euthanasia?

[asciwhite]

What are peoples opinions on this?

[Drisgirl]

My personal opinion is such that I have a living will (dont think its worth the paper its written on) but if I have a terminal horrendous condition like my uncle had with MND then I would rather not let my family see me deterioate like that.It would haunt them for the rest of their lives - and their lives would be for living unlike mine.

So I basically have opted for DNR.

NB - they dont let animals suffer do they.Most pets are members of the family - our cat is our bairn -but I wouldnt have him suffer.

[asciwhite]

Hi Drisgirl, I'm not sure about living wills, do they need to be refreshed every year? I think we all need some sort of protection, be it legal or otherwise. DNR is basically the last call while you're in hospital and even that can be ignored, as just happened to my partners uncle as he had his final heart attack. Why did this happen? someone forgot to read the notes? the man had been given a month to live anyway and should have been left to go in peace. He wasn't....

[Laurinha]

I am all for it. It is a personal choice and should I have any kind of fore-warning that I will be in the situation where I may wish it - I will return to the Netherlands, where it is legal. I believe the law here is a cruelty. The famillies of people who are suffering are forced to watch helplessly while their loved ones die slowly and painfully. And the sufferer is forced into degradation and absolute loss of control of their own 'life'.

[smudge]

I have always believed in controlled Euthanasia, where if a person is terminally ill & is/was of sound mind when writing out a living will (in the presence of a doctor or solicitor, whoever), then they should be given the option to end their life in peace.

If we were legally given the option, that would be my choice.

As Drisgirl has said, 'they' don't let animals suffer, so why should humans?

[asciwhite]

Hi Laurinha, I too do not wish for my family to see what will be happening to me towards the end, problem with us outsiders to the legal countries is that we cannot have our relatives with us as we choose to say goodbye for fear of them being arrested on their return for assisted suicide.

[asciwhite]

Hello Smudge, slight problem with the 'of sound mind' argument. What defines 'of sound mind'?

[irisred]

Yes I agree with it to a point. I would hate to be in a persistant vegetative state (PVS) or have an illness that would deteriorate me to not being able to look after myself.

However, there is the arguement that if this becomes standard practice people will feel obliged to take this option to prevent becoming a burden on their families.

Personally I think the 'animals don't have to suffer' arguement wins it as well as the freedom to choose for yourself. I'm all for my right to choose!

[Drisgirl]

asciwhite - it means that we should all ,if so inclined,have the foresight to document how you wish your life to end

I , as I have said before, am adament that I want my children and the rest of my family to remember me - not a living skeleton who cant speak swallow and is incontinent.I by that time would want out and I certainly want my children to remember mum for the fun times we had and also perhaps the down times-but ultimately the vibrant loving mum which I am.I love them way too much to leave that legacy for them to bear for the rest of their lives.

[asciwhite]

I am not a mum now. I do wish to go in peace and not with my family suffering any questions unto themselves. I too, am of the argument that animals are never to suffer, and yet we are animals and we will suffer. may I ask you a question drisgirl? are you unwell too? or just of foresight?

[treacle84]

I agree, you really should be allowed to pass away when you like. Like my grandfather says, its our life and we should be the ones to say when we want ot go.

[Drisgirl]

asciwhite - just foresight -after seeing the suffering of others close to me and the suffering of the loved ones who care for them.

[Drisgirl]

Best wishes to you asciwhite if you are unwell at the moment.I'm not intrusive -its just the way your Q to me read.x

[Greedyfly]

If I was in a vegetative state then my other half knows my wishes and he agrees the same with himself. Its a hard subject and a thin line - I mean we could pass it as law say dfor instance and have it as a written agreement but what if the person being killed hadnt told anyone else and they took the party who helped to court? Whats to say that you couldnt forge/force a signature out of someone who is frail (maybe living wills are the way forward from this). I personally wouldnt want to be vegetative or have a degrading illness and have to live through either if in the end I was going to die painfully and drawn out. IfI couldnt do it then my partner knows the decision is left with him, although a hard one I know that he will always do whats best for me. If it was my mother and she was in either of the above situation although heartbreaking I wouldn't let her suffer under no means if I could prevent it. So I agree with it but it is never going to be legalised.

[Redbel]

Hi asciwhite, Yes im in total aggreement with it. I've just recently lost a sister to cancer, she was 47, it was the most terrible thing to see my sister like that. She was a proud lady and wouldn't have wanted her daughter, sisters and brothers to see her going through what she went through, but we did.

I have said to people loads of times.....if an animal is run over and seriously injured and cannot be saved a vet gives them an injection to put them out of their misery.

I think the same should be done for our loved ones, if there is no possible cure and we know that we are going to lose them why let them suffer unecessarily.

I remember looking at my sister and thinking, sis I don't want you to go......but I wanted her to...to let her have peace.

[gessoo]

We recently had to have a very beloved pet put to sleep at 13 years old. My husband cuddled him whilst the vet administered the drug and the cat very peacefully slipped away with no stress. This avoided days, perhaps weeks of suffering.

At the same time one of my dearest friends was dying in hospital in her last stages of cancer. Every day she said she hoped it was her last, but her son had to sit by her side and watch her suffer.

Yes I believe in euthanasia, under strict controls and guidelines. It could be the last positive and kind deed that can be done for us and for those that love us.

[smudge]

Hi asciwhite - back again & to answer your question on how to define 'sound of mind'. I think it speaks for itself - someone who is capable of writing or expressing, in their own words, what they would like to happen in the event of having a terminal illness, etc. This request being written out, or expressed & dictated, then signed by the person, in the presence of loved ones, a doctor &/or a solicitor,.

If someone was laying in a comatose state & couldn't or hadn't written out a statement to this effect - that another issue.

Yes, the same thing happened with our 13 year old cat Smudge. Although we were all absolutely heartbroken that she had to be put down (after suffering with cancer of the knee), my husband & daughter held her in their arms whilst the vet administered the injection which put her to sleep, peacefully.

On the other hand, I sat with my elderly neighbour May, night after night, listenenig to her fighting for breath & not being able to hold any food or liquids down. She had expressed to me on several occassions, that she just wanted to die, but was left to linger on for weeks, as she had no other choice - because Euthanasia is not legal in this Country.

[smudge]

*occasions

[gessoo]

Very sad Smudge that people have to pay to go to somewhere like Switzerland in order to die, rather than to suffer and let their loved ones suffer too. Also very sad that it's only those with money that can afford this option.

I appreciate all the problems legal euthanasia might bring about, but surely people should be allowed this final dignity if they are suffering.

I am sure euthanasia exists in this country, under cover of some compassionate and humane doctors.

[smudge]

I think we wholeheartedly agree on this issue of 'free choice' Gessoo!

People will always find 'grey areas' regarding Euthanasia, but I really do feel it is up to each individual person, to be able to request an easier way of dying, rather than being left to suffer, or laying in a long drawn out comatose state until death.

[asciwhite]

I'm thinking of you all, and thank you for all your amazingly truthful incites and speaking from your experiences and your heart. it means alot to me...

asciwhite x