A few weeks ago 29 year old American brain cancer sufferer Brittany Maynard made headlines around the globe after fighting for euthanasia to be an option for those who were terminally ill. Maynard's prognosis was not good so she had moved to Oregon where they have a Death With Dignity law. This means that instead of letting the cancer take her naturally she would take a lethal dose of some medication which would terminate her life before she became more incapacitated.
During her campaign the question of whether or not Australia and New Zealand should introduce similar legislation has been called into question. Maynard died on the first of November.
On Tuesday this week South Australian cricket player Phillip Hughes was struck in the neck with a bouncer bowled by NSW player Sean Abbott. For those who don't know, a bouncer is a cricket ball that travels at around 135kms and is intended to intimidate the batsman. Unfortunately on Tuesday at the SCG the ball struck Hughes' neck causing what would prove to be fatal injuries and he succumbed yesterday afternoon after a stream of visitors and well wishers.
The injury he suffered, vertebral artery dissection caused subarachnoid haemorrhage. This means that the neck injury caused bleeding into the brain. This is ultimately what killed Hughes.
Had he survived the tragic blow, he most likely would have suffered side effects the rest of his life.
In the first two weeks the chances of a re bleed are extremely high according to literature on the condition.
Long term epilepsy can be triggered by siezures caused by the brain's increased fragile state. Other side effects include long term increased fatigue, an inability to work, changing moods and slower cognitive abilities.
There have only been 100 reported cases in the world so there isn't much research to go on, but based on the cases the long term effects would be devastating.
Given the severity of Hughes' tragic blow to his head, which did cause him to stop breathing, and be kept alive by machines for 48 hours, one has to wonder. Although tragic and devastating a man with such potential, just on the way back up to playing for Australia, did he get lucky? Nobody wants to die, but being as ambitious as he was, had he survived, how severe would the brain damage have been? Would he have been able to keep playing at a competitive professional level? Was it better that he was effectively killed instantly?
Nobody wants anyone to die, and nobody wants to suffer in pain, was Hughes luckily spared long term pain and side effects?
No doubt we'll never know because he didn't get the chance to recover, and he will forever be remembered as 63 Not Out, and that little kid from Macksville who always wore a cheeky grin on his face and didn't stop fighting.
Is it time to re-think euthanasia legislation? When you switch off life support isn't that actually a form of euthanasia?
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