Case Study on Death and Dying Assignment Paper

Case Study on Death and Dying Assignment Paper

Case Study on Death and Dying Assignment Paper

 Abstract

Based on the findings of the case study, George is given a diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive illness in which the patient progressively loses the capacity to talk, move, eat, and breathe, and eventually passes away. George, a devoted follower of Christianity, should find spiritual solace in the fact that he is ill and in suffering despite his circumstances. He would look at his circumstance as a test of his faith in God and how he should respond to it. However, he will not be able to circumvent the reality that the world is corrupted by sin. As had been foretold for a very long time, Jesus had been executed, had been buried for three days, and had been raised from the dead on the third day. If George is the kind of person who believes that the dead may be revived, then he has every reason to think that he will be resurrected when this world finally comes to an end. Even though he has firsthand experience and awareness of the bleakness that exists in the world, this does not make him less optimistic about the possibility that exists

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Case Study on Death and Dying

According to the Christian religion, there is an all-powerful and all-knowing God. Additionally, the Bible governs many parts of the Christian lifestyle. This is the foundation of the Christian worldview. From the case study, George has been diagnosed with ALS, which means he will be unable to talk, move, eat, or breathe on his own in the not-too-distant future; this raises the ethical and moral question of whether he may choose to end his life via euthanasia. George’s case is complicated, and there are a few different ways to approach it. One way to look at it is from the perspective of Honorableism, which would focus on George’s duty to his family and society. Another way to look at it is from a more personal perspective, taking George’s wishes and preferences into account. And finally, there is the legal perspective, which takes into account George’s rights under the law. From an Honorableism perspective, George has a duty to his family and society to try to prolong his life as much as possible. This is because his death would cause them great sadness and grief. This assignment aims to complete an ethical analysis of George’s situation and his decision from the perspective of the Christian worldview.

How George Would Interpret His Suffering in Light of The Christian Narrative, With an Emphasis on The Fallenness of The World

In his 50s, George has had a hectic and fulfilling life. Lawyer and legal expert, he is also a university professor. His other interests include coaching his teenage son’s basketball team and spending time with his family. As a result, he is likely to be physically fit and athletic as well. On the other hand, George has recently been diagnosed with the early stages of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS, and things are about to change. In this neurodegenerative condition, the myelin sheaths surrounding motor neurons begin to deteriorate. Motor functions that are regulated by nerves that have been damaged might be lost as a consequence (Hammer & McPhee, 2018; Huether & McCance, 2017). As a result, George will soon be unable to speak, move, eat, or breathe on his own. In addition, the condition is incurable and progresses to a point where there is no return.

In light of the Christian story, how, though, would George view his suffering? In light of the truth of the world’s fallenness, how would Christ understand the suffering? Then there is Job, who God permitted to suffer and be tested by the devil in the Christian perspective. Besides, many theologians believe that Jesus’ death on the cross makes it possible for humans to be forgiven for their sins and to be reconciled with God. This is called the doctrine of atonement. Some people believe that Jesus’ death on the cross provides a way for humans to be freed from sin and its consequences, such as death and separation from God. Others believe that Jesus’ death on the cross provides a way for humans to receive eternal life. For George, who is a devout Christian, his sickness and pain would be a source of spiritual inspiration. He would see his predicament as a trial for his trust in God. However, he will not be able to avoid the truth of the world’s fallenness. And it is because of this fact that he will begin to doubt God’s existence. As the term implies, the world is fallen because it is full of sorrow and evil, and because of this, people are tormented with physical and emotional discomfort (Dickinson, 2019). This might lead George to doubt the existence of a Christian God. For what possible reason would he let him suffer in this way?

How George Would Interpret His Suffering in Light of The Christian Narrative

 With An Emphasis on The Hope of Resurrection

Persecution of Jesus by the ruling class, culminating in his crucifixion and execution, is described in the New Testament and Christians understand this. According to the New Testament, Jesus was, in fact, God’s son. Jesus had been killed, buried for three days, and resurrected on the third day, as had been predicted long before. There is no denying that Christ was crucified and that He was the Son of God. This much is clear from both scripture and history. However, beyond that, there is much debate surrounding exactly what happened during His crucifixion and what it all meant. Some believe that Christ fully understood His upcoming sacrifice and willingly went through with it in order to save humanity from their sins. Others believe that Christ didn’t fully understand the gravity of what He was about to do until He was actually on the cross. And still others believe that Christ stubbornly refused to accept His impending death until the very end, only then accepting it as part of God’s plan. Also, Christians believe that Christ is active in the present, in their own lives. Therefore, if George is a believer in the resurrection of the dead, he has every reason to believe that he will be resurrected when this world comes to an end. The fact that he has personal knowledge of and experience with the world’s bleakness does not dim his outlook on this potential.

Life With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) And How the Christian Worldview Will Inform His View About the Value of His Life as A Person

When George was diagnosed with ALS, he had no choice but to consider the importance of his life as a human being. As a Christian, life is holy and must be protected at all times, no matter how good, or bad the quality is. God is the sole source of life and death in the Christian worldview. No one, even the holder of that person’s life, has the right to kill another person. On the basis of the bioethical concept of autonomy, George will be haunted by the prospect of deciding on the treatment process. This is the point at which a patient or a person who has been diagnosed with a condition decides for themselves how their treatment will continue (Dickinson, 2019). While contemplating whether to follow beneficence’s dictates (such as considering voluntary euthanasia) or uphold the sanctity of life (as advocated by the Christian worldview) and continue to suffer, he will also evaluate other options. The Christian conviction on the worth of life has exacerbated this ethical problem, but George will have to cope with it in the end. George ought to understand that the Holy Spirit is a comforter, and indeed, during times of sickness and death, the Holy Spirit’s role is to bring comfort to those who are grieving. The Holy Spirit also provides Strength and healing during times of sickness and death. In addition, the Holy Spirit acts as a guide during times of sickness and death, helping us to make sense of what is happening and providing wisdom for how to best deal with the situation. Finally, the Holy Spirit brings peace in times of sickness and death, offering calm amid the storm.

