The following comes from a June 6 email from Life Legal Defense Foundation.
Life Legal received two distressing phone calls on Sunday.
One was from the niece of an elderly woman who is in the hospital following an injury. The woman has slight dementia, but is able to communicate. The hospital decided it would no longer treat her, as care was “futile” because of the woman’s dementia. The woman’s niece tried to get a court order to keep her aunt alive, but the judge refused—and slandered the niece’s Catholic faith in the process. Yesterday, the hospital withdrew food and hydration from the woman.
Did you know that dementia is considered a terminal illness? And that food and hydration are considered “medical care” that can be withdrawn if a physician believes your condition won’t improve over time? In this case, the woman’s dementia is not severe—she still recognizes her niece and the hospital staff—yet because it will likely not get better, her doctors sentenced her to an agonizing death.
The second call was from the boyfriend of a 30-year-old woman who suffered a brain injury after she went into cardiac arrest. She is in a hospice facility that has not given her any nutrition for over a week. A few days ago, she started talking! She said that she is hungry and is asking for food. She is able to pull herself up and move her legs. She sings along to her favorite songs. Yet, the hospice refuses to feed her and is now giving her morphine because she tried to get out of bed.
We have calls out to local attorneys to help this young woman. Please pray that someone will be able to intervene tomorrow!
THE SKY IS FALLING! Two fresh examples of un-solicated EUTHANASIA, worse than Terri Schiavo (if that is possible), as assisted suicide becomes law in Calif. Remember the secret ‘death panel’ rumors in Obamacare we heard about? Where hospitals, care facilities, doctor, etc. decide who gets what care based on undisclosed criteria? Food & Hydration is now considered ‘medical care’ ? Dementia a terminal illness? That’s what has already happened in the UK!. The term ‘life pathway’ goes on a patients chart (no discussion with family or patient) and it means ‘NO FURTHER CARE’ not even Food/Hydration/Meds. Alarm bells are going off in my head….meanwhile, the world seems to be in a deep sleep. Hello….anybody out there? May…
…continued….May God deliver us. The ramifications of decisions like this being outside ones’s (or family) control, has my head spinning. Are the so called ‘death panels’ being tested? What else could this mean? When I heard about the assisted suicide LAW in Calif, I had a bad feeling something like this would occur. I believe Oregon & Calif. are a couple of the ‘petri-dishs’ used by government to test the limits of UNHOLY acts on humanity. Praying for these 2 families & God’s mercy on the whole world.
Right on that! We’re headed down “the slippery slope” to euthanasia for the unwanted. Deacon Vince
Why can’t family members just take her out of the building and withdraw her? I have had friends who did not like the care their mom was getting and so since they did not improve the situation, the family took her out and cared for her themselves. She got food and water at home. Why keep her in the facility? It does not make sense.
These imposed deaths are occurring all over the country, for various reasons. Many physicians no longer take the oath to “Do No Harm” while our healthcare system has abandoned traditional Judeo-Christian ethics and adopted secular bioethics that devalues the lives of many.
Hospice was infiltrated by the euthanasia movement so its Christian mission has been tainted, and that tainted vision of healthcare moved into hospital care as well as other niches.
We must speak out and affirm our reverence for God and for life and condemn these practices. When one can, we must find other facilities that will honor the patient’s right to live, providing basic ordinary care (food and water if they can still take it in) till a natural death occurs
like I say what is a natural death look at Alzheimer once you have it your life is bassicaly over what if you have no family you can actually still live for a few years but with Alzheimer the brain is gone you cannot speak you do not know who you are it is like being a dead person in a still living body with a beating heart I had 2 close realtives one a priest the other a nun they were lucky the order and diocese had a facility where the passed on the whole thing is horrible Clinton has been the onepoitico to briefly adrees the issue science may eventually find the the cure it would come in the form of a stent implanted in the brain to recharge the nerves
Be sure that your DNR on file with the hospital and your doctor doesn’t include ambulance services while getting you to the hospital. Technically, under some circumstances the EMT are not supposed to treat you for serious heart attacks, etc. if you have a DNR on file. At least that is what I read a year or so ago in the local paper. I may be completely wrong, but worth a look-up for your state.
This is what “progressives” call “progress”.
Perhaps we are being called to take care of our loved ones in our own homes and enlist our family and close friends to help in their care despite the difficulties. Because really, they are blessings. WE are ministering to Christ himself. And if one can’t take care of a loved one in home, what is stopping family from providing nourishment and hydration when others will not in a hospital setting? What is stopping us from being Christ to Christ? The same with a Hospice setting. Why do we rely on Hospice to take complete charge of those who we love who are dying? Speaking from my own experience, my husband had a death sentence with cancer for five years. The last five months of his life was under hospice care – four and half months at…
Amy, Cal-Catholic has a word limit that you ran up against. I hope you’ll repost the rest of your story, it sounds like it would be important to read. Thanks.
