Assisted Suicide

[MJS]

Looks like this is a topic being looked at for possible changes. As of right now, it is against the law for the doctor to assist with the suicide of a terminally ill patient. Dr. Jack "Doctor Death" Kevorkian, served time in prison for doing just this. Now, some doctors want the law reviewed, in an effort to change it, to give them the ok, to help someone who is dying a painful death, die a bit quicker.

Now, we have people for and against the death penalty. Some will say that its not right to take a life, while others say an eye for an eye. While the people in this case are not criminals, but instead ones with cancer and other terminal illnesses, we are still taking a life.

We put our beloved pets down when they are too sick. Some may say its only a pet, but again, I disagree, as my pet is treated like a member of the family. He is inside with all the comforts of my home, good food, fancy treats, you name it. Yet we don't want the dog to suffer, so we come to grips with the fact that he can't talk, is probably in pain and needs a way to have that pain removed, thus, we bring him to the vet, he gives him a shot and he goes to sleep, never to wake again.

So...what are your thoughts? Should doctors be allowed to aid with someones death, or should it continue to be against the law?

 

[celtic_crippler]

My mother was D.O.N. in a nursing home for over 20 years. I basically grew up in one...and became attached to many of the residents.

Her, and my view are quality of life over quantity.

We both have living wills with "do not resucitate" on them.

I'm all for it. IMHO, when it gets to that point you are no longer "living"; you are merely existing in suffering.

It's a shame we won't give our fellow human beings the same respect and dignity we'll give a dog.

Besides that, it's your life so do with it as you will. If you're ate up with cancer and live in agony every day with your only hope of relief being death, why delay it? It's absurd from my POV.

 

[Xinglu]

I agree with CC. Quality over quantity. It should be legalized for terminally ill patients.

 

[MJS]

I"m inclined to agree with the last 2 posters. I would hope though that this would be watched very close. In other words, the person asking for their life to end, should have a legit illness, with little to no hope for a full recovery. In other words, if someone has cancer, but that cancer could be removed with surgery and the person will live another 30yrs., no, I dont feel that the doc should take their life. Now, if the person is on 20 different meds, and has 2, maybe 3 mos. to live, sure, as long as the process is not painful, meaning, dont do what the guy in the article did. The doc should not hand the person a gun, show them the best place to place it, tell them to go home and shoot themselves. No, do what the vet does when its time to put the pets down...a painless procedure.

 

[KELLYG]

I am torn over this issue. I have see what the ravages of Cancer can do to the human body. My mom died of colon cancer a while back. I think that Md's actually do help people to go over quicker. In my mom's case she was not able to eat or drink and they supplied her with regular injections of morphine, for pain. I think that she was not able to process this and eventually was nudged over to the other side. (just my personal suspicion) If that was what happened I am grateful!.

I also believe that some people will want to live till their last ragged breath. What causes me concern is that if the "assisted suicide" is out of the patients personal control then it could be used as a cost saving measure versus what the patient wants. If the patient is unconscious then who is to make the decision? The Md's the family, the government, the insurance company's?

 

[MJS]

I am torn over this issue. I have see what the ravages of Cancer can do to the human body. My mom died of colon cancer a while back. I think that Md's actually do help people to go over quicker. In my mom's case she was not able to eat or drink and they supplied her with regular injections of morphine, for pain. I think that she was not able to process this and eventually was nudged over to the other side. (just my personal suspicion) If that was what happened I am grateful!.

I also believe that some people will want to live till their last ragged breath. What causes me concern is that if the "assisted suicide" is out of the patients personal control then it could be used as a cost saving measure versus what the patient wants. If the patient is unconscious then who is to make the decision? The Md's the family, the government, the insurance company's?

You bring up some good points that I didn't think about. As I hinted at in my last post, I think that there should be a solid "Yes, this person has a good chance of recovery." or "No, there is no hope for this person." Perhaps something along the lines of a DNR, that would instruct someone, should be fall into a state that rendered them unable to speak or make a decision. In most cases, where someone is elderly or has a condition that may not allow them to think clearly, someone such as a family member, is left in charge, for lack of better words, of this persons treatment.

 

[KELLYG]

MJS,

I think that it would also be very difficult to find someone that you could trust with your final decision. Then, I think, what effect would having to preform my last wishes on the person that I left in charge.

There you go I am torn again.

 

[MJS]

MJS,

I think that it would also be very difficult to find someone that you could trust with your final decision. Then, I think, what effect would having to preform my last wishes on the person that I left in charge.

There you go I am torn again.

Yes, it is a very hard decision. Do we have the doc put gradma out of her misery, or do we keep holding on? What if she were to recover? Stranger things have happened. I mean, its hard enough on family, when a loved one passes, now their passing is technically controlled by that persons family.

It'll be interesting to see how this court battle turns out.

 

[celtic_crippler]

It has to be that person's decision.

And this is also why it's important to have a living will so that your decisions aren't made for you when you are not in a condition to communicate your wants and desires.

 

[Xinglu]

The living will is the key right there. Such wishes should be written out in the case that you ask for it and some well meaning schmo disputes your mental faculties. If it is written out then there is no question as to what you want if the situation arose.

 

[Carol]

I am torn over this issue. I have see what the ravages of Cancer can do to the human body. My mom died of colon cancer a while back. I think that Md's actually do help people to go over quicker. In my mom's case she was not able to eat or drink and they supplied her with regular injections of morphine, for pain. I think that she was not able to process this and eventually was nudged over to the other side. (just my personal suspicion) If that was what happened I am grateful!.

