The family of a 54-year-old stroke victim says the woman should be allowed to die rather than endure life-sustaining treatment that leaves her permanently sedated.

The Medical Ethics Committee at the woman’s hospital agrees. But doctors can’t grant the family’s wishes without violating state law.

The case could end up before the state Supreme Court, but a lower circuit judge so far hasn’t responded to the family’s request for an expedited hearing.

The woman’s family has filed documents in La Crosse County Circuit Court to authorize Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center to cease treatment for the woman, whom a judge already declared incompetent.

But even though the court granted guardianship to the patient’s daughter, state law says a guardian can only authorize an end to lifesaving care if the patient is in a persistent vegetative state or has expressed wishes through a conversation or advance directive. This woman meets neither requirement.

The La Crosse patient has had seven strokes since 1995. The most recent stroke on April 23 left her with violent dementia including severe agitation, fear, anguish and delirium. The woman also has diabetes, anemia, pneumonia, respiratory failure and other medical conditions.

She refuses food and drink and she removes any feeding tube that doctors implant. The only way they can feed her is to keep her too sedated to pull the tube out.

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