Contemplating Euthanasia in the Context of the Values and

Considerations of the Christian Worldview

The Christian worldview would take a number of principles and circumstances into account while deciding whether George should choose euthanasia. As previously mentioned, the Christian worldview holds that every life is holy, regardless of its quality. As a result, no human being, only God, should be allowed to take life. However, there may be exceptional situations that necessitate taking the well-being of the patient and their loved ones into account (beneficence and nonmaleficence). When it comes to George, for example, the Christian worldview will take into account if he has the ability to work and earn a living. When it comes to late-stage ALS patients, the answer to this question is usually no. It will also take into account George’s agony and suffering. Is it worth it to save George’s life if it means saving your own? Consideration number three will be whether George would be able to carry out God’s mission on Earth via his acts after his death. The response is a resounding “no.” The only way George will be able to survive is if he relies on the kindness of strangers (Huether & McCance, 2019). Finally, the Christian worldview will also take into account the long-term psychological and emotional effects of George’s stance on his family. Ensuring the long-term health of George would merely prolong the agony and anguish that would befall him and his family. After considering all the principles and factors from a Christian viewpoint, euthanasia seems to be the best decision.

A Morally Justified Option in the Christian Worldview

After weighing all of the aforementioned factors, the Christian worldview is left with just one ethically acceptable choice. It must be an option that is beneficial to George and his family, allows George and his family to exercise their right of autonomy, does not harm George and his family psychologically, physically, emotionally, and spiritually, and provides George and his family with all of the options of management available to confront the situation without bias (justice). After considering all the factors, the Christian worldview choice that is ethically acceptable in this instance is voluntary euthanasia. As of right now, this is the only choice that can satisfy the moral and ethical criteria of beneficence, non-malfeasance, self-determination, and fairness. Continuing to allow George to live while relying only on a ventilator machine is a bad idea. In addition to George and his family’s emotional, bodily, and psychological pain, there will be a colossal financial cost. Patients in the critical care units of large hospitals often use ventilators to help them breathe. The average cost of a single day in the intensive care unit (ICU) on one of these devices is about $100 (Huether & McCance, 2019). When the situation never improves, allowing George to deplete the family’s resources is morally equivalent to forcing the rest of his family to live in poverty. A pricey gadget may keep their father alive, but his children will be unable to attend a school or eat enough food because of it. He will also never walk or speak again.

What Would be the Rational Decision to Make

Viewing the Situation from Outside

In George’s condition, I would likewise choose euthanasia if I were in the same scenario. There are several explanations for this, all of which may be found in the previous section.

Conclusion

Christians believe that life is precious because God cares for his creation. Disease and pain are part of the fallenness of this world, but there’s still hope in Christ, who overcame death on our behalf- so we can also overcome these things together. Euthanasia can be morally justified from the Christian perspective. The long answer is a bit more complicated. There are a few different ways to look at euthanasia from a Christian perspective. One way is to see it as an act of mercy. When a person is suffering, and there is no hope of recovery, euthanasia can be seen as a compassionate way to end their pain and suffering. Another way to look at it is as an act of self-sacrifice. In some cases, a person may choose to end their own life to spare their loved ones from having to watch them suffer or decide to end their life themselves.

References

Dickinson, T. (May 27, 2019). Christianity’s extraordinary solution to believing in God in a world of evil and pain. STREAM. Retrieved 18 February 2020. https://stream.org/christianitys-extraordinary-solution-to-believing-in-god-in-a-world-of-evil-and-pain/

Hammer, G. D., McPhee, S. J., & Education, M. H. (Eds.). (2018). Pathophysiology of disease: an introduction to clinical medicine (p. 784). McGraw-Hill Education Medical.

Huether, S. E., & McCance, K. L. (2019). Understanding Pathophysiology-E-Book. Elsevier Health Sciences.

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Case Study: End of Life Decisions
George is a successful attorney in his mid-fifties. He is also a legal scholar, holding a teaching post at the local university law school in Oregon. George is also actively involved in his teenage son’s basketball league, coaching regularly for their team. Recently, George has experienced muscle weakness and unresponsive muscle coordination. He was forced to seek medical attention after he fell and injured his hip. After an examination at the local hospital following his fall, the attending physician suspected that George may be showing early symptoms for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a degenerative disease affecting the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. The week following the initial examination, further testing revealed a positive diagnosis of ALS.
ALS is progressive and gradually causes motor neuron deterioration and muscle atrophy to the point of complete muscle control loss. There is currently no cure for ALS, and the median life expectancy is between 3 and 4 years, though it is not uncommon for some to live 10 or more years. The progressive muscle atrophy and deterioration of motor neurons leads to the loss of the ability to speak, move, eat, and breathe. However, sight, touch, hearing, taste, and smell are not affected. Patients will be wheelchair bound and eventually need permanent ventilator support to assist with breathing.
George and his family are devastated by the diagnosis. George knows that treatment options only attempt to slow down the degeneration, but the symptoms will eventually come. He will eventually be wheelchair bound and be unable to move, eat, speak, or even breathe on his own.
In contemplating his future life with ALS, George begins to dread the prospect of losing his mobility and even speech. He imagines his life in complete dependence upon others for basic everyday functions and perceives the possibility of eventually degenerating to the point at which he is a prisoner in his own body. Would he be willing to undergo such torture, such loss of his own dignity and power? George thus begins inquiring about the possibility of voluntary euthanasia.