Document Type
Article
Publication Date
3-1991
Publication Title
Journal of the American Medical Women’s Association
Publisher Location
Reston, VA
Volume
46
Issue
2
First page number:
59
Last page number:
59
Abstract
On December 26, 1990, Nancy Cruzan died, 12 days after her feeding tube was removed. She had been in an irreversible coma for seven years and her parents had sued for the right to remove the feeding tube that was keeping her alive. The pain and suffering of her family in coming to this decision was certainly compounded by those who disagreed with them and tried to prevent the extubation. Whether one agrees with this particular decision or not, most of us will not be faced with such clear alternatives, ie, leave the tube in or take it out in someone in an irreversible coma. A much more common scenario is having an elderly loved one who is not in a coma, but in a mental state that puts him or her out of touch with reality. What to do for them in terms of keeping them alive is not at all black and white.
Keywords
Assisted suicide; Right to die
Disciplines
Family, Life Course, and Society | Medicine and Health | Women's Health
Language
English
Permissions
Copyright American Medical Women’s Association used with permission
Repository Citation
Guinan, M.
(1991).
The Right to Die: An Old Woman's Formula.
Journal of the American Medical Women’s Association, 46(2),
59-59.
Reston, VA:
https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/community_health_sciences_fac_articles/69
Included in
Family, Life Course, and Society Commons, Medicine and Health Commons, Women's Health Commons
Comments
Best copy available