Thanks YFC. Cont. I took care of my husband at home under Hospice. Many of his brothers and sisters traveled great distances to help, even from PR. During his last remaining days I decided to bring him to the Hospice Center (I couldn’t fix not breathing). I continued to care for him – help with feeding, hydration, bathing, turning him, praying with him. I slept on mats on the floor, rarely leaving his side. And at the end,what was most important that I could not bring to my husband was a priest to give him the Last Rites. The Sacrament of the Sick he had several times months before hand, but LR is comfort for the dying and no priest would answer the call. (that is another story) Mother Teresa held Christ in her arms MANY times over…
Continuing. Can we do no less for those whom we love? The Beatitudes know no boundaries.
Amy, this was beautiful. I took care of my Dad for over 3 years, and we did have hospice which provided a bath aide. They were good, but I provided most of the care. It was difficult, but I am so happy I did. He was loved, spoiled, and prayed for. I do not regret anything. I am so happy he died naturally with us around him. We also were unable to find a priest for last rites. However, a Divine Mercy Chaplet and Apostolic Pardon were said over him. We need to take care of our loved ones at home.
Ann, I was not aware of the Apostolic Pardon prayer. I just looked it up and found that we can say it if a priest is not present. The Church truly does provide us with a treasury of prayers. And yes, we must encourage each other to take it upon ourselves to care for our family at home. One of my favorite scripture texts – 1 Cor 16:13 “Be Watchful, stand firm in your faith. Be courageous, Be strong. let all that you do be done in Love.” Blessings to you, Ann!
Amy, I am so sorry for what happened to you! How AWFUL!! All the parishes I know of, have emergency phone numbers, which they advertise, in case of need– like yours! Maybe the local Bishop (and the Vatican, too!) both need STERN LETTERS abut this situation!! No Catholic should ever be left alone, dying, with only a few nice prayers, from loved ones! The priest should always be available (I, myself, have even gotten a few priests out of bed in the middle of the night, in several emergencies!) at all hours, in the case of a serious emergency!
There is a Pardon Crucifix that one can buy at most Catholic bookstores or on line. After it is blessed, it carries a lot of indulgences, including a plenary indulgence for being sorry for ones sins and kissing the crucifix when near death if one is unable to receive the Last Rites.
I carry one in a little leatherette Rosary pouch in my purse, along with a St. Benedict cross, ring Rosary and so forth.
Amy, why would no priest reply?
God had His own designs, I suspect. I began calling in the early evening to my parish priests, left messages, no answer. Called other area rectories to no avail. My adult children texted priests near and far, no response. One priest would not come as we were not members of his parish. I pleaded with God, “where are your priests?” It truly was a dark night. (A very long story). My husband died on the same day that my best friend, my sister in Christ of 18 years died a year earlier in a car accident. She was a faithful Catholic, always ready if her time came. She had no priest. Maybe God allowed for this to remind us that we are not always going to have a priest at our beckon call. BE READY. Jesus,The Great High Priest will be with us.
Why aren’t these facilities named in the article?
Bob One, why would one want a DNR on file ? a ‘do not rususcitate’ order might shortchange many people who have more life to live.
When I was in college, I worked one summer as a Nurse’s Aide, in a well-known, highly-respected, Lutheran-run nursing home and hospital. I could not deal with seeing “DNR” written on patients’ charts, and other related issues! I saw many, many things, that greatly upset me, in this “fine,” well-respected, much-praised place– and finally, after crying my eyes out– I went to the Head Nurse’s office, and quit! Well, she thought this was a horrible thing, and begged me to stay– but I said “no,” and left!
Actually, I was an older student (in grad school) when this incident happened! But the world of science and medicine, all around us, had drastically changed! Not like being a friendly helper, in a local hospital or nursing home, in high school, with my sister! And I was only seeking a nice summer job! Sadly, younger people working at this facility, did not have as much trouble, accepting the moral dilemmas of modern medical care! It is only recently, too, that laws for patients’ rights have been enacted. Before that, doctors had HUGE authority to wisely determine a patient’s care– and abided by medical procedures, and laws, based on Christian morality.
In response to Amy: I totally agree with you. We should indeed step up and care for our loved ones in their desperate situations. Remove them from the hospitals that refuse food and water, take them home, and give loving care that includes food and hydration. The nursing homes have become the warehouses of the dying and hospice just seems to want a quick end to life. I also could not get a priest to come and administer last rites to my Mom because he had to go out to breakfast with some wealthy parishioners. God help us.
I helped my Mom who passed in a Catholic hospital at 91 yrs.
This hospital had a chaplain; a Protestant minister! Still does……………I insisted on a catholic Priest and got one from a near by city. He was annoyed with me; as he said; I blessed your mother (a week prior), when she had her surgery! I was very upset; with a few frioends there in the hospital room and said to him: “Father, could you please just give her a blessing?” I later heard; after he left, my name out load in a male guttural voice. There was 1 man ther; I said; “Bob, did you call me?” “No.” Looking back it was Evil in her mist! She tossed and turned; going in and out of conscienceness and she kept sahying; “No!”.
