Decision-making is something we do hundreds of times every day.  Most of the decisions we make don’t fall into the “hard” category, but when they do, special considerations must be made before we make them.  When these decisions are really hard, as many factors as possible must be taken into consideration before making them, as the ramifications could change our lives significantly.

Most decisions are made almost second nature to us.  We add up all the pros and cons, and whatever seems to be favored, well, then we make our decision based upon those factors.  But sometimes it’s not as easy as that.  Sometimes lives are at stake, and we better be awfully sure about what we’re doing before making them.  Sometimes it’s just not as easy as adding up the pros and cons, there is that certain “x” factor that can’t be easily quantified.

For instance, assume you have a pet, a dog for instance, that is getting up there in age.  Assume the lifespan of the beloved dog you have is around fifteen years, and he is fourteen years old with a horrific, life-threatening disease. You’ve taken your beloved pet to the vet, and the vet has given you the option of an expensive procedure to extend the life of your animal for six months.  Most of us would do anything to help our pets, as they are like children to us, and much loved.  But the cost is significant, and the life extension of the procedure is only six months at best.  Would you do it?  I wouldn’t, even though I love my pet like crazy and would do almost anything to help his living conditions.  But making the decision, and even if money wasn’t an object, is selfish and not the best for your pet!

You’ve had many years, healthy loving years, with your beloved pet already.  Making the decision to have a procedure done, to extend his life with no guarantees, for maybe six months at best, is just not the way to go.  It’s selfish, as the quality of life your pet will live is still going to make him suffer.  Probably the best decision, and it’s a hard one, is to let him go.  In other words, euthanizing is the best decision in this case.  It’s a tough one, maybe one of the toughest decisions you might have to make, but it’s the correct one if you don’t want to see him suffer.

The previous is just one example of a decision that’s not so easy to make, or quantify with the facts at hand.  The reason is because emotions are involved.  Any time decision making is clouded by emotions, the decision is much tougher to make. The life and well-being of the animal should come first and foremost, even though you think that giving him a few more months to live would be nice. His suffering is just not worth the cost, emotionally and economically.

So when life throws us curve balls and we must make those tough decisions, more time is necessary.  We really must take everything we possibly can into the equation, including emotions, and that is what makes it tough!