Right to Die Issue Terminally Ill, Hopelessly Paralized, Etc..What Are Your Thoughts?

by frankiespeakin 57 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  restrangled

  I watched my father slowly die of bone cancer that went to his brains and lungs. It was horrible. He was a vital, strong man his entire life. 6 foot 3 250 lbs, entire muscle and strength.

  "Slowly"....is subjective...it took 3 months, it felt like an eternity.

  He was on liquid morphine, and while he was still able to communicate, he kept refusing it because it made him into a babbling idiot, and he knew it.

  But the pain became too much, and we suspect that the Hospice nurse....helped him die....we were thankful. He was no longer eating, or drinking.

  Liquid morphine is deadly....it will stop the heart.

  The entire subject is heartbreaking, but as my mom says, whats wrong with dieing at home surrounded by family without artificial extension of a torturous death.

  Makes sense to me.
• 

  frankiespeakin

  Restrang,

  Your father's situation and my sister's makes me think that if they where given a very clear picture by the doctors as to what would be the stages they would have to go thru and if they were given a choice of a painless death they would have chosen to die with dignity and in their own time thus giving them a measure of control back to them instead of waiting and suffering.
• 

  no more kool aid

  Frankie, any naysayers to a dignified death have not seen the horrors that a person can suffer when facing death. Or worse yet an injury that makes you dependent on another for every aspect of your existence. I have seen it first hand and people need to have a choice in this situation. NMKA
• 

  dgp

  AK Jeff said, "I have no problem with dignified euthanasia. My concern lies with the danger that is always possible for government or others to take it to the next step and taking it out of the hands of the individual. I fear this could happen."

  Fully agree.

  Frankiespeaking said "Your father's situation and my sister's makes me think that if they where given a very clear picture by the doctors as to what would be the stages they would have to go thru and if they were given a choice of a painless death they would have chosen to die with dignity and in their own time thus giving them a measure of control back to them instead of waiting and suffering"

  The problem here, Frankie, is that doctors can also become desensitized to your needs or wants. I understand it happens to all of them, up to a point, if they want to avoid insanity. They see pain and suffering every day and they must create their own shields.

  So, the key factors are INFORMATION, first, and RIGHT, second. They should give you all the right information, and let you decide.

  I would also legislate that the organs of a person choosing to die should not be allowed to be donated. Just to prevent vested interests.
• 

  cameo-d

  Controversial in death as in life, the Hemlock Society USA as a name died suddenly on June 13, 2003, in a boardroom in Denver, Colorado.

  ....

  Born in 1980 in my garage in Santa Monica, California, Hemlock went on to be the largest and oldest right-to-die organization in America fighting for voluntary euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide to be made legal for terminally and hopelessly ill adults.

  ...

  ... it fought the relentless forces of the religious right to be heard as the voice of choice in dying ...

  http://www.assistedsuicide.org/farewell-to-hemlock.html

  (Final Exit)
• 

  cry

  It's not a subject most of us wants to think about, but watching someone you love die a painful death surely makes you question the rights and wrongs of it. My father, who suffered lung cancer, was given a large doze of morphine, which I am sure hastened his death (uniofficially) - it would have been cruel to have prolonged his suffering. We all understand the concept of euthanasia for our pets - nobody wants them to suffer, so why is it different when it comes to humans. Undoubtedly, it is the religious issue that gets in the way of making any progress on this and that is not fair for those of us who are not relogious or, if they are, do not believe it to be a sin. With tight guidelines etc. there must be a better way to end your life than in agony, or unable to eat and drink and, in effect, starving to death.
• 

  frankiespeakin

  Dgp,

  I would also legislate that the organs of a person choosing to die should not be allowed to be donated. Just to prevent vested interests.

  I see your point or concerns, but I think this scare over abuses to be a little unnecessary. I really feel that if someone makes the choice the governments should respect this choice as a sacred right without the stipulation that he not be allowed to donate organs. Actually my feelings are a person should be allowed to end his life without too much interference and red tape from the government period and only require what is absolutely necessary to avoid any abuses.
• 

  frankiespeakin

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_z1evoiPMHA

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDOzT3_HfwI

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZA5tXtOi0c
• 

  Elsewhere

  I totally understand the suicide mindset. After leaving the WTS I came very close.

  One way you left out is to use propane heaters in a house to cause carbon monoxide poisoning. This has several benefits:

  1. Quick and painless.

  2. Very easy to setup and execute.

  3. Almost 100% guaranteed to work.

  4. Looks like an accident as opposed to suicide (when done when it's cold outside).

  
• 

  frankiespeakin

  Else,

  I think the hellium or nitrogen the most painless, and if they have an assistant they could take off the exit bag from the person as it leaves no trace, and would appear to be natural causes, which could also help a persons family collect life insurance which is a very legitimate concern of the dying for the ones they leave behind. Just saying but in no way encouraging anything illegal mind you.