Can we get one for Pollies? "Do Not Feed"

I respect Vince Phelan's right to make choices regarding his own life. He's an intelligent and well informed person. Why should he (or anyone else) be denied that right? I find it difficult to accept that a strong, sophisticated society like ours can't accommodate and respect the life philosophy he shares with so many.

Whilst I have no problems with euthanasia for terminally ill persons, how do we legislate to ensure that persons coming to the end of the road, do not have their end hastened on by greedy and manipulative relatives and the like, anxious to obtain their inheritance or legacy or by those who find taking care of aging or infirm relatives is a burden they seek to offload under the guise of voluntary euthanasia.

Vince Phelan's tattoo, states "Do not resuscitate". Who is the message for ? AND under what circumstances aren't you to be resuscitated ? For example; if you have an accident, eg; fall into swimming pool, dragged out unconscious, what are the emergency service workers supposed to do ? If they don't resuscitate you, they could face professional negligence charges, OR continue resuscitation until they get you to hospital, so that someone can take the responsibility for your non-resuscitation. You place emergency service workers in a legal/moral dilemma, possibly with charges and dismissal. Just in the last week we had the case of June Woo (82, lung disease/kidneyfailure) who laid in the morgue for 7 years while her family tried unsuccessfully to sue the hospital for inappropriate treatment. In her case, the family could not accept her ill health and ultimate death. Vince-can your family accept your death and not want to sue someone after your passing ? What about the case of Nancy Crick who took her own life, despite the autopsy finding her cancer free. Some argue Nancy was depressed, after successful cancer surgery. She was under the false belief that she still had cancer and took her own life. People are flawed creatures, and they do change their minds and points of view. What guidelines should there be ?, and who validates your request for non-resuscitation ? I actually support people's right to die with dignity. I would hate to leave this place knowing I have destroyed the career/life of a Doctor/Nurse/Paramedic. The legal profession could have a field day with this issue. Eg; the tatoo on Vince's chest was put there under duress, he was misled, he thought it read, 'I'm a proud Novacastrian', the list of excuses goes on and on. Where there's "A WILL" (left) there's a way.

Vince if you were in Chris OBrien's position two years ago would have you done it differently ?

I am with Vince. I understand perfectly how he can love life yet insist on not prolonging it. It isn't a question of having a Death Wish. It's to do with accepting that we all die sooner or later. So why not resuscitate? Because Life can be more miserable than the alternative. Some people believe they are here for a reason. Vince, like me, probably thinks that, while he lives, he is meant to live for whatever reason and while we live we do the best we can and try to maintain a positive attitude; but Death does not worry us. We know that when it comes we won't be thinking, "Oh no! Bring me back!". If you're having trouble imagining this scenario, think about what you think about in a dreamless sleep. Nothing! What do you worry about in a dreamless sleep? Nothing! That's how we see death - just an endless, dreamless sleep with not a care in the world. How do I relate to Vince so well, you may be asking. A couple of years ago I was being loaded into the Westpac chopper with my family there to see me off. As I was being loaded the doctor by my side said to me, "You realise you're not going to make it, don't you?". My family also heard him say this. I felt neither good nor bad about this news. I simply accepted it peacefully. Fortunately for my family he was wrong. I did pull through, thanks to some truly inspired surgery at the RPA. Upon dischage several months later I could barely walk. Since then I have been determined to regain fitness and I have succeeded but if I were told today that I was about to die it wouldn't bother me in the slightest. Like Vince, I have plenty to live for but Death doesn't bother us at all. Vince is probably even less concerned than I am because he is 15 years older than me; and the older you get, the more you become resigned to life and death. Vic Blythe Lambton

