Parent+Removing+Child+from+Life+Support+-+Stephanie+Carlson

** OWN ** ** Child from Life Support ** media type="file" key="Let Me Live - Baby Pieter.mp3" width="240" height="20" align="center"
 * The Aftermath of Removing your **



Life support or life sustaining treatment is a replacement or supporting intervention for a failing bodily function. It is any form of medical treatment which is anticipated to prolong one’s life that is no longer able to survive on their own. The use of life support does not cure or reverse any primary medical conditions; however, it is intended to extend a life with the use of mechanical ventilation, artificial nutrition, or hydration. Life support is meant to relieve suffering, restore functioning, and increase the quality of life; however, in certain situations it is considered harmful and prolongs the process of death without providing any benefits. The decision to remove one from life support is an extremely personal and difficult one. (myICUcare.org)
 * What Is Life Support? **

(About.com, Death and Dying, 2007)
 * 1) **Mechanical Ventilation**: A machine that takes over the active breathing for the patient. A breathing tube is ran from a machine and inserted through the mouth or nose into the lungs. The machine constantly pumps air into the lungs and plays the role as the "active breather".
 * 2) **Artificial Nutrition:** Receiving nutrition in any form other than taking in food or fluid orally. This would be the use of Feeding Tubes knows as nasogastric tube (NG tube), gastrostomy tube (G tube or PEG tube), or total parentarel nutrition.
 * 3) **Hydration**: Using intravenous (IV) to constantly pump liquids through the patient's bodily system.

** The losses a parent endures when their child is ** ** removed from life support… **

Child Life Support Discussion Video

** Primary Loss ** Loss of a child

** Secondary Losses: ** Loss of being a parent and a grandparent Loss or change in the relationship with spouse/family members Loss of watching their child grow up Loss of being a "complete" family Loss to enjoy hobbies Change in assumptive universe

** Stressors: ** ** Grief related ** ** Life related **
 * **Grief Oriented Stressors** || **Grief Related Processes** ||
 * Sadness/Depression || * Crying
 * Isolation (not leaving house or getting ready for the day)
 * Not going to work
 * Constantly thinking about dead child
 * Change in eating or diet ||
 * Anger || * Negative behavior towards others (spouse, family members, doctors, maybe even god)
 * Lashing out
 * Speaking rudely
 * Confronting others/Hostility ||
 * Guilt || * Feeling of blame for deciding to take child off of life support and thinking “it’s all MY fault” ||
 * **Life Oriented Stressors** || **Life Related Processes** ||
 * Problems within Household Relationships || * Constant fighting
 * Anger towards spouse
 * Blame
 * Hatred/Anger
 * Avoidance of partner ||
 * Isolation from the outside world || * Not answering phone calls or visiting family/friends,
 * Not leaving the house/staying inside all day with no communication,
 * Not getting prepared for the day
 * Staying home from work
 * No longer indulging in hobbies or activities ||
 * How to Have family occasions without the dead child || * Trying to figure out processes or ways to have family functions without the dead child,
 * Family discussions
 * Support of one another
 * Incorporating memories at the events ||




 * = **Adaptive** ||= **Maladaptive** ||
 * = Joining a Support a Group ||= Isolating Self ||
 * = Discussing and Reminiscing about a child ||= Excessive Drinking ||
 * = Continuing to indulge in hobbies or extracurricular activities ||= Ignoring or removing self from family ||

** Treatment Plan ** There may be things in the outside world that bring up sad memories. I feel the constant reminder will be one of the most difficult parts. In order to address this loss, I feel the best process would be to have individual counseling session for each family member and to have group sessions as well. The individual therapy sessions will allow each member to learn processed and coping mechanisms for them to use. It will give each of them to interact with a therapist on a one-on-on relationship. It will also allow each of them an opportunity to open up and become vulnerable without others seeing them. They do not have to put on a front of being tough and strong. They will be able to open up. However, I feel that a group session would be extremely helpful for the family. They will be able to open up and work together to overcome the loss. In addition, they can let out any feelings of blame or anger and work through it. This will strengthen them and offer a way to get through this together.

** When does a parent say "enough"? ** media type="file" key="Life Support_0001.wmv" width="300" height="300"

** References **

http://www.5min.com/Video/Withdrawing-Life-Support-from-Conjoined-Twins-517222504

http://dying.about.com/od/glossary/g/artificial_feed.htm

http://www.myicucare.org/Support_Brochures/Pages/Life_Support.aspx

Could not find any pier reviewed articles related to my topic. I looked on Google scholar and Galileo Search Engines: Parents Removing Child From Life Support Parents+Removing+Child+Life+Support Children on Life Support Parents decision to end life support Life Support Life Sustaining Treatment Children+Life Support