Thursday, 28 November 2013

To Live Or Not To Live? That Is The Question

Part of the end of life care process involves making decisions regarding if you want to be resuscitated or "brought back to life" in the event that your heart stops working. This particular form is called a DNACPR, which stands for Do Not Attempt Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation. I have learnt quite a bit about this process during my medical training, but never thought I would be faced with making this decision at such a young age.

Incidentally, I have signed the form instructing the doctors not to resuscitate me, but the gravitas of this decision hit me on monday when I was facing the potential hickman line readjustment procedure. It occurred to me that, if by some freak accident, my heart stopped working on that operating table, that I would die then and there. I had previously made my wishes explicitly clear to the palliative care team that the DNACPR was only to be enforced in the event that the cancer was causing the death, but I became acutely unsure on that operating table whether or not the current team of doctors were aware of that.

It made me rethink whether or not I should withdraw the form. On the one hand, I don't really want to die just now, but then on the other hand, I want it in place for when I do die. To be honest, I just want to die peacefully in my sleep with my friends and family around me.

In some ways, it feels wrong to refuse treatment at the end of life because it feels like I'm taking my life into my own hands and not giving control over to God. But, it is God who knows how many days I have left and it is Him who will come to take me home, I just can't wait to see Him face to face. My hope and joy comes from Him; today my heart is glad. 


Posted by at

2 comments:

  1. Liz29 November 2013 at 22:10

    Dear Stari, your thoughts as ever challenge me - we are all sure of one thing - and that is we are all going to die - some of us get a warning - some of us do not - but those of us who choose to trust in the Lord know death does not have the final say - we can rejoice in the message but at the same time that does not stop me feeling sad at times for friends and family in difficult situations - even though we can still have hope but maybe our hope changes Liz x

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous1 December 2013 at 00:17

    ''YOU (GOD) will keep him in perfect peace,
    Whose mind is stayed on You,
    Because he trusts in You.'' Isaiah26:3

    Willie

    ReplyDelete

Please leave your comments and questions here. Some people have had problems with this box so it might be worth saving your comment on a Word document first before you publish it in case it deletes it. Alternative ways to contact me are through Facebook and email on starigunarathne@gmail.com

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)