completely ot

[scott beeland]

Now I know this isn't the place to discuss this but I've had possibly the most frustrating work day of my present carrer and have to get it off my chest while I make a BIG hole in a bottle of Edradour.

Today a man presents himself at our hospital having intentionally taken a very large paracetamol overdose (v v v bad). He states he does want to die. Before he lapses into unconscious state he is told his only chance of survival is for us to transfer him to Birmingham for a New liver.

While still lucid he states he doesn't want this.

He then goes unconscious and is ventilated and sent to ITU. At 9pm when I left we were keeping him alive on dialysis and a ventilator as transfer to Birmingham was being sorted as they've got a liver.

Morally wrong?? I think so . Now I know my job is impartially to save lives (and we do)....but

He didn't want it.

He might die on the way there

Someone else (who wanted to live) could have the liver

Someone else (who wanted to live) could have had our Intensive bed (their not cheap and there are'nt many).

So as I sit here typing and making a hole in a bottle before I go and do it all tomorrow...My question is....WHAT'S THE POINT???

Edited to say....sorry if I've offended anyone...and I know it's nearly the festive season....but I feel I can vent my feelings amongst friends

[adhawkins]

Surely cases like this are in the vast minority though? Take heart from the amount of good that you do for people that want and need your help.

It's not a job I could ever do, you have my utmost respect.

Andy

[Frau Vesty]

Why did he bring himself to hospital if he *really* wanted to die.  Surely if you 100% wanted to die, the last place you would take yourself having OD'd is a hospital?  So perhaps what he said and what he really wanted were two different things?  

Having said that, I generally agree with the other morality/someone who really wanted to live sentiments you expressed...

And edited to say: agree with Andy too - I'm sure there are an awful lot of people who are extremely grateful for everything you do for them, and I'm sure they would say there is a lot of point.

[Mark Stanton]

Ask the ambulance driver to drive real slow or go over a few speed humps and hopefully the liver can then go to someone who wants to continue with their life          

[scott beeland]

I probably shouldn't put the circumstances of his arrival at hospital on the net......let's just say he prolly wasn't in full control of his choices.

But my point is...I know we do save some very valuable lives and enable some people to continue to fill their unfinished potential.....but there are people who just want to get off the world for whatever reason and I'm getting tired of being a part in the system that plays god against their wishes and spends VAST amounts of money doing so when it could be used far far better

[SADDLEWORTH]

He mite have been attension seeking   Time for a change no point spending your life being p******** off

[mike m]

One can only guess his motives/purpose for taking the o/d in the first place.

To you Scott the dilema may be and should be overshadowed by the good you do for the people that need and deserve care

Respect to you Sir, tis a job I could not do

Mike

[Gromit]

Reminds me of the situation with G. Best. Spent his life p******** completely and b*******ed his liver up for it and then cops for a replacement liver of the NHS when someone else whos had liver faliure through no fault of their own still has to wait because he was classed as more urgent.

Ducks for cover.

[Doug D.]

The thing is, where do you draw that line between leave em help em, his second chance might change is outlook on life. As Frau said he is at the hospital...   and as Andy said you have my respect.

(this makes my s***ty work days seem insignificant)

[Gromit]

Yep when I have a s***ty day at work all that happens is a copier/PC/network breaks, nobody dies.

Chin up mate and keep up the GOOD work.

[jeff oakley]

I feel for you in this situation, I  agree with you if they guy really wanted to die then why waste time, but unfortunatly we cannot judge a persons mental state at such a time. Now if he was in terminal state and was merley speeding the inevitable then letting him go is a kindness. The sad thing is that people do make a judgement on the slimest of facts, I suspect there is much more to this than you can relate to us which would make your views even more acceptable to the doubters.

[Frau Vesty]

I completely agree that it's a real shame that people die on a regular basis for lack of a donor, and it does seem a particular shame that they can be denied that life because it is given to someone who says they don't want it.

I guess however that I also think that someone who has seriously tried to commit suicide is probably in no fit mental state at that point in time to make the decision that they don't want to live, and I'd bet that if you met a fair proportion (not all) of those people later in life, they'd be really very grateful at getting a second chance and being supported when they didn't want it.

[Gromit]

I guess however that I also think that someone who has seriously tried to commit suicide is probably in no fit mental state at that point in time to make the decision that they don't want to live, and I'd bet that if you met a fair proportion (not all) of those people later in life, they'd be really very grateful at getting a second chance and being supported when they didn't want it.

Cant argue with that.

[scott beeland]

We do get visits from former patients now and again (our own hospital Chaplain being a good example) which is quite cool. Some come to say thanks; some come to apologise for their behaviour whilst in the midst of their drug ravaged madness (all survivors leave with a diary of their stay) but I just can't get out of my head that we work like dogs sometimes ,...and for what?? If someone want's to die then the Law is an ASS for not letting us help them. I won't/ can't go into the circumstances but (hardened as I am to the emotional side of the job) to hear a man PLEAD for us to help him die and for us to be legally barred from doing so is HARD

[skid]

Your a good chap , now just get p********.