For follow-up discussion and general commentary on the topic. Comments are sorted chronologically.
John Moyo
The simple answer to this seemingly complex question is that only God has the right to take life since it is only Him who gives it!
Shirley H
When my mom was dying, at one point I was told by an emergency room doctor, "If I give her the shot that her doctor ordered, she will die!" I did not have the right to answer, and had to get my dad to come to the hospital.
She seriously failed for 7 months. But, I think that sometimes for some doctors a patient has become a burden, and dare I say a waste of valuable time. "Tut tut, I have more important things to do..."
I was with her when she died at a later time. I went to see her after work, she was herself at that time. She had seriously followed the Karen Ann Quinlan case. In the meantime, the family had gathered and agreed to a DNR (Do Not Resuscitate order).
Anyway, she said, "I am so tired," and I said, "That's okay, just lay back and relax." She did and passed on to long-needed rest. I stayed, then called the nurse when I knew they could not torture her any longer.
This question has many sides.
With my dad, I got him to go to an IMC center. He was taken from there because he was having heart attack after heart attack to the hospital. Seeing him there, he wanted me to remove his breathing tube. I couldn't. A couple days later, they removed it and he passed.
My father-in-law also had the experience of artificial breathing. He survived, lived a while longer and declared, "Never do that to me again!"
Life is complex.
Shirley H
These last 6 months, my sister was very ill. Surgery to remove 5 feet of her colon, rehab, etc. At one point, my niece noticed she was not getting any nourishment in rehab. The response was that she needed a feeding tube. But wait, she already had one! The caregivers were unaware of it!!! What??? What is going on? Beware, always have an advocate!!! She died about a month ago.