What does everyone think?

[perolane]

Quote:

X2

 

[I have WHAT in my yard?]

Quote:
I agree with this. But, after a thorough psych eval if the person still wants to control how their life ends I think they should have the right to do so. I know people with terrible pain and their choice is to live with the pain or stay so doped up on pain meds they essentially sleep all of the time. They wanted the chance to say good bye to family and end their lives peacefully surrounded by family. In the end the entire family colluded (with some medical advice from a professional who remained nameless) to overdose the person at the time of their choosing. There were 15 people present and the end was beautiful for the person suffering. When the ME asked questions everyone claimed to have medicated the person without realizing that the other people had already given the meds. The ME called it death by misadventure I think was the final ruling.

 

[Royd]

As a society, which touts the marvels of technology and better living through chemistry, we have created quite a legal and moral quandary for ourselves....We have painted ourselves into a corner, with no way out that isn't illegal.

How is it that the same government, which will send us to jail for allowing a 6 year old to die of cancer, whether through religious beliefs or financial situation, openly supports the killing of an innocent child, ten seconds before it takes its first breath?

One has to wonder about the motivation behind keeping someone alive, until they have given up their last dollar, but would allow some homeless person to die in a cardboard box, on a cold winter's night.

Why aren't the hospitals full of dying homeless?

We have laws in place, which make it illegal to practice natural healing, using plants and herbs, but gladly push untested chemical concoctions upon the upsuspecting public, as the latest and greatest miracle, only to destroy the very bodies which they claim to be saving.

One would also have to question the reasoning of anyone who would rather spend 15 years drooling on themselves and being manhandled from wheelchair to bed, rather than going out gracefully, at the age of 70, or maybe, the reasoning behind the family, who would allow it.

Isn't it ironic that the same scientific community, which would gladly foist upon us a return to 18th century living, demands that we live, as long as possible, in the miserable world they desire to create?

 

[cameron]

If I was in that state and my wife allowed me to keep "living", I'd haunt her day and night when I finally did pass away.

I know that quality of life means different things to different people. If someone could be happy living while totally paralyzed, then they're tougher than I am and I respect them for it. Pull my plug.

 

[Illia]

There was a bill on that out here. Death with Dignity vs Assisted Suicide.


Personally I don't care what religious influenced beliefs are in play, or what one person's own opinion is on the issue, it is MY body (and in his case HIS body) to do what with is pleased. If someone wants to continue being a vegetable, that's fine. If someone wants his/her plug pulled, that's fine.


I don't care if I have (which I likely wouldn't) the money for someone to care for me, a nice TV or Internet setup so I can have quality fun-time or whatever, I'd hate to be a vegetable or similar. One big issue I certainly have a strong opinion in is the whole "life is sacred" thing. I think the QUALITY of life is important, and that quality should only be defined by the one who owns their own life. But if I had to stay alive with face-altering or body-altering burns, or was a vegetable, or was missing several limbs, or had a disease or cancer that was incurable (I don't care what years we wasted putting money into Cancer Research, all I see coming out of it are more drugs and more Chemo) or something similar - I think I'd rather go. And I'd prefer not to have someone else with higher power over me decide otherwise because their beliefs differ. If they were in my position, I think their opinion might be different, but, they're not. . .

 

[Spookwriter]

Three times in my life I have faced the decision to pull the plug
on a life. Two were yes choices. For my wife, I was not ready to
let go. And she's still here today.

It is not an easy thing.

Here life stopped all nice and legal according to the law. The doctors
made the decison that someone's life was not worth the saving.

Why then, can a person...you or I...not decide the outcome of our own
life?

Life has some hard choices for sure.

 

[Laurajean]

I think he has the right to take his own life. I'd like to hope he's exhausted all other possible resources first, but in the end it's his life, his decision. I do not agree however, with the wife doing it. That's an awful heavy burden for her to later bear, "Did I do the right thing?" or "Oh my God, now there's a cure for such and such, what have I done?" I believe if he really wants to take his own life, he needs to figure out a way to do it himself.

 

[I have WHAT in my yard?]

Just to make a plug LIVING WILLS!! Make your own living will and be clear and specific about your wants and needs.

And if you can make some one other than the love of your life the person who decides whether or not to pul your plug. I don't want to place that burden on my husband. It would be very hard for him to decide and he would likely suffer with the guilt. My sister is a doctor she gets to decide. We all talked about it and we're all in agreement.

I know many people who live long active wonderful lives with extreme disabilities. But people should still have the right to decide as long as they are competent to do so.

But, the question of competence is the sticky point.



Living wills - write one. Even if it is your own words in your own hand witnessed by some one who does not benefit from your actual will it will hold up in court.

 

[un-named]

Quote:
X2!!!!
Society should not be allowed to judge if a person's burden is too much or not. Only you can tell for yourself if it is time to exit.
I think this issue will become a hot topic as the baby boomers age and face illness and prolonged suffering along with the consideration of the massive expense it can be to force someone terminal to be on feeding tubes and machines to keep them alive a few months longer when they want out at the time of their choosing....

 

[un-named]

Quote:
$. It all boils down to $. How much $ would be lost if people could exit when they want instead of having the tests, treatments, hospital stays, nursing home stays and of course all the prescriptions. Health care doesn't make $ on dead people.