Assisted suicide

by watersprout 8 Replies latest jw friends

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  watersprout

  We are watching a program about author Terry Pratchett and his coming to terms with alzheimer's and assisted suicide.... I am a believer in that we as human beings, who have free will, have a right to decide when and how we die... Why can animals be put out of their misery when dying a painful death?? Why can't we as humans make that decision??

  In Belgium assisted suicide is legal, but if you go out there and your loved one goes with you, when your loved one comes back they stand a chance of being prosecuted...

  I said to Carrot ''humans should be allowed that right to decide when to die''.... Carrot replied with ''it's illegal because you will have people just doing it so they are not a burden on their family''...

  It seems to be a very touchy subject with people, especially on this program.

  I would be very interested in some thoughts on the subject...

  Peace
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  Curtains

  I agree watersprout in principle. If a person is in so much pain and discomfort that nothing at all can be done for them and they want to die then there should be a legal way out. However even if here was a legal way out there is still the feelings of those left behind to consider. The family may not be able to find it in themselves to let a loved family member to go.
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  watersprout

  There is a younge man on the program who at only 42 has MS... He is wheelchair bound and is deterioting rapidly... He has decided to end it early while he still has his throat muscles to swallow the poison... *sigh* It's just soo awful! I can't begin to imagine what pains these people go through to make this kind of decision!

  Peace
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  watersprout

  Just watched where a man who was suffering from motor neurone disease allowed it to be filmed. It was all very calm he sat next to his wife and was very chatty. He drank the poison then sat talking to his wife. Then he started to choke gasping for water and it was denied him. He seemed to be struggling and then closed his eyes.... The woman who was in charge said he is snoring now. To be honest it sounded more like the ''death rattle''... His wife broke down, she was soo against it but supported his decision because of her love for him... Carrot got angry and said in no way was that dignified... Death isn't dignified, it's horrific and I remember when my grandfather died and how he fought against it.

  Carrot and I have got tears streaming down our faces. Carrot is trying to be brave but he is a big softie! Lol

  Peace
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  unshackled

  This made me think of the movie Million Dollar Baby.

  I tend to agree with you watersprout...should be within one's rights.
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  watersprout

  This made me think of the movie Million Dollar Baby.

  I have never seen that film, will take a look.

  We are watching a program now where two groups of people are arguing it out. Carrot is totally against it. I am for having that right to decide. I believe that it should be legalized in every country so when at that point where you are suffering in an unspeakable way, and cannot stand it anymore then medical staff can assist. Through a drip. But only when that person makes the decision to go.

  People are traveling to switzerland when they still have a quality of life to die... Just because they are frightened they won't be able to get there to die and will suffer a horrific death. That IMHO is wrong.

  Peace
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  GoingGoingGone

  Assisted suicide is legal in Oregon, Washington, and Montana.

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assisted_suicide

  I know someone who attended a dear friend's assisted suicide. It was a very, very difficult decision for the patient - who desperately wanted an assisted suicide - to go ahead with it, because her family was against it. In the end, her family respected her wishes.

  GGG
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  rebel8

  Before I did research and had much experience in healthcare, I was against it.

  In grad school I had to do a paper on the subject. Once I read the amicus brief from the nurses' association, my mind was changed.

  Have you ever seen someone on a morphine drip? People are euthanized every day in hospitals, sometimes against their will and knowledge. Families & patients don't know what's happening. They know they're dying but don't realize the doctor and nurses are speeding it up. And it's not a fast or gentle death--they kind of suffocate. And there's a conspiracy of silence about it.

  Since then I have seen a lot of suffering [and personally experienced some, come to think of it]. I firmly believe people ought to be able to ease themselves out of life.

  I don't think those with mental disorders should be excluded from that right either. That is some of the worst suffering I've ever seen. Most can and do get better with treatment; some cannot and do not. They should be screened and helped, of course, but ultimately if there is no hope of things getting better, they should be able to end it if they want to.

  I think it's barbaric to force people to stay alive if they don't want to.
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  Morbidzbaby

  After working with Alzheimers and Dementia patients and seeing them slowly deteriorate until they are just an immobile shell staring blankly into space all day with their limbs contracted, I completely agree that a person should be able to decide when they want to leave this life. family members should be allowed to remember their loved ones as they were when they were fairly normal, not when they didn't even know who THEY were, much less their family and were pissing and crapping all over themselves and having to be spoonfed.

  I believe a person should be given the choice and the option to die with dignity.