I think it's wrong to force this woman to have surgery

[margarete]

So if a three-year-old said he didn't want his medicine because it tasted nasty, you would oppose his parents forcing him to drink it?

 

You consider that bullying, do you?

 

Well I'll leave the thread in the hands of the people who favour forced surgery and enforced hospitalisation.

 

It's a slippery slope of which I disapprove.

[JFKvsNixon]

In this ladies case it would have been proven beyond reasonable doubt that she does not fully understand the ramifications of her decision in not having surgery, and as such an executive consent would have been given by the team of surgeons.

 

For example, it is said that the lady does not like hospitals, was she able to understand that in not having the operation she actually may spend more time in hospitals, and in a situation where she is in a lot pain?

[Dozy]

You consider that bullying, do you?

 

Well I'll leave the thread in the hands of the people who favour forced surgery and enforced hospitalisation.

 

It's a slippery slope of which I disapprove.

My bold

 

Why is it a slippery slope??

 

The poor woman was incapable of making an "informed decision" - "informed" is the key word here. As somebody else has already pointed out, if it's partly her fear of needles that's making her refuse treatment, she's going to end up dying in absolute agony, because she'll refuse morphine to treat the pain.

 

If I was diagnosed with cancer, I would be able to refuse treatment - because I am capable of making an informed decision. Lots of people refuse treatment for cancer and nobody tries to make them have it against their will.

[hard2miss]

Who are we to judge ?

 

They say she is incapable of making a rational decision and they know here more than any of us so I recon its the right chioce.

 

Its like not wanting to go to the dentist as a child and your parents making you. Once its done you just get on with it.

[HeadingNorth]

You consider that bullying, do you?

 

 

I don't, but you do. You equate bullying with the forcible administration of treatment on a person incapable of making a sensible, rational decision for themselves. A three-year-old fits that description.

[llamatron]

I think its possibly a horrifying decision however without being in court I don't know. I remember reading about a doctor talking about "right to die" cards saying that if he saw someone had one he would ignore it-which I think is outrageous. I also think that sometimes the medical profession try to push treatments...and don't get me started on euthenasia.

 

I think if there is a hint of doubt the decision should be left to the patient as its better to get it wrong with their consent than without it.

[medusa]

Just like with every criminal trial which is reported in the press, I wasn't at this court case and didn't hear the evidence which comprises the basis of the judgement and, for that reason, I refuse to condemn the decision taken by the judge in this case.

 

That's not saying that the decision was right or wrong, just that I am not armed with as much information as I would feel I needed on which to condone or condemn.

 

Letting someone die (and as jfish1936 commented, in a particularly horrible way) if they cannot conceive of the implications of their decision not to have treatment wouldn't suggest to me that she's got any advocate acting on her behalf.

 

My family have just been through a number of years of acting as attorney for my grandmother, who had dementia. It's deeply troubling to be asked to take total responsibility for the life of another, but there are times when it is necessary.

 

Whatever happens here, I hope that some care is taken to help this lady through her fears, rather than just using a chemical cosh to make her compliant.

[cressida]

The woman has made decisions for herself regarding surgery recently hasn't she? When we come into the world the only thing we own is our own bodies, I don't like the idea of someone taking control of a person's body at all, I'm not convinced that this woman cannot make rational decisions.

[HeadingNorth]

The woman has made decisions for herself regarding surgery recently hasn't she?

 

That she has made decisions is not in doubt. Whether they were rational decisions is the point at issue.

 

I'm not convinced that this woman cannot make rational decisions.

 

Nor am I, but a highly-qualified judge, assisted by medical experts and given the full knowledge of the case, has concluded that she cannot. On what are we to base our assumptions that he is wrong - apart from a perfectly natural instinct that people should control their own bodies?

[cressida]

That she has made decisions is not in doubt. Whether they were rational decisions is the point at issue.

 

 

 

Nor am I, but a highly-qualified judge, assisted by medical experts and given the full knowledge of the case, has concluded that she cannot. On what are we to base our assumptions that he is wrong - apart from a perfectly natural instinct that people should control their own bodies?

 

I think the final decision should rest with her, just because it isn't in agreement with the judge's decision doesn't mean it is irrational