At 05:41 AM 1/6/98 -0500, Jonathan wrote:
>I would hate to see her yanked out of her own world, perhaps a fools
>paradise, to be returned to the harsh reality of a frozen, spastic, or
>otherwise dysfunctional physical context.
Jonathan, I have faced and am facing this problem. I had to place my 83
yr. old mother in a nursing home (NH) two years ago. Her dementia, caused
by organic damage (as shown on MRI film) to her brain, had advanced to the
point that she was a danger to herself and to others. But it was very,
very difficult to see her disconnected from reality, and I hoped that some
medication would at least help her recognize her loved ones.
I subsequently had many discussion with some very kind and caring people.
These discussions revolved around the following problem; what if she
temporarily improved to the point that she would recognize she was in a NH,
but she was still not capable of caring for herself. It was absolutely
clear that the organic damage would continue to advance.
What is the kindest course of action: to let her be calm and relaxed in a
wheel chair, enjoying some simple pleasures like eating chocolate and
helping some of her even more debilitated companions or give her drugs that
will bring her the realization that she was in confined to a wheelchair in
a NH, her every basic need satisfied by others? And that she would not
ever leave the NH. Maybe restoring her mind through the use of drugs (if
possible) to the point that she received a glimpse of reality would be the
cruelest thing I could ever do.
Peace, John
