Would you want to be revived during a heartattack?

[i-need-a-martini]

...if it ment you lived your life like this man?

This woman wishes that he hadn't been revived and you can see her point. I've copied some of the article below but here is full version: http://www.dailylife.com.au/life-and-love/real-life/should-all-patients-be-resuscitated-20130805-2r8...

What if this happened to you?

Trevor spent three and a half months in hospital. Part of the recovery process of brain damage is major mood swings that include frustration and aggression. I could never get used to seeing him restrained in his bed, but after being subjected to a headlock and then an attempt to smash my head into a wall, I accepted that it was necessary for everyone’s safety.

Trevor was moved to a rehabilitation centre and we thought everything would begin to improve. He could walk, eat his own meals, was starting to dress himself and look after his own grooming. But his brain injury had left Trevor with aphasia. He had trouble getting the words he wanted to say out in the right order. By constantly showing him photos of his life and then introducing words to match them, Trevor began to figure out a ways to communicate with us.

Suddenly everything started to go downhill medically. Trevor’s bowel shut down and he went from 103kgs to 73kgs in a couple of months. He was slowly dying before our eyes. We had to pay a carer to sit with him and assist with his meals to ensure he received the nutrition he needed.

The rehabilitation centre insisted that Trevor be moved elsewhere as they didn't feel he could improve any further. Trevor moved into an aged care facility because nowhere else could provide the level of support and care he now required. Trevor was once a “chick magnet” with plenty of friends and a busy social life – now he lives in an aged care facility at the young age of 55.

[icyfroth]

 Not if I couldn't live a quality life, no. But how would anyone know beforehand to it will turn out?

[meh_too]

At least he's had a chance to say goodbye.  Some just fall, and its all over. Good for them, but awful for the family left behind.

[cherry*135]

icy - But how would anyone know beforehand to it will turn out?

What is the answer to that? Obviously if medical staff know the person would make a good recovery they should go for it, if they know the person will be severely disabled then maybe not... but they don't know those things do they?

.

[buzzlightyearsgirlfriend]

And how would you even know IF it was a heart attack? Heart attacks don't follow the scripts from ER or the movies. People don't always clutch their chests and know they are having a heart attack. Some heart attacks are not diagnosed until after the person has keeled over or died. As a lay person, I can't tell if the "turn" someone is having is a TIA/stroke, an grand mal epileptic seizure or a heart attack. I've seen people have all three and they look pretty much the same, to me, when they start. If the person became incontinent during the "turn" I would guess from prior experience it was a grand mal seizure and do the appropriate first aid, but who can tell for sure at the time?  

The fact is, when someone keels over caused by whatever, it is our duty as human beings to assist them via CPR and first aid or by whatever means, unless they have previously expressly demanded that they want no life saving measures.

In my opinion, if the person was known to have heart failure or congestive heart disease or whatever else makes you have heart attacks and keel over, and made their wishes known that they DID NOT want live saving measures, then fine.  Do nothing. Otherwise, do CPR for all you're worth.

As I was recently told by a forensic medical officer, only a small percentage of people who are revived and "saved" by CPR and even make it to the hospital end up leaving hospital the same as they were before. The rest die anyway or end up very damaged and don't come home.

That woman wants a rewind button for her brother and there is no such thing in life.

YMMV.

[ashjoma]

Not with brain damage, no

[kengillard]

my OH had a "heart attack"...not many symptoms tho.  was taken to hospital by ambos and had all sorts of tests...luckilly he was diagnosed as needing a quadruple bypass..which he had...if he hadnt' he wouldnt be here now.  so you don't really know...just do your  best at the time