a good death

One of the patients on my service has had serious lower GI bleeding from countless diverticuli for the past 4 days. He has gotten >10 units of packed RBC's and suffered an MI a couple of days ago because of volume depletion. Coils didn't work so well at stopping the bleed. Next option is surgery...he'll probably get a necrotic bowel from ischemia, but I guess that's the next best option if he doesn't stop bleeding. He doesn't want any more procedures done...

I'm not very experienced at this, but lying around at an ICU at kaiser bleeding out of your ass doesn't sound like a great way to die. poor guy...

-bender