I believe that there are as many answers to this question as there are people on the planet. Since I do not have the answer for everyone I believe that this decision should be made by the person with the illness, his/her doctor and family members. I believe that this is a conversation that you should have with you loved ones before it becomes an issue.

I have spoken to each of my family members because their wishes are important to me. I would definately want my family to pull the plug and I have made these wishes clear to everyone. I hope that they would honor these wishes. If, God forbid I was in the postion to make this choice for one of my children I do not know that I could, unless I knew it was their wish. A decision made with sound mind and body.

I was so mortified by my inlaws when my MIL passed away. My MIL was very clear about what she wanted if there was an illness and when she passed. My FIL and oldest SIL did not honor any of these final wishes. It was all I could do to make my husband attend her services because their choices drove a large wedge in the family. My FIL and SIL were well aware of my MIL's final wishes but said "she's gone now, this service is for us." How do you even respond to that? To me (her DIL for 25 years at that time), my husband, his two other sisters, and his brother and wife this was such a display of disrespect. There was a "compromise" of sorts, because the latter all refused to attend the service if they did not at least honor her wish to be cremated. She did so much for all of us, and yet her wishes were disregarded.