Reasons to agree with Do Not Resuscitate?

Answer 1

Here are some example situations wherein one might choose to agree to Do Not Resuscitate: 1. Let's say you have a terminal illness, are not expected to survive more than a year, and are getting all the appropriate medical care to help you stay as comfortable as possible. In this case, dying and then being resuscitated is only going to cause you to have to die twice instead of once. 2. Let's say you have a very poor quality of life, due perhaps to being quite infirm. For example, you might have severe emphysema and not be able to breathe very well, or a very painful form of Arthritis which causes you to be in pain every day of your life. In this case, you may decide that dying a natural death is not such a bad thing. So if you do die, you may not want to be brought back (only to continue the same daily suffering you're currently experiencing). 3. Let's say you are elderly but in all other respects in good health. However, you have lived a long life, and aren't particularly attached to this life. In fact, you're thinking more and more about the next life, and rejoining some of your loved ones who have gone on already. In that case, you may be welcoming the end of your life, and prefer not to be brought back after you die. The thing to understand is that resuscitating is "bringing a person back to life" after s/he has already died. This is not something one should do lightly. A perfect example of when "do not resuscitate" is NOT appropriate is in the case of a healthy young person. This person has her whole life ahead of her, is in excellent health, etc. If she should swallow a piece of steak and suffocate, it would make perfect sense to resuscitate her, you see. The choice of whether to be resuscitated or not is entirely up to the patient (provided the patient is of clear mind). Whatever you do, do not let anyone else tell you what you should or should not decide. It's entirely your decision.