Sometimes that refusal can be made out of fear, take the time to figure the
difference. Believe me I know. Been there, ignored that.
"Cheryl" wrote in message
...
Matthew wrote:

We just lost a family member a couple weeks ago due to stupid
stubborn mountain idiocy. He had the Flu ( not swine) so bad that it
went to his heart. He refused to go to the doctor or hospital even though
he was laid up in the bed barely able to breathe. The true stupid thing;
which I think their side of family is looking at charges to be pressed or
should, is that his wife is a long time Nurse and did not call 911 or the
doctor because he said not to that he was fine. The worse thing is that
their son is a doctor and was away. He found out that his father was
sick than died. He was irate that no one called him or a doctor. He said
dam his father's pride he would have been in the ER. If he had to drag
him there.

My friend May he rest in peace pasted away a couple months ago due
to lung cancer. The doctor told him to stop smoking that if he did not
stop the chemo he needed would not work. He refused still went through
the treatments. He died a few weeks later. May he rest in peace but I
have no sympathy for or his wife; she knew but ignored the situation.

Mountain pride as it is called I would love to take a baseball bat
to them and people like that. Ignorant pride needs to be beaten out of
people IMO plain and simple.

It's not limited to mountains, and people do have the right to refuse to
see a doctor or follow a doctor's instructions, even if they die as a
result.

Mind you, most won't. When the mother of a friend of mine was in her last
illness, she was reluctant to consult a doctor, and of course, since she
was conscious and in her right mind, the ambulance attendance wouldn't
take her unless she consented. Her daughter finally said "Do you want to
put me through the same thing X (a close friend who refused to get medical
treatment) put you through?" and she went, although the emergency surgery
that followed revealed terminal cancer, and she never woke up after the
operation.

If someone can't or won't follow their doctor's directions, that's their
choice, and really, if they're determined, not even a spouse can or should
take responsibility for making them change their minds (unless, of course,
they are underaged or not in their right minds).

It's a very serious (and usually pointless) thing to do to *force* someone
to quit smoking or see a doctor and follow directions. Suggest, urge,
persuade them to, yes. But ultimately the decision is theirs.

--
Cheryl