Among the dilemmas during our pandemic is the "life altering" choice to be made: Who is entitled to a ventilator?
While listening to a very informative news broadcast recently, the question was put forth to a "medical professional" from the interviewer, a senior citizen.
Question: If there were two people infected with the COVID-19 virus under your care, both needing a ventilator — a senior citizen with "underlying health problems" and a 25-year-old man — whom would you choose to receive the ventilator? After much hemming and hawing, such as "w woould have to check out all the chances of survival," "health of both individuals," "whether the ventilator would ensure life for either of the recipients," there was no conclusion to be made.
Suppose we looked at some other options in the decision-making process: Many seniors (and others) have already made decisions to: 1. donate their viable organs to others who can use the; 2. choose not to use resuscitation, other methods (ventilators) to keep them alive when on the brink of death. We have lived full lives, giving ourselves in many wats to others. We don't want to e a "burden" on society or our families. What if the person on the receiving end was our child, grandchild, a member of our family, and we had the chance to give them a chance at life and a future, though uncertain, still there. There's no question how we would answer that question. Yes, give that ventilator to the young person, let me stay or go at God's discretion.
This is my decision and the thoughtful decision of many of our seniors.
Jeanie Shoultz Doran,
Litchfield
