To think that if drs tell you, someone basically has no chance and to withdraw care, not to trust them

[NewDawnNewDayNewLifeForMe]

After watching Louis Theroux and one born every min, it makes you think can we really put our trust in what drs say

On Louis there was some guy, they family where told he was basically Brian dead and to with draw care, suddenly after being in a coma for x amount if days I think about 35 or something he was talking walking knowing who was who etc, yet the drs had said he was brain dead
Then they started blaming it on each other
Oh it was the neurologists etc

Then on one born every min, a baby with serious lung problems
They parents where told they baby didn't have much hope before he was born, then when he was born after. He was in intensive care sometime and was asked to consider withdrawing care and there he was alive and well

Makes me think if anyone I know is on life support never allow the drs to turn the machines off as they really don't know for 100% fact

My daughter died seconds after her vent was pulled. There was nothing more to be done. They are not in the business of killing people. What an insensitive post, OP

I think it's a good thing that people are having a discussion about end of life descisions.

Remember OP that doctors getting it right everytime wouldn't make good TV.

The "team" looking after patients have in depth, lengthy conversations about such desicions based on available evidence and experience and obviously the ultimate aim is for people to recover but sadly death happens to everyone at some stage and the best we can do is make sure people are pain free and comfortable and relatives supported at the very worst time in their lives.

Quality is sometimes preferable to quantity for some.

It's a difficult subject for people to discuss.

To all of you who have lost loved ones

I agree with you Tweenage, I don't want to be resuscitated if the prognosis isn't good. I've seen the alternative and don't fancy spending years slowly and painfully dying in a nursing home.

Fayrazzled, it is so very hard isn't it. Luckily no-one has made any insensitive comments to me about it, although I do find the 'there's always hope' comments annoying. I simply cannot fool myself and 'unknow' the diagnosis and the inevitable end, so to me it is very clear that there is no hope.

I do try and talk to friends and family about end of life care now, and am open to talking about death. Perhaps threads such as these are a way to have a dialogue about these things, and if it encourages people to think about it, then that can only be a good thing.

I don't envy you Tweenage, it must be so hard to make those decisions.

Thankfully I don't ultimately have to make them, I contribute to the decision making process and it is inevitably me that pulls the tube and supports the family once the decision is made. I have never been involved in the withdrawal or withholding of treatment following a decision that I did not fully agree with and everyone is encouraged to contribute to the process.

There is a growing body of evidence surrounding the issue of moral distress among health care professionals particularly ICU nurses. This is distress which originates when the individual knows or thinks they know the course of action which is ethically correct but are prevented from pursuing this action because of the institution, colleagues or family. It is a real issue which if unrecognised and unsupported leads to burnout.

I actually think it is a privilege to be with someone and their loved ones in the final hours of life, to keep them comfortable, pain free and peaceful.

Yanbu, I watched the Louis Therox programme aswell. and initially I thought the family were mistaken not to turn off the life support and withdraw care, and even said to dp if it's me please let me go.

But then after 37 days in a coma, he came round and was walking in 6 weeks and talking, honestly I was amazed.

It really made me question things

Tweenage I think icu staff are amazing. It's such an intense and emotionally charged atmosphere. The staff I encountered were all so supportive and seemed to genuinely care about my friend and his family. They would have done anything for a different outcome.

Thankfully, the decision was made for us with DD1, as her lungs failed she developed a massive pneumothorax. Well, that was that.

A few of the cons in ICU definitely needed to move on, they had started to lose grip and one of them had. But it's a hard job and several were amazing.

The day I stop caring will be the day I leave.
I will admit that a career spent in ICU has also had some personal costs. It is bloody hard work, but I still love it.

Yeah, one of these people had gone from not caring to being more on the vicious side. Sad, but well, shouldn't really be there. The other, he did ask, and I told him he would be much better suited to academia/research without patient contact. And I found out later, that's where he is now! Good. He was excellent clinically but you could tell years of very ill children had taken its toll on him.

I completely understand expat, I know people that would be better off out of the clinical environment and have encountered the odd one who acts as you describe.
Patients and families deserve kind and compassionate clinicians as well as competent ones. I am so sorry you had to ever experience what you have had to. x

Doctors can make mistakes, however experienced they are, they are human and therefore fallible.

They don't tell you there is no hope for a laugh, it is based on evidence. Yes, some defy the evidence but most don't.

I would always be inclined to listen to a doctors medical opinion.

Nobody says of making a legal claim "the solicitor says there isn't a strong claim but listen to your gut and do it yourself". Well,not many people.

I think you have been somewhat insensitive here op, though I don't think that was your intention.