My dad was ravaged by a series of strokes. His demise was not unlike that of an Alzheimer's patient, his body and mind were taken from him piece by piece. At the end, he was at a nursing home, paralyzed from the neck down and unable to speak, although he tried to talk many times. He tried to refuse food and water by making these loud guttural sounds any time the nurses would try to give him something.

I was kind of hoping that he would pass away during my visit so I could stay with my mom. But, he didn't...and I was running out of vacation days, so I said goodbye to my mom and dad and drove to the airport to fly back home and get back to work. He passed away shortly after I left, and thanks to some very kind souls at the Norfolk Police Department, I was able to get the news before my plane took off. When I took the call from my mom, she said as soon as I left, a nurse had put a morphine patch on him. He peacefully fell asleep, and not long after that he quietly slipped away.

My mom, my sister, and I all have living wills with Do Not Resuscitate orders. I do support assisted suicide very strongly as long as it is the decision of the individual.

 

[Omar B]

I'm all for assisted suicide, after all, it's up to the individual what they wish to do with their life. I saw the issue up close because my step-father's dad (so step-grandfather) suffered long with cancer and he went from a strong, hard working man to ... well those who have been in the situation know. He wanted to go but legally he could not be helped on his way. Eventually he used a gun.

 

[Carol]

I'm all for assisted suicide, after all, it's up to the individual what they wish to do with their life. I saw the issue up close because my step-father's dad (so step-grandfather) suffered long with cancer and he went from a strong, hard working man to ... well those who have been in the situation know. He wanted to go but legally he could not be helped on his way. Eventually he used a gun.

Oh man. I'm so sorry Omar. :asian:

 

[KELLYG]

Carol, Omar

I am sorry for your losses. I understand where you are coming from. In these types of illnesses, a living will is a good thing to have, but I think that they can only do so much. I don't think that they will (artificially) end your life for you but they can with hold treatment and nourishment till you pass naturally. I think personally that there should be some option out there, for the process to be speeded up (artificially). I know that if I was in that position please give me pain meds till I go and make it quick.

 

[Xinglu]

I'm all for assisted suicide, after all, it's up to the individual what they wish to do with their life. I saw the issue up close because my step-father's dad (so step-grandfather) suffered long with cancer and he went from a strong, hard working man to ... well those who have been in the situation know. He wanted to go but legally he could not be helped on his way. Eventually he used a gun.

And this is why I support it. Consider this, what is more traumatic for the family? A gentle and peaceful death carried out by his wishes and blessing or a violent messy death? What about those who were "lucky" enough to find him after he used that gun? What are the images they have to live with and how severe is the trauma they suffered? No how severe would the trauma be of watching their loved one fall asleep for the last time? It in the best interest of everyone involved to legalize it.

Furthermore, riddle me this, if we do it to our dying and suffering animals proclaiming it is the humane thing to do, how then is it not humane to do it to our own dying and suffering? Our current legal stance seems hypocritical in that light doesn't it?

 

[blindsage]

Physician assisted suicide is currently legal in Washington and Oregon.

 

[Omar B]

Thanks guys, but no condolences are really necessary. It's better to go out on your own power than to suffer and fade right. Can't say I was emotional and it, nor was my step father, he wanted to die and was suffering for a really long time (7 years). The part that sucks is that he had to hide and do it rather than having all the family have a nice dinner, see him off on a good note then have the doctor do his work. Could have worked out to be a rather nice family memory don't you think?

 

[CoryKS]

I don't know, it's a touchy subject. While I wouldn't want to inflict additional pain and suffering on an individual, I also don't want to provide others with a financial incentive to encourage someone to end their own life.

 

[Flea]

I'm all for assisted suicide. The decision should be made by patient, doctor, and loved ones as a team, with the patient having the final word. Courts and tribunals should be left out of it, as it's degrading to have bureaucracies intrude on one's most vulnerable moments.

I'll probably get smeared for this, but here goes anyway ...

I have one big problem with how the assisted suicide argument is framed, and that's with the blatant double standard applied to mental conditions. I think part of it comes from the social stigma that mental illness is no more than a personal weakness. This cavalier attitude ignores the fact that these conditions are excruciating and often severely debilitating. Worse, it's becoming accepted in the medical community that many mental illnesses are degenerative and have a correlation to Alzheimer's later in life. One can eke out "quality of life" in the midst of any catastrophic disease, but that doesn't change the reality of the diagnosis, or of having to live with it day after day.

On another level, assisted suicide is a moot argument because someone will find a way to die if they want to, bureaucrats be damned. As my grandfather wasted away this time last year the family whispered about assisted suicide behind closed doors (apparently legal in Oregon.) We didn't need to; when the diagnosis of spinal tumor came in, the doctor's gave him a prognosis of 6 months. He simply willed himself to death in three days flat. We were all quietly relieved to see him at peace, and on his final night we made it clear to him that we all supported his decision. I really miss him.

 

[KELLYG]

Flea,
I have one big problem with how the assisted suicide argument is framed, and that's with the blatant double standard applied to mental conditions. I think part of it comes from the social stigma that mental illness is no more than a personal weakness. This cavalier attitude ignores the fact that these conditions are excruciating and often severely debilitating. Worse, it's becoming accepted in the medical community that many mental illnesses are degenerative and have a correlation to Alzheimer's later in life. One can eke out "quality of life" in the midst of any catastrophic disease, but that doesn't change the reality of the diagnosis, or of having to live with it day after day.

I am a bit confused as to what your point is hear. I guess I did not eat my Wheaties this morning.