New West Network

I am sorry that the information you received in the Missoulian and local news led you to believe that this man was refusing medical care. I WAS involved the care of this patient and I can tell you that although he understood that his injuries were fatal he was by no means begging to die. He was asked for consent and it was explained to him that we were going to do everything possible, he understood and agreed. After he was unable to verbalize the wishes of his family were followed and honored. Unless you were actively involved in the care of this patient please do not judge the decisions made by Paramedics, Emergency Room Staff, Doctors, AND family members involved. This was an emotional day for the entire city, we must stick together and help each other, not pass judgement towards each other.

Thank you for your reply on this. It was not intended as a personal judment of you as a care giver but rather a response to what I read in the Missoulian...As well as an overall realization about what we can face as a care giver in such a situation......As a paramedic you have chosen to engage these issues very deeply and I have great respect for what you take on in your profession. It is difficult as a human being to accept fate ours or others with out the literal failure of the body to continue living...This applies to a wide range of end of life decisions.

Mainly I had an emotional response to the quote
from the Missoulian...

"The man was coherent enough to give out his wife’s cell phone number, but he pleaded with them to let him die, Stokes said."

The following day it was reported that he had died after being flown away.
The victim seemed to be accepting his own fate and was denied of the peace of dying near to his family and home, according to the Missoulaina article. Thank you for clarifying.

I agree with "Paramedic", lets not focus on judging the people who come to help us in times of our greatest need. I have had several situations in which I personally needed a paramedic and my experiences have been overwhelmingly positive. Thanks to all of those paramedics and firefighters who have always been there quickly and professionally when I needed help.

This brings up an interesting moral question however, if you are in a accident and do not know the possible medical outcome, (and are presumably in a state of shock), should those first responders honor your wishes to refuse medical help?