Death may take weeks but no suffering: expert

14 Aug 2009, 7:22 pm   -   Source: AAP
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Quadriplegic man Christian Rossiter could take up to two weeks to die and the process "doesn't involve a lot of suffering", a palliative care expert says.

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Quadriplegic man Christian Rossiter could take up to two weeks to die and the process "doesn't involve a lot of suffering", a palliative care expert says.

West Australia's Supreme Court on Friday upheld Mr Rossiter's right to request that his feeding tube be removed, in a landmark ruling.

What do you think of the ruling? Tell us here.

The 49-year-old man, who lost all body movement when he was hit by a car, can be allowed to starve to death in accordance with his wishes, without criminal liability falling to the home offering him care.

'Sane and reasonable'

Dr Scott Blackwell, president of Palliative Care WA, has welcomed the court's decision as "sane and reasonable".

"Now that a decision is made, and they have got a clear legal position, they can stop feeding," Dr Blackwell told AAP.

"What we expect will happen, if indeed (Mr Rossiter proceeds), over a period of a week to two weeks he will slowly die.

"People think that's a terrible way to die but it doesn't involve a lot of suffering, as long as proper palliative care measures are put in place to keep him comfortable.

'Not much pain, distress'

"There is not a lot of pain involved, or a lot of distress involved. He will ultimately sink into a coma and he will die."

Mr Rossiter is being kept alive via a tube that pumps nutrition and hydration into his stomach.

The court's ruling means neither Brightwater Care Group or the staff providing him care would be held liable for the removal of that tube, or Mr Rossiter's eventual death.

In a statement read to the court, Mr Rossiter said: "I am unable to undertake any basic human functions".

"I am unable to blow my nose. I'm unable to wipe the tears from my eyes."

Desire to die

He responded "yes" when asked if he wanted to die in WA, and only asked that painkillers be provided.

"And I would like to watch Foxtel on the television to pass the time," Mr Rossiter said.

Dr Blackwell said that in palliative care it was not uncommon to encounter terminally ill or disabled people who were "very depressed" and who sought similar actions.

"And when you treat the depression they change their mind," he said.

"I understand that's not so in this specific case."

 

Legal precedent

Dr Blackwell, who is also vice president of Palliative Care Australia, said the case had set a precedent in WA but as the law differed across the states its national implications were not yet clear.

"It's actually, in retrospect, good that the law has been tested on this issue," he said.

"It's good that we've had a sane and reasonable decision made, and it makes caring for people in these circumstances more straight forward for those who have that responsibility."

 

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Your Comments

QUADRIPLEGIA

will - from minneapolis Minnesota, 2 years ago

How would YOU feel if you became a quadriplegic? Seriously THINK about it. Would you want to be kept "alive" for 20 or 30 or more years KNOWING that you would never get any better? It would just be time for me to think of my condition, and that's about it.

How inhumane

Dee - from Sydney, 3 years ago

Whilst I am greatly pleased that the man has won the right to die, I am deeply saddened by the way he has to do it.
It will be a horrible experience for staff and family to have to witness it and a hideous experience for the man himself.
It is totally inhumane, why should he suffer so much longer than he needs?

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