'Right to Die' cards

[Wryel]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7399073.stm

Just read this article and, while I was pretty astonished at first, I can see how people wouldn't want to live life as a vegetable if they were in an accident. Would you want to be kept alive no matter what? Or is there a limit to the medical assistance you think you should have?

[Dee]

I wouldnt want to be a vegetable all my life, I couldnt put Darren or my parents through that.

Same goes with this abortion row, who are we to say what the new laws should be? How can we preach to mothers about when or if they can have an abortion? I feel like saying its my child, its my body, noone can tell me what I can or cannot do.

Tough one.

[Burble]

Originally Posted by Wryel

Would you want to be kept alive no matter what?

Absolutely not. I would loathe and despise being kept alive with no quality of life.

My parents dog will be put down within a few days because it's the kind and humane thing to do. Why should we insist that humans suffer whilst we euthanise animals?

[Matblack]

If theres no hope then turn me off, cut off anything of use to anyone like kidneys and eye balls (you might want to use that bit for some poor elephant who's lost his trunk) and chuck the rest away. I don't want anyone waiting on me to get better if the chances are minimal I'd rather everyone got on with living

MB

[Tak]

I was going to start a thread on this tonight. Working in a nursing home has only compounded my believe in the right to die.

One of the main things we get inspected upon at work to dignity and choice; we must provide residents with dignity as much as possible and must encourage them to have a say and make choices as far as they mentally can.
In some cases we have to start what is referred to as the Liverpool Care Pathway which is palliative care. This is where we no longer try to treat the resident, merely "make them comfortable". A resident can be in this state for many many weeks, flitting in and out of consciousness, experiencing excruciating pain when the drugs no longer work, unable to even speak, sometimes experiencing delirium due to the medication. Where is the dignity in that? Where is the choice? Where is the humanity?

I know doctors have a duty to preserve and protect life, but that isn't life, that is just existing. In some ways it is no better that prolonged torture, not only for the resident but also for the families who have to watch and wait while their loved one looses everything which made them them.

[Pheebs]

Originally Posted by Matblack

(you might want to use that bit for some poor elephant who's lost his trunk)

MB

LOLOL!



Made me laugh my head off this morning!

I would like to think if I was in a serious accident someone would try and save me and piece me back together. If, however, I suffered enough trauma which destroyed my life and there was NO glimmer of hope whatsoever of it improving I would like to think someone would be rid of me and, as MB has said, put what is in use with someone who needs it.

For diseases and illnesses... I watched my Nanny die of cancer over a period of a year. The last month was hell. She was in constant pain, and by the last week she couldn't move at all (she obviously soiled herself and nurses had to roll her over to clean her up etc). Her tongue was all blistered, dried and ulcered up (It engulfed half her mouth) and due to the back of her throat being so dried up she was unable to gulp. The nurses told me she was so drugged up she wouldn't understand anything, but when I held a picture of her garden up above her head she shed a few tears. She also blinked when we asked her questions - it was the only way she could communicate - and when asked if she was in pain she would blink frantically.

It was horrifying. Every breath was laboured. Well before that stage she started spitting out her drugs and refusing them but doctors forced her to take them. Some nurses were brilliant... others just didn't have a clue and would lift her up by her swollen arm (I have never heard anyone cry out in pain the way she did. It was the most scarring sound I will ever hear).

I wish, so so much, she had died earlier. I wish she could have been overdosed on morphine or anything to put her peacefully asleep. And the same goes for me. If I ever get cancer or some illness like that I would want to live as long as I could a decent life, but as soon as it hit the downward spiral then I would want to be given the chance to have a peaceful death.



I hate cancer

[Jonny69]

How exactly are you going to hold that up when you're a vegetable? I can't see it working.

But on a slightly more serious note I don't think I'd want to live the rest of my life not being able to function. I definitely wouldn't want the burden on someone else looking after me or a hostpital bed keeping me alive for the sake of keeping me alive, it's not fair. Do what you can to save me but if there's no hope then chop me up and put me in the useful spare parts bin.

[Jono]

If/When I lose the physical ability to wipe my own arse (for a prolonged period of time - broken limbs don't count), or the mental capacity to invent an arse-wiping machine of my own then I think that's the time to call it a day and stop living.

I would not want to be kept in a vegetative state, alive by a machine in a coma for more than is reasonable. - Note, I do not understand comas at all, really...

If all I can do is sit by the window and dribble, I can't see that as being any fun for me or those that care about me. I'd rather be left to die, or killed via lethal injection or something like that.

Of course, if someone could make use of the bits that were left over, then I'm all for that. I wouldn't want to be killed just so they could have the bits, but as a byproduct of me popping my clogs is fine.

[Justsomebloke]

It has Always shocked me that if my Frank staffy dog gets injured or sick I can ease his suffering & put him down but if my Beloved Mother gets real sick i cannot do the same for her, Just don't make sense to me.

I cannot comment much further without Lying, What I will say is that when it comes to my own Loved ones i will decide what is best for them & will do what is Right no matter what the out come to myself, I will Not see anybody i love Suffer for no good reason.


As for me people would have done me a Favour if they had Wasted me 30 years ago but then that is not true as I now have my Freedom, my Honesty & my Daughter & Grandson to Enjoy. When the time comes though people around me know not to let me live unless i want to & ALL know I will not be looked after by Anyone. When I feel the time is right I'll take myself out if need be, I will not become a Burden to another human.

Unlike others I am fortunate that I can look forward to Death, Not only will it be a Relief from the Daily crap of the life i have made for myself it will also be nice to see All my best mates again

[Glaucus]

I would rather die, than be a vegetable are seriously handicapped.
I would like to stay in a coma rather than dying as long as the chance of brain damage is minimal. As people can wake up months latter. But if there's a good chance of brain damage then no thanks.