Reply To: Hospital Horror Stories?

Home Forums Decaffeinated Coffee Hospital Horror Stories? Reply To: Hospital Horror Stories?

#1085210
ubiquitin
Participant

DY

Are you saying if it is not based on Torah it is automatically corrupt?

Incidentally, there are rare cases where the rolls are reversed.

For example, I know of a case where a patient was dying of cancer and the family wanted to prolong his life, as a son was on his way from Israel. The patient’s respiratory status deteriorated to the point that he required a ventilator. The Doctor’s were eager to intubate to prolong life for a few more days, but the Family’s Rav advised against it, since it would not really change the overall prognosis and once intubated they would be “Stuck” since it would be problematic to remove the ventilator.

The Ethicst was flabbergasted, since a key yesod of modern medicla ethics holds withholding and withdrawing are the same. He could not understand if the Rav was willing to withold treatment why not innitiate it, allow the son to come say goodbye and then withdraw. Obviously halacha views them differently.

(This wouldn’t change your over all view, just an interesting aside)