End- Of- Life Issues Scholar Faced With Her Husbands Right To Die

Bioethicist Peggy Battin, argued for the right for people tobe able to end their lives for years. She was 21 when her mother died. After her mother’s death, end of lifeissues became compelling to her. She decided to teach philosophy and writesabout end-of life bioethics. However, in an unexpected turn of events thoseend-of-life topics became extremely personal when her husband Brooke of 27years was in a terrible cycling accident. The accident left him as aquadriplegic paralyzed from the shoulders down. Had Peggy been at the accident she may have intervened with the rescue because of conversations she hadwith Brooke about resuscitation. Just the year before Brooke had told her, hedid not want any procedures that “would serve only to unnaturally prolong themoment of my death and to unnaturally postpone or prolong the dying process”.  After the accident, she questioned herworks and wondered if she was right.

One day Brooke was having a panic attack, after treating theattack with medicine things got worse. Brooke exclaimed that he wanted all ofthe machines turned off. He wanted to die. Peggy began to unplug all of themachines. She did what he asked. Brooke sat in his wheelchair and waited todie. After three minutes he opened his eyes shocked and realized he was stillalive. He thought it was a miracle. Peggy later confessed to the journalist“The reason he didn’t die is he’s not at the moment fully vent-dependentanymore. He can go without oxygen for a while, and he can go with the pacerturned off for some time.” Brooke was not aware of his medical condition. Peggysays that this incident “… seems to have been such an epiphany, such adiscovery, when he woke up and discovered he was still alive,” she claimed. “Idon’t really want to puncture that bubble.” However, a few weeks later sheended up telling Brooke.  Brookewas not upset in fact he seemed lighthearted about the situation. Peggy saysthe right to die is a decision that comes from a well-reasoned thoughtful choice stemming from your value system, it is not something that you decide on amoments notice. 

See

 Robin Marantz, A Life-or-Death Situation, New York Times, Jul. 17, 2013.