By Saddoc - 26/07/2013 07:58 - Australia - Dalkeith

Today, I attended an elderly patient's funeral. He died of a heart attack after his daughter, as his carer, stopped all of his meds in favour of a half-cup of garlic a day. Apparently she'd "read an article" about the healing power of garlic, which trumped my 6-year degree. FML
I agree, your life sucks 54 321
You deserved it 2 970

Same thing different taste

Top comments

I feel terrible for the elderly man. I couldn't imagine eating a half-cup of garlic a day. That in itself is torture.

Does Australia have anything on criminally negligent homicide?

Comments

buttcramp 21

i'm not familiar with australia's legal system but this man's daughter should have some sort of punishment!

Wow I would hate to be in her shoes right about now!

A cup is a little excessive. I've heard of a clove a day ASSISTING in aiding toxin removal, but she apparently knew what was best, right?

Sad to hear OP. Important not sure how the laws are in Australia but here Im fairly certain that there's a wrongful death suit there....

coldstar 15

FYL and especially F the patient's life. I don't know who's worse sometimes; the people who make all sorts of baseless and often ludicrous claims about this and that without any regard for the consequences it can have for people, or the people who actually believe the claims. What a miserable way to go for that unfortunate man.

DeoVolente 13

I must say, there should be a button labeled "You don't deserve it, they do". You must have a great lack of common sense if you're to believe garlic will solve such health issues.

I had the exact opposite happen to me this past April. My mother died because a team of highly skilled doctors at a respected hospital decided she no longer needed the only medication that was keeping her alive. It didn't matter what I said, because they had their medical degrees. It didn't matter that specialists in the same damn hospital put her on it. I brought in the medical journals, studies, papers, and prescription documentation indicating mandatory treatment; I cried and begged them to listen for 3 weeks, right up to the last day. Even "Patient Advocacy" gave me a speech about how I'm not a doctor, nearing the end when I was desperately looking for help from anyone. But what the **** do I know? I'm no doctor. A month after the funeral, of which no one from the hospital attended, the hospital administration sent an unsigned, generic sympathy card. Thanks. Everyone is stupid. Even the "smart" ones are retarded. On a brighter note: what do you call a medical student that graduates bottom of their class? Doctor.

Playful1985 9

the thing is families are held less responsibility and more rights than a nurse. If a nurse did this. In jail. If a family member does this "Just a mistake!" some off our worst issues in nursing is families interfering and making things for their family member incredibly worse... They ignore us when we tell them professional advice. Think we are stupid regardless. But feel it is right to leave them in our care.

I doubt it would be considered manslaughter. Assuming that either the patient was competent or the daughter had legal authority over him, they had every right to choose to discontinue medical treatment and attempt natural remedies. It's only a legal issue if the patient didn't consent and the daughter went against his medical wishes. Many natural remedies are effective, but discontinuing medications or trying natural treatments should be supervised by an expert. However, patients always have a right to choose not to continue treatment.

Once a resident at my nursing home was put on a low fat diet, cause he was over weight and had health issues connected to that. And yes so the careers cause more easily assist to his needs... Because that in itself would be impossible for someone to give him the best quality off life, cause us AIN's are only strong as humanly possible! And his wife stupidly snuck in fatty food for him... What she said made me strong dislike her amongst saying we are all shallow and he is at the end off his life and should be enjoying himself. That she does not care if it is harder for the careers... **** you lady we all have families to go home to. Do you want to explain to them why our backs are ****** up? Ignorant woman. Anyways ... He ended up in hospital... THEN SHE SAID! Why we did not do anything to stop it. Or tell her... He now not only can never have his favourite meals again in his life. But he is on a puree diet... the same thing day in and day out for the rest off his life. He is more out off it, and not hits on all the young nurses in a gross way. Calls out for nonsense things and sings for no reason is a full sling lifter. It ALOT! harder for us nurses to handle him physically as well as personally. A big sarcastic clap to you lady... And for what you said about us nurses... We only take care off your husband when you can't. But yes who cares about our safety.