Assisted Dying. For or against?

janeainsworth

Can I ask those of you who are in favour of assisted dying, would you be willing to inject someone with a drug in the sure knowledge that it would kill them?

Making a distinction here between that situation, and giving someone pain relief sufficient to keep them out of pain but which may hasten their demise?

Yes to this and Yes to the OP.

My mother died of cancer. She said 'They shoot horses, don't they?' I would gladly - and kindly - have helped her.

I have a stash of sleeping pills ready for the occasion if it should arise. I watched my brother die of cancer at the age of 49 and it was horrendous the last few weeks. I work in a care home and see the devastating handiwork of dementia and I would not want my children to see me in that state so yes I would take my own life because either cancer or dementia would kill me and I would just be saving myself and my family a lot of pain and anguish .Obviously my children do not want to talk about my demise but I am intending to book into a hotel, have a pull up pad on and leave a note for the people who own the hotel apologising but explaining that I could not do it when my family could find me...

But saying all that I would really hope that before my time comes euthanasia would be legal in this country...

I nursed both of my parents and witnessed the pain, anguish and trauma they both suffered at the end of their lives.
What I saw will stay with me for the rest of my life.
Everyone should have the right to pass with peace and dignity.

janeainsworth

Can I ask those of you who are in favour of assisted dying, would you be willing to inject someone with a drug in the sure knowledge that it would kill them?

Making a distinction here between that situation, and giving someone pain relief sufficient to keep them out of pain but which may hasten their demise?

But it probably wouldn’t work like that. In Canada the person who wants to die has to make a formal application and their application will be considered by a medical professional. If the application is approved the person can choose the time and place of death so that they can make necessary arrangements and say goodbye to loved ones. The final procedure is carried out by a medical professional and the applicant can have loved ones with them if they choose to.

Had to have my beloved cat put to sleep - she slipped away so peacefully, head on my husband's hand and with me gently stroking her. Quietly and with care, her loving people with her at the end.

I watched my dad die of cancer, my mum of dementia and if I could have helped them on their way I would have done so.

Now having to see two dear friends, one with MND and one with Parkinson's, facing fearful deaths.

So yes, definitely in favour of assisted dying and dignity in death.

MAID ( Medical Assistance In Dying) was legalized nearly 5 years ago in Canada. It was a long time coming. The history is very interesting as is the criteria for eligibility, which has been already been extended and will be again in 2023. MAID can be given at hospice, hospital or at home with family and friends present. It is administered by a Dr. or Nurse Practitioner or it can be self- administered.
If you would like detailed info., statistics etc just Google MAID.

Absolutely yes. We have more compassion for animals which is a disgraceful situation.

janeainsworth

Can I ask those of you who are in favour of assisted dying, would you be willing to inject someone with a drug in the sure knowledge that it would kill them?

Making a distinction here between that situation, and giving someone pain relief sufficient to keep them out of pain but which may hasten their demise?

I would not be able to do it to a stranger but to someone I loved who wanted to go because they were in pain or had a quality of life they found unbearable I would not hesitate.

I am definitely in favour and if l was suffering l would be happy to go to Dignitas and drink the concoction.

Yes. People are kept alive via drugs, etc. Can financially wipe families out. I think Hospice Care is wonderful also, in a way it is assisted. I suppose both depend on your religious beliefs.

My BIL recently was assisted in his death here in Canada. He had been diagnosed with ALS and was in the final stages of the disease. Like Jane43 and cocoPops have stated, there is a procedure to grant the application, and needs to be approved by two different doctors.

From what my sister has told me (I was unable to travel to visit either before or after his death) it was very peaceful and the hospice care very compassionate. This was just in January, so there are certain things that I have not asked her, such as who decides at what stage of an illness to administer the dosage.

this is from the website:
That illness, disease or disability is in an advanced state of decline and irreversible with natural death being reasonably foreseeable.

This in itself will not allow someone to ask for assisted death upon a diagnosis of an illness. From what I can gather, it is a compassionate way to end life, and I hope one day I can be granted that dignity.

I think it goes on a bit on the hospitals but very unofficially. I know of a couple of incidences of this personally where the patient had little or no brain function as a result of a stroke. Not to be talked about for fear of being sued but it is happening all the time. I prefer that to a song and dance with legalities, personally.

We talk of assisted dying, actively causing death, in a great many cases the patient is sent home and the drugs sustaining life are withdrawn with only pain killers used, and the slip away.
My uncle had a heart attack, my aunt had been seriously ill for some time, my cousins agreed that treatment be withdrawn and there was a double funeral. Somewhat unusual but did seem the “way they would have wanted it”.

I m in a real wobble on this one I think if someone’s dying and the pain relief will take them a few hours or days earlier then yes indeed and that has happened in my own family but I m so afraid this could would lead to a more definite form of killing and no I don’t like the idea of places like Dignatas which is a killing room and so planned
I don’t belong to any religion so I m not influenced by that just so unsure if we should take lives even to help
It s not cut and dried is it

Absolutely.Its only now years later I can remember my dad as he was before he was a husk of man in constant pain.And now gone weary and extremely old and frail and confused I'm supporting and watching my mum becoming the same.Not only do I not want that for myself,I wouldn't want our DCs to go through the same,DH agrees.

Anniebach

Peasblossom yes my faith in Christ but also my lack of trust in humans .

As a non believer Annie may I ask (respectfully) is it the “ Thou shalt not kill” which concerns you or is there something more about the Christian faith ?

Yes please, we don't let animals suffer, why humans

I'm sorry to hear about your brother in law CanadianGran terrible disease. It sounds like he had a peaceful end to his life with care and compassion from his family and the hospice staff. That is all I would wish for if I was terminally ill.

Lucca yes ‘thou shall not kill’ and more

A fine line between actually killing someone and giving them that little extra painkiller or a bit of extra insulin if they are diabetic. If they are dying anyway I don’t have a problem with that. I will never accept someone who may have several more months or years relatively pain free being put down, though, even if they have Alzheimer’s.

nanna8 I understand that you are in Australia and I understand that Australians are often more direct in how they phrase things. I used to live there. So I would respectfully ask you to consider how your language might appear to someone on this thread whose family have recently gone through their own debates about unassisted dying for a family member.

BTW, its a yes from me, but I am interested in reading everyone's points of view.

Absolutely yes. My brother was begging to die after a catastrophic stroke. He still had some speech, but couldn't move, had to be fed through a tube and had no quality of life. It took a year and he eventually died from an infected bedsore that became gangrenous. No animal would have been treated that way.

On the other hand, in the eighties my father was in the final stage of cancer and in considerable pain. His humane doctor gave him enough morphine to ease the pain. He then said his final goodbyes and she came back and gave him another very large dose and he died.

What she did was probably criminal but for him and his family it was a kindness.

nanna8

A fine line between actually killing someone and giving them that little extra painkiller or a bit of extra insulin if they are diabetic. If they are dying anyway I don’t have a problem with that. I will never accept someone who may have several more months or years relatively pain free being put down, though, even if they have Alzheimer’s.

I have an adult child with type 1 diabetes; over injecting insulin is NOT and I repeat NOT a guarantee of a pain free death, some might just 'go to sleep and not wake up' but for others it could be painful and distressing. Please don't suggest this as a way of causing early death/euthanasia.