Quote:
Originally Posted by fordomatic
Also, anyone who has experienced a close family member or friend suffering and telling you all they want to do is die is when you will be for it. The pain in my dads face when he looked me in the eyes and said he wanted to die with dignity is something i will never forget.
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The only people that would be against it Jake are those that have not seen what you have seen...or those on religious grounds (but we won't go there as it's an argument you'll never win). I've seen it closely but second-hand (my ex-wife's father when we were still married), and it's not something I would have wished on the person involved and at the age of 52 I don't want it to happen to me, either tomorrow or in 20-30 years time.
The medical community needs to re-evaluate the 'promotion and extension of life at all costs' approach and take a more holistic view of the entire situation that takes into consideration the views and wishes of the person whose life they are making decisions on.
There is no point promoting or extending the life of someone with a terminal illness who has no future except unremitting pain and a slow and undignified passing. Yes with pain relief things can sometimes be 'managed'. Sometimes this management is to put the person under and keep them under until they starve to death, or they withdraw fluids and they go into multiple organ failure. Sometimes pain meds just don't work.
Palliative care should be an option but it should not be the only option.
At the end of the day the decision should be solely the responsibility of the person that feels it's their preferred option...when there is no other option.
The way I see this working would be an 'assisted dying plan' put in place at any point of your life that would cover the event of a terminal illness or catastrophic injury that would result in a permanent vegetative state.
In the case of a terminal illness the person could choose (or not choose) to enable their plan at any point they feel it's 'time'. This would be done in conjunction with 2 or 3 separate diagnoses from different medical professionals that there is only one way forward and the chosen path can be used to bring things to a controlled conclusion.
In the case of a catastrophic injury with no possible reversal then the plan should be put into play.
The actual process should be handled by the person involved and medical staff. If the person is able they can trigger the event themselves, or the whole apparatus could be semi-automated to kick in at a certain time or medical event.
If the person has the need for a final blessing then religious involvement should be limited to this or some sort of non-judgemental counselling if it is requested. It may be difficult for some religions to refrain from dragging their own perspective into this and trying to dissuade the person from their chosen course. This needs to be managed if it causes distress.
If this doesn't fit with any religion's viewpoints on assisted dying then they should be able to decline involvement without bitterness or rancour on either side. Counselling could come from non-denominational people or organisations.
In fact religious organisations should have no place in the discussion on whether euthanasia, or assisted dying, or dying with dignity (whatever you'd like to term it) is 'legal' or whether it should or shouldn't be condoned. Politicians with religious backgrounds should not have the option of doing their religion's bidding, whatever their take on this is.
The issue we have of course is that everyone's take on this is coloured by their own experiences and beliefs.
If you are part of the decision making process and you believe it is wrong 'because <insert deity here> and my church says so' but you haven't experienced the other side of the coin then maybe you should spend a few weeks in a big hospital or following one of the saintly people that administer palliative care.
If you are part of the decision making process and you believe it is wrong 'because <insert deity here> and my church says so'
and you have experienced the other side of the coin
AND YOU STILL THINK IT'S BAD then what the hell is wrong with you???
Not sure why we offer animals a release but not our own...