Wife refuses medical treatment, turns off cheating husband’s life support after the man goes in a coma

A woman in China gained widespread attention online after turning off her husband's life support to retaliate against his infidelity. The 38-year-old man from Liaoning province had been living with his mistress while married.

The man had a cerebral haemorrhage at his mistress' home. She brought him to the hospital for emergency care, as reported by NetEase News.

When the man was admitted to the ICU, doctors attempted to locate the woman for her consent for surgery. However, she left already. Then, another woman came and claimed to be his wife. A doctor told her that the man's condition was severe. He was in a coma with minimal odds of surviving surgery, the doctor added.

The wife revealed that she had been aware of her husband's infidelity for over ten years. She claimed he didn't care about her or help financially. She also said her feelings for him had faded.

The medical devices could only keep him alive temporarily, and the surgery cost was very high. She refused to approve further medical treatment and requested that the doctors disconnect his life support. It's uncertain if the man's other relatives were informed or agreed with her choice.

What Chinese law says

Under Chinese law, if a patient cannot decide, doctors must inform close family members about surgical risks and get their written consent. This allows parents or a spouse to make medical decisions for the patient.

If the family can't agree on continuing treatment, the head of the medical institution can approve the necessary medical actions. The wife's actions led to a significant debate on social media in China.

Social media reaction

An online observer commented on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, and called her “heartless” The user added that abandoning treatment was equivalent to giving up on life.

According to another person, the unfaithful man's critical condition and the low chance of successful surgery are his karma. As per a third commenter, treating one’s wife well benefits the husband as well as she will be with the man in old age.