How do you feel about "Assisted suicides"?

[Buddy'sParents]

but how dare someone else be given the option to make that decision for them either...

That is why there are living wills and family members respect loved ones wishes. It's not my fault that there are people with no living wills, it's too bad they don't care enough about their loved ones to have explicit details should anything happen. My aunt's will is very straight forward and to the point. Under no circumstances should their be any 'miracles' and there is a strict DNR stated also. It's not shocking considering the health problems in our family and the heroics that were played to "save" my grandparents. Sure, get cancer and fight with all you have, but there may come a time when modern medicine can no longer offer any relief and one will die a long, awful death. How's that for going out with a bang?

Since this is not something that both sides will ever agree upon and for the sake of maintaining my current level of sanity, however low that may be p) ... I'm done.

 

[sparks19]

That is why there are living wills and family members respect loved ones wishes. It's not my fault that there are people with no living wills, it's too bad they don't care enough about their loved ones to have explicit details should anything happen. My aunt's will is very straight forward and to the point. Under no circumstances should their be any 'miracles' and there is a strict DNR stated also. It's not shocking considering the health problems in our family and the heroics that were played to "save" my grandparents. Sure, get cancer and fight with all you have, but there may come a time when modern medicine can no longer offer any relief and one will die a long, awful death. How's that for going out with a bang?

Since this is not something that both sides will ever agree upon and for the sake of maintaining my current level of sanity, however low that may be p) ... I'm done.

No one is blaming you for anything so I don't know where the "it's not my fault they didn't do this" is coming from.... I'm just saying that all that stuff leaves room for "interpretation" on the part of family members (not always trustworthy) and Dr's (also not always trustworthy) and there is not a clear cut line to be drawn and or crossed. And how is one to know if a line was crossed.... the victim is no longer around to tell the tale.... it's all up to he said she said. So because they didn't create a living will they deserve to be killed because some gold digger wife wants the insurance money? or some Dr is gonna get a bonus for it? THAT is the problem. Humans can't be trusted with that kind of power and without forcing people to make living wills as soon as they are able to write it can't truly be regulated. So say an 18 year old is in a car accident suddenly..... what 18 year old has thought to make a living will? They are now a a vagetable so to speak.... but they do have use of their brain but they cannot speak or write.... what then? They should be blamed for not making a living will on their 18th birthday?

 

[Zoom]

The key word we're missing out on here is "suicide"...implies an act someone commits against themselves with full knowledge and intent of what their actions are leading up to, causing and ending. The assisted part comes about because they don't have the mobility or access to the necessary drugs.

Euthanasia is a different story and THAT'S where we run into gold-digging wives/husbands, motives and "slippery slopes".

 

[casablanca1]

I'd agree that 'assisted suicide' seems to be a more Kevorkian thing, with the person awake and alert and saying clearly that they want to die, whereas "euthanasia" is the part where you starve the braindead to death. But the terms seem to be getting pretty interchangable. To refer to that "Cold Case" episode again, the man's death was essentially assisted suicide - his wife OD'd him with morphine at his request (though, oddly, he was physically capable of doing it himself so it seemed a little selfish to ask her to do it, but whatever) while he as awake and alert. But the show repeatedly mentions the word 'euthanasia' and never says 'assisted suicide.' In the culture, they've become the same thing. And personally, they're both slippery as all getout and shouldn't be legal.

 

[Charliesmommy]

Wow, it didn't occur to me when I started this thread that so many people would have so many strong opinions. Good discussion though. I guess when I started this, what I was thinking about most was - Why is it OK to put our dogs to sleep, but not a human who is asking for it?

To the people who say it should be "in god's hands" - then should it not be in god's hands when your dog dies? What makes it OK to make that choice?

I'm not judging anyone's opinions, I don't even know for sure how I feel about it....just curious is all.

 

[amymarley]

Yes, you did start a good and interesting discussion. No worries here.... Everyone here comes from different backgrounds and beliefs, so I guess it is what you believe in your heart and mind.

That is why I said you should decide early in life, heck, you can always change it. I trust my family to what I would want. That is being, wait a bit, and then pull the plug, or do something else.

As for our animals... it is a very sad subject also, but who else is going to decide? I am an animal lover, I work with animals for a living, so I TRY to put myself in their shoes...and I TRY to do what I would think that they would want. I guess, that's all I can do, since I took the responsibility for them. There is no clear answer, I guess, just follow your heart and brain at the same time.
Amy

 

[ToscasMom]

Without a Living Will and a definite DNR demand, you and your family will be victims of hospitals that will be all to happy to keep you alive in pain or on a machine until your insurance runs out. Then you will die.

I remember vividly how my mother signed her own DNR. The hospital called me immediately to talk me into planning to reverse this using my POA. Let me tell you, it's a racket.

As for increasing morphine, etc, government regulations still make it impossible to make someone comfortable enough to die in some peace. This country is downright barbaric with what they are force to allow in terms of human suffering. Most people aren't as afraid of dying as they are of the trip they have to take to get there. We are better to our dogs and cats. If I were in the last stages of painful death and could move, I wouldn't need assistance to commit suicide. I would do it myself.

 

[bubbatd]

I feel our dogs are different .They can't tell us how much pain they're in , their suffering is in our hands through guidance from above . Each one I've had to PTS has been painful for me and without great thought and prayer . I've learned over the years not to prolong it for me .... I did that with three and I hope they forgave me .

 

[mrose_s]

i don't know how i feel. i do, however, think if a person wants to die for a legitimate reason, extreme pain, low quality of life. then they should have the right to choose