Discussion thread - the right to choose life

[wombat2u2004]

Legalising euthanasia and/or assisted suicide will have a great impact on society and will affect everyone in one way or another.

Having personal autonomy in end-of-life decision making does not mean that family members and friends will not feel guilt, anger or bitterness
The process of medical research to find cures for diseases may be threatened.
Many of the German doctors who participated in the T4 euthanasia programme did so initially for reasons of compassion.
There are fears that hospice and palliative care programmes will be a casualty of legalised EAS.
In the Netherlands voluntary euthanasia has led to non-voluntary euthanasia.

Ah right.
So it does affect society. Just think of all those people who may lose their jobs in Medical Research institutions and pallative care units......why, they may not be able to afford that new set of China Ducks for their lounge room wall.
Jeez Asiel.....you're right !!! I've been wrong about this all along.
The next time I sit next to a vet riddled with cancer and in so much pain that he can hardly speak, and they whisper to me "John. When will this end ?" I'll say to him....."Well Max, ya gonna have to put up with it for the sake of society and all of those other things important to mankind, and for God to....he reckons you have to lay here in agony until you have a stroke or heart attack from the pain. And how do I know that Max ??? Well...a priest told me that, and if I go against His law, then I will burn in Hell. So Max old mate, I know you did lots for your country and all, but I guess you just can't be selfish about all of this pain stuff, you'll just have to put up with it."
You know Asiel.....Catty1 dropped the goodies. Upping the morphine to see someone out painlessly has been going on for years and years...it's really not talked about much, but I can tell you it goes on ALL of the time. And I know that for a fact, because I see so many vets take their last breath it isn't funny.....it's what I see to help them on their way.
But you know....it's got nothing to do with Medical Science, or society or God or anything else that mankind has invented......it's simply compassion....nothing else....just compassion.

[Asiel]

I believe we should cease using counterfeit terms to describe euthanasia, and call it deliberate murder—for unquestionably that is what we are talking about. Our laws were formulated to grant everyone in society equal protection from abuse; not to encourage wickedness, nor protect law breaker s from punishment. Neo-humanitarian medicine must not include procedures that would involve the intentional taking of life. Even if you painlessly kill a person, it is still murder. Many murders, like suicide, are executed without inflicting suffering. Physicians may lavishly dispense