[elromulous]

Not op, or an expert on radiation poisoning, but, one can receive a lethal dose of radiation in an instant (and be condemned to certain death) but not die for weeks.

Credentials: I've read about the demon core[0] and watched Chernobyl on HBO.

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demon_core

[Hamuko]

Or months if your family/the doctors prolong your suffering.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokaimura_nuclear_accidents#Im...

[qikInNdOutReply]

The family was just clueless and it would have been the job of the doctors to tell them the truth. But they wanted to use the rare case for some scientific glory.

[brutusborn]

Wikipedia says his wife wanted him to see the year 2000. I suspect doctors just followed family orders, not much glory in keeping an almost-corpse alive.

[qikInNdOutReply]

Ah, doctor is a trained professional, who is forced to uphold the truth and stand up as the agent of reason against delusional personal wishes of humans in denial. You can not see the year 2000 with shredded dna. They knew, they did not insist, they created the ilusion of possible cure and healing for what was essentially a hospice cure.

They created a situation, were they applied cures that could not work to a patient that wanted to die. And they knew. Let those monsters not be hidden behind the cluelessness of the family.

Clinging to life at all costs, until there is nothing left, but a heap of hellish pain and machines, a good doctor will, should & must prevent this.

[brutusborn]

I agree that unnecessary suffering should be prevented, however I see no evidence that the family was under any illusion.

[Salgat]

Ah yes the man with no DNA. Stuff of nightmares.

[elromulous]

P.s. Also see this https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Therac-25