There is only one small nagging question surrounding this issue for me. How did this man survive the initial trauma of falling from his treestand?
If he did have displacement fractures of C3,4,5 with corresponding severing of his spinal cord, how did he not die at the scene? "C3,4,5 keeps a man alive." Vital organ tissue death caused by anoxia (no oxygen) secondary to apnea (no breathing) happens within minutes. How long before he was found? He must have been resuscitated almost immediately at the scene by a highly trained friend, or his spinal cord was not completely interrupted.
Following this type of severe trauma, there is always swelling, which sometimes masks the true state of affairs. Very similar to acute brain injury. The brain will not reveal it's true post trauma abilities until after the inflammation has reduced.
I truly hope his family was given all the information they required. I'm sure that was the case. This is one of the controversial issues surrounding patient driven healthcare. How are families expected to make complex medical decisions without being fully informed or properly educated? If any of you find yourselves or family members in this situation, please do your due diligence. I hope I have not offended anyone. End of life care issues are very delicate. His decision was made, and I agree with what he did. I am a strong advocate of allowing people to die with dignity.