Funny thing in life Jeff, is that I just had 6 hours of brain surgery 3 weeks ago at Prince of Wales hospital, Sydney and got 3-5 cm of my brain removed... And I'm still Kick'n, like it or not !!! But the weird thing about it was the Neurologist specialist that sent me to have this surgery has the exact tattoo that Vince Phelan has "Please Don't Resuscitate" tattooed over his heart, to leave me wondering why the doctor himself tattooed these words over his heart. The weird thing about this was the doctor himself is the person that has found the way to help people if they have strokes & are medical evaluated within 2 hours he can assist you successfully, just like the article the Herald had a few weeks ago about the female Ambulance officer that had a mild stroke & made full recovery. How do you think I felt when I saw that tattoo before he sent me for brain surgery..... Very nervous. but they did the right job, but i'm still confused with putting that tattoo on one's chest. Wouldn't do that myself, but each to their own I say !!

It is good to see discussion of death as a part of life in the media. It should be clearly stated that refusing CPR (or resuscitation) is NOT a form of euthanasia. It is a refusal of offered medical treatment. All people have the right to refuse any medical treatment that is offered to them. This is to ensure that treatment that is burdonsome or not wanted, is not forced on people. The right of capable people to refuse medical treatment for themselves has been upheld by the Supreme Court. With our aging and chronically ill population, having discussions about our known health problems and possible life prolonging treatments will become increasingly important. There are many treatments that prolong life, but do not neccessarily enable people to live in a way that is acceptable to them. Unless we discuss what it is that gives value to our lives, families and doctors are the ones who often have to make decisions on life prolonging treatments. In Mr Phelan's case, he has sought information about his health; consulted with his doctor about what is his most likely outcome, and made an informed decision to NOT receive CPR, which would most likely be unsuccessful or leave him in a survival state that he deems intolerable. Mr Phelan has taken the correct actions by talking with his family and his doctor; by documenting his wishes in an advance care directive and providing copies to relevant people. He has also taken the dramatic step of tattooing his wishes on his chest. For the majority of people an equally effective way of talking about your wishes for medical treatment at the end of your life is a process called advance care planning. Advance care planning is not euthenasia. It is a process that supports people becoming informed about their health problems; how these problems may affect them in the future; ad what medical treatment decisions they may need to consider as their illness becomes more advanced. It enables families to discuss what would and would not be an acceptable way of living for the person. It enables you to have choice and control over the life prolonging medical care that you may receive in the future.

Thanks Miz, Colin, Vic, for your comments. Miz Jasper has no problem with the Terminally Ill. Could I put it to you, Miz, that Old Age itself is terminal. Perhaps not a terminal illness, but a terminal condition. Loss of independence, frequent falls, incontinence, etc. There are many reasons why a person will want to self-deliver. Regarding greedy manipulative relatives, ask yourself: Whose life is it? and What do YOU want at the end of YOUR life. We're talking about CHOICES, and we're saying that Everyone has the right to a peaceful death. Colin O asks Whom is the message meant for?, and worries about being sued. In my case the message is meant for EVERYBODY but especially Doctors in hospitals. There was a recent case of a man dying in the pub. A drinker performed CPR and brought him back to life. For only four days. In intensive care. At a cost of $10,000 to the tax-payer. Please don't to that to me. Mohammed Khadra in his latest book, The Patient, gives many examples of staff in hospitals resuscitating DNR patients by mistake, and of the insane policy of not allowing anyone to die lest the police be called in and somebody be charged or sued. It's utter madness and does not augur well for the suffering patient. Vic Blythe of Lambton, thank you too for your comments. The tattoo on my chest, of course, is part of my general Advance Health Care Directive which is a 20 page document signed by my GP and also by a Lawyer. This is the Directive composed by Professor Colleen Cartwright and most likely to be accepted as legally binding in NSW. Until it becomes legally binding, Doctors and others have no obligation to comply with my wishes. When it does become legally binding, Doctors and others will have to do what the patient wants and stop making the patient do what the doctor wants.

i think it's great that we are able to have this debate. I like that the issue is not clear cut, and that opinions are so divided on it. It'd be a boring world if we all thought the same. As to the clarity of the message i guess this is where a supporting/clarifying legal document would be helpful, although by no means definitive.