Now, I beg anyone in the hospital, to have…
Call a traditional priest like the fssp group, and he will come. He does the old way and therefore really believes in the Last Rites rather than just a blessing, etc.
I remember in the early 1970s in rural Maine, my grandmother was in the local hospital. The doctors were refusing to feed her. My parents resisted and I think they brought her egg nog. She ended up leaving the hospital, came home and lived for another year.
Obamacare is greatly responsible for this. I know personally of two cases where patients were starved to death because the doctors persuaded the families to withhold even water. Because of the liberal attitude of the socialistic bishops, Obamacare passed. This is a catch 22 situation, because the Church is unfortunately, part of the problem. Ave Maria Purrissima !
May God deliver us from evil and destroyers within the church as well as in government in the culture of death and unholy evils…..amen.
It appears we do not have enough enough information to really make a sound judgement. However, we shouldn’t be surprised by these things. These are the times. As a Christians can we relaxed our morals, we don’t even know our faith. we blindly support the death penalty etc. .so, it’s easy when the Devil comes to take his spolis.
I work in hospice and we always provide food and water up until the point they cannot swallow anymore and refuse to take anything…then we provide oral care often. Comfort care includes oral nutrition….at least at our hospice. I have worked at a nursing home where they with held oral fluids and nutrition…I was livid…Thank God I do not work there anymore. Even if they want something to drink and then aspirate at bit…it is their choice and keeping the patient comfortable is the key.
Nursing homes do this. My mother in a nursing home did not want to live at one point-she was refusing food. Nursing home personnel asked if I ( her health care proxy) wanted them to withhold food, water, antibiotics and other medication as she seemed to be on her way out. Three years later (yesterday), I took her out of the nursing home (for about 2 hours) for coffee. I do this all the time with her as long as the weather temp is over 32 degrees. Mom is 83 and sharp as a whip yet her body parts are worn out. I made the right decision and am glad she is still here on earth.
Are not Christians supposed to ACT. If my loved one were in this situation, I would have already removed them if by force. Plan and act quickly using distraction and rescue them from MURDER!
The Patient’s Rights Council in Steubenville, Ohio has Catholic protective forms for each state. Their Director is an attorney who’s worked these issues for years. Protect yourself now. God bless.
I am on their mailing list, for which I am grateful! I got their information a long time ago, from a priest who was a chaplain, in a Catholic hospital. Sam, maybe you can give the website address, here, for the Patient’s Rights Council.
The American Life League has healthcare directives that one can get at minimal cost. That is the one I used. I think it is called “The Loving Will”.
“In our time more than ever before, the greatest asset of the liars is the cowardice and weakness of good men, and all the vigor of Satan’s reign is due to the easy-going weakness of Catholics….And this reproach can be leveled at the weak and timid Catholics of all countries.” Pope St. Pius X, Beatification of Joan of Arc, December 13, 1898
CARTOON OF THE DAY: NIGHTMARE ON ELDER STREET
https://barbwire.com/2015/10/01/cartoon-of-the-day-nightmare-on-elder-street/
Thanks for this information about POLST. Our senior club was introduced to it by two speakers. We were encouraged to fill out the Green POLST form and discuss it with our physician. Nothing else can be done for you except what is on the form. The form does not support life. Thanks, again.
I would like to know the name of the hospital and the state of these two situations. Why are we making the effort to protect these murderers. I am a retired RN and I have to say this has been going on for years in Catholic hospitals as well as non sectarian hospitals. When I was once hospitalized yrs. ago, my room was near the desk and I heard a physician talking to a resident telling him to write orders for DNR for a delightful gentleman who slightly confused. I actually was afraid of what they could do to me. Waited til I got home and wrote to the administrator of the hospital and told him I was going to the newspapers and placing an ad and holding him responsible. All of a sudden he wanted to hire me as a pt. advocate. Protect yourself…
America needs a complete return, to belief in God, and Judeo-Christian morality– led by all of our churches! When young, all doctors I knew of, grew up in a country firmly undergirded, by belief in God, and Christian morality! The Hippocratic Oath was very serious! And everyone believed in respect for God– “Only God can make a life, and only God can take a life!” You do not “play God,” with a human life! We need to conquer the Devil and his legions, with a complete return to Judeo-Christian morality, and “One Nation under God!”
This is scary stuff!
Thank you,….. all of you standing for the beauty of God’s way of dying, of comfort, of love, of care, of being there for our loved ones and offering any support needed to ensure their own beautiful journey with God and their loved ones on to eternal life. This is my first time reading this site, I am sooo greatful of you and your beautiful faith and courage and perseverance for the love of the dying and their so neeed tender care. My Mom died in Hospice care, a week of drugs and no nutrition and ” a comfortable way of dying.” I was not the proxy. Hospice should be for comfort, no to be obtunded, no pain, but conscience of their passing, their peace, and provided simple needs.