ethics, morals, or values

Ethics , Morals , or Values

My ethical judgment was put to a severe test only once in the past However , when it happened , it completely overwhelmed me that I could never be certain until now whether I made the right decision . It involved my 90-year-old great-aunt whom I loved dearly and who had no other living relative besides me

She was rushed to the hospital in a comatose condition , no blood pressure reading , and no pulse . She was later diagnosed with sepsis secondary to infection from her bed sores after being bedridden for

more than a year . She was finally transferred to a private room with a blood pressure reading of 60 /40 and a rather weak pulse but stable , according to her attending physician , considering the circumstances

However , days and weeks later , her condition did not improve . She was still comatose , and antibiotics did not seem to be taking any effect Later , she developed pneumonia . I was informed by the hospital staff that it was expected in her situation . After all , they told me , she was a weakened , 90-year-old woman in coma

One day her doctor talked to me about her condition . He informed me that there was nothing wrong with her heart - she had a very healthy heart What worried him , he said , were her lungs because they were ready to collapse . The moment her lungs collapse , my aunt would immediately stop breathing and die in spite of a healthy heart . There was only one thing they could do if I wanted her to keep on breathing and stay alive - technically alive , at least . They could insert a breathing tube that would reach her lungs and pump air into her using a breathing bag

However , he wanted me to understand that the procedure would be very painful for my aunt - a painful procedure that would not even help my aunt recover consciousness . But first , he wanted to get my consent to perform the procedure on my aunt when the need arose

I could not answer him instantly . I knew what he was asking me . I heard some nurses talking about heroics ' in connection with dying patients My aunt 's doctor wanted to know if I would ask him to write the words no heroics ' on my aunt 's card so that they could allow her to die - I could leave her to die - as soon as her lungs collapsed

I was the next of kin . Since my aunt could no longer decide for herself the decision was up to me . I was staring at euthanasia in the face ! I asked the doctor if I could give him my answer the following day . He said yes , but reminded me not to delay or it might be too late

I spent the whole evening thinking about it - asking myself some questions . What would my aunt have wanted me to do ? My aunt was a devout Catholic . Would she want me to decide as one ? The following morning I told her doctor...