Fight for dignity: seriously ill mom makes a difficult decision

Fight for dignity: seriously ill mom makes a difficult decision

Oberhofen, Deutschland - Meike Scherer, a 36-year-old mother from Oberhofen, made the decision to end her life after a long fight against cancer. Dependent on oxygen and plagued by health problems, its condition has deteriorated dramatically since December 2023. In her time with the family, she would like to leave her children as loving as possible before planning her last vacation in Italy, which is intended for August. There she would like to spend valuable moments with her three children and their father and has prepared a vacation diary to capture her thoughts.

The suffering of Meike Scherer began in 2016, after the birth of her third child. A diagnosis of cervical cancer in September 2021 and the resulting medical interventions led to massive health sets. After several operations in which parts of your ovaries and the entire large intestine have been removed, it is now dependent on parenteral nutrition. However, this is no longer possible due to repeated thrombosis, and it has decided not to allow any further medical treatments or operations, apart from pain therapy.

decisions at the end of life

Like Meike Scherer, who is registered with the organization "Linus euthanasia Germany", many people opt for passive euthanasia in similar situations. This is legally permitted in Germany, while active euthanasia is prohibited. Ethical considerations play an important role in such decisions. Communication with affected families often means an emotional balancing act, since grief and helplessness are common. In Meike Scherer's case, her children reacted differently to their decision; You want your mother to make her last breath in the familiar surroundings of her home.

palliative care and quality of life

Palliative care aims to improve the quality of life of serious and dying people. Target groups are not only adults, but also children and adolescents with life -threatening diseases. In Germany, palliative care is offered by pediatricians and specialized outpatient palliative care. These have been recognized as cash benefits since 2007. The care not only includes symptomatic treatment, but also an accompaniment from the diagnosis to adulthood. The control of physical symptoms such as pain and shortness of breath are important priorities. Opioid therapy often plays a central role, even if side effects such as constipation and fatigue can occur.

Research projects in the field of palliative medicine, funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), aim to improve patients. Qualitative and quantitative methods are used to increase the quality of life of those affected. Topics such as proactive palliative care or accompaniment in the last phase of life are of great relevance and are addressed by interdisciplinary research projects in order to cope with the challenges in the field of palliative medicine more effectively.

Meike Scherer also thanked her readers from the “Schwäbische Zeitung”, which they supported on their difficult path. Her story is an urgent appeal for more understanding and support in palliative care, and it shows how important it is to focus on the wishes and needs of patients and their families.