My dh and I watched this movie the other day. It got us to talking about what if that happened to one of us. For those who don't know it was about a female boxer that become paralized from the neck down from an accident in the ring. My dh and I both agreed that neither one of us would want to live like that. It bothered me that she had to "beg" somebody to help her die. In that case if it was only the ventilator keeping her alive I think she should have been able to make a choice. She should have been able to tell the doctors what she wanted. Obviously if this really happened to me I would have to think it through for my children ect... But I would want to have that choice. Not put my husband in jeopardy of going to jail because he helped me with my wishes. I guess this is just something to ponder.

By Juli4 on Tuesday, July 19, 2005 - 10:01 am:

She should have the choice to be on a breathing machine or not. Families make that choice everyday. I am not for assissted suicide at all, but I am for people realizing that there is nothing you can do and deciding to stop treatment for whatever reasons. I don't think we should intentionally kill them, but if the person or families decide then they can discontinue treatment.

By Karen~moderator on Tuesday, July 19, 2005 - 11:25 am:

That is where a living will and an advanced healthcare directive would come into play - something we should all consider doing. That states YOUR wishes, plain and simple, and relieves anyone else from the *guilt* of making those choices.

By Beth on Wednesday, July 20, 2005 - 09:39 am:

Karen, that is what I could not understand. I am sure the boxer did not have these things in place. But she was able to communicate clearly and should have been able to tell the doctor to stop. Even after she tried to do it herself they saved her. I wonder if they had never put her on the vent that would have made a difference. Maybe once she was on it that would have been killing her to take her off? I don't know it was a sad movie.

By Karen~moderator on Wednesday, July 20, 2005 - 12:41 pm:

I agree, it was VERY sad. I wasn't prepared for that - I starting watching it with NO clue as to what happened to her.

By Ginny~moderator on Wednesday, July 20, 2005 - 08:27 pm:

Remember, people, this is Hollywood. Yes, in any real hospital she would have been able to instruct them to remove the ventilator. In the real world, if the hospital didn't comply, all our "hero" needed to do for her was pay a lawyer a couple of hundred dollars to visit her, ascertain her wishes, and deliver a lawyer letter to the hospital.

But, that's Hollywood.

By Beth on Thursday, July 21, 2005 - 09:12 am:

LOL! You are right Ginny, I never thought of that. Funny thing dh is always saying thats not realistic which he did say a million times during the movie. That is good to know though that, that is not how they would do it in real life. By the way Karen I knew the outcome, I had heard through the grapevine. But it was still hard to watch.

By Annie2 on Sunday, July 24, 2005 - 10:49 pm:

The hospital couldn't remove the ventilator once it was in place, even if it was her wishes. That would be assisted suicide. She did however have the right to a DNR for the incident when she bit her tongue.

Why did her coach take her vent off first, at the end, and then inject her. Also why didn't he replace the vent when he left? That confused me.

I didn't really like the movie. But that was mainly because I don't like watching boxing scenes. When she had her nose straightened out I about passed out from the pain! LOL

By Pamt on Monday, July 25, 2005 - 01:16 am:

Ditto Annie. The hospital couldn't move the respirator once it had been placed. They could have never placed it. I hated the boxing scenes too and don't know how anyone could enjoy watching boxing. Seems like modern-day gladiators to me.

I have known personally and/or heard of far too many quadriplegics who go on to live full and happy lives to ever agree with assisted suicide for myself or someone else who has a severe spinal cord injury. When you have mobility in a wheelchair and a fully functional brain you can attend college, write books, teach, read, draw (with your mouth--case in point, Joni Erickson Tada), and even have a sex life, etc. It is definitely NOT a death sentence once you grieve for lost abilities and work through the natural depression that results from such an accident.

By Boxzgrl on Wednesday, July 27, 2005 - 02:04 am:

Pamt- DH's Uncle is a quadriplegic and went on to make his own business building whellchairs for the Paralympics. He never lost his will. He even races sand dunes and does everything anyone else could do, for the most part.