still NED! Port removed and scans in Dec. Dec 2008 - stop Herceptin - Vaccine Trial at U of W begun in Oct. of 2011 STILL NED everywhere in Feb 2014 - on wing & prayer 7/14 - Started twice yearly Zometa for my bones Jan. 2015 checkup still shows NED 2015 Neuropathy in feet - otherwise all OK - still NED. Same news for 2016 and all of 2017. Nov of 2017 - had small skin cancer removed from my face. Will have Zometa end of Jan. 2018.