Good Death, or Assisted Suicide?

The Case of Mr. Perry and his PacemakerTarris Rosell, PhD, DMinRosemary Flanigan Chair at the Center for Practical BioethicsNOTE: Dr. Rosell, a bioethics consultant and educator, will present the case of Mr. Perry for ethics discussion and likely debate on Thursday, June 22, 2017 at 7:00 PM in the artfully rebuilt Westport Presbyterian Church, 201 Westport Rd, Kansas City, MO. Bring your perspectives, arguments, and personal stories of moral medical dilemma. Admission is free. All are invited and welcome.Mr. Perry (not his real name) was 83 years old and had several medical problems. He had spent the past several months in and out of hospitals and rehab. Prior to that, he lived independently in a small Midwestern town. Widowed many years ago, he subsequently enjoyed the company of a lovely lady friend who lived down the street from the Perry home. He had five adult children and numerous grandchildren.Life should have been relatively good for this octogenarian. But life was not good. Not anymore. “My body is all worn out. I’m worn out. Don’t want to do this anymore, Doc. They say I can’t go home and be safe. And I’m NOT going to a nursing home. No way! Just stop that little gadget that shocks me and the part that keeps my heart going. I want them stopped. Yes, the pacemaker, too. A magnet will stop it, right? Just do it. Please.”Tired of FightingMr. Perry had a cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator (CRT-D) implanted a few years ago...
Source: blog.bioethics.net - Category: Medical Ethics Authors: Tags: Health Care assisted suicide; advance care planning; Final Exit; aging and end of life syndicated Source Type: blogs