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..That's why there are places to go (hospices) where people can be helped and comforted with their pain. Also, there are different methods of pain relief.

For everyone to start playing god and taking it into their own hands to help terminally ill relatives and friends commit suicide just doesn't seem the right way to go about it to me

Besides it is illegal here anyway.

JMO.

Such an "ethical" question that no one will ever agree on the answer. As far as the "living will", also can be known as "durable power of attorney for healthcare", I have also seen where healthcare professionals refused to honor them, due to the "ethics" of what seems and can be deemed "assisted suicide". By the way, I do have a "living will" along with a threat to anyone who refuses to honor it. I will make their lives, a living "ethical" hell since I also have written value/belief statements which defines and helps my advocates in honoring my wishes. I've done everything I can think of, to remove the "ethical" questions.

~~~That's correct, but there is only so much that hospice can doto ease suffering.
And as for taking god into our own hands...isn't that what were doing when we use medication that keeps them alive (against their wishes)to prolong their suffering?


Zell~ If the world were a different place and people could be trusted to do what was best for an individual (and not themselves) then we could consider these types of things, but it is illegal for a reason.

Yes, it's tricky and complicated all round and there's no easy solution.

I agree with you that all the suffering is terrible. As I mentioned earlier in this thread. My mother went through same thing as what your friend is going through now. Also, I used to do some voluntary work at the hospice creche so did see many ill people. I've even worked as a carer/companion to a man with MND in the past and the pain and steady decline of health was sad to see there too.

I just imagined and was sort of thinking out loud it would be traumatic & chaotic if we had many, many people assisting loved ones in suicides all the time.

I do hope you manage to stay strong enough to help and carry on supporting your friend though and that she soon finds the peace and release from pain she deserves

Completely agree with you, after years in the caring profession i have seen the suffering and pain of patients and families.

If death is enevitable let people go with dignity.

I recently went through a situation with a friend in which her mom was terminally ill. The though of euthanasia crossed our minds every day. It was very difficult to sit and watch her mom suffer on life support. She had lost everything she owned to take care of her mom. Nevertheless the bottom line was that neither of us felt that we could morally agree to euthanasia. Besides the moral issues there were legal issues.

I have worked in Hospice for 12 years. I have seen people die in many ways. (This does not include traffic accidents that I just happen to drive up on and witness) I have had my patients screaming my name for help. I look at the death process like a baby being birthed. There is no easy answer for this. I understand everybody's point of view, but for me personally I can not play God. There must be a reason why some die peacefully with their illness and others don't. I do know for a fact, that (SOME) who have unfinished things in their lives, example would be still not talking their son or daughter after many years. etc. Tends to make the passing harder. That is why we offer different services of counceling to the individual and their families as well. I know for myself, even if it is hard, I would deal with what comes to me. But I also have in my will that I don't want to be kept alive with life support machines. JMO

I personally am all for it, if a person is terminally ill, no hope of being cured and is in pain then what is there to lose, go for it, were it a sick animal most of us wouldn't think twice, spare the pain and dignity....

I think that it all comes down to medical science. A long time ago, people just died from whatever they had.
We have advanced to a stage that allows medicine to keep people alive a lot longer from a terminal illness without being able to actually cure that illness. The suffering that they go through due to this fact is unmeasurable.

It's a hard question for me. I was on a resperator (sp) for over 7 days, due to the damage anaphylaxis caused to my lungs and to my heart. If my son were to decide to pull the plug, I wouldn't be here right now. I went from fighting for my life, to living again.

So, I have no clue. It's quite the conundrum... I guess it is a matter of personal choice
I guess it depends on the circumstances.

As a health care provider, I would have to say, the choice is not mine to make. Have I seen nasty shit, yeah. But after dealing with life and death for years. I have learned to distance myself from emotions.
Would I choose it for myself, I do not know at this time. For my kids? I can only hope, it never becomes an issue.

Thank you Zell

I think if I ever needed help w/suicide, there'd be plenty of people here that would be more than willing to help.

this is a hard one for me to answer...I sit on the middle of the fence, it depends on the situation for me. I have seen and been through far too much in life to judge others who are terminally ill and wish to leave this world as painlessly as possible.

I don't know if I could assist, it would depend on the person asking and the situation, but if it was a loved one and this is what they truly wanted, then I could probably help, IF they were terminal.

For myself, yes, I would consider it....again, simply based on life experience and only if I was terminal or was brain dead with no hopes of recovery.

I had brain surgery in August and had come to terms with the world I was possibly leaving, as did my family. We made sure that all words were said, tears were shed and transgressions forgiven....just in case. It was the hardest process I have ever gone through, but also the most rewarding and most honest time of my life.

I agree, a living will is a sure way to go, so all your wishes are followed and respected.

I'm BORED!