Theoretically, if the kidneys keep working, or with dialysis, and if the liver doesn't get shot from all the drugs we use (esp. the heavy duty antibiotics), and if life-threatening pneumonias can be avoided, and if we keep the oxygen low enuf that we don't rot the lungs, a long time. We could probably do it for years, until old age itself intervenes. I wouldn't think very long with Arafat, considering his age and pre-existing conditions; couple weeks, maybe, but even our patients constantly surprise us, so who knows about somebody I only here about thru the media.
Pretty cruel thing to do. Pretty expensive, too. I think we charge about $2300/day, just for a vent. My end of it,assuming vigorous, but not special care (eg, no trips to CAT Scans with manual bagging and a charge for our time),could easily run 3.5 grand/day; 4-6 treatments per day at 100 bux, maybe some chest physical therapy, maybe an EKG at about $250, at least one blood gas at about the same price. I'm not sure what we charge for an ICU bed, all the X-rays and blood work done on a routine basis, etc. All this is why the bulk of the medical costs occur in the last year of life.
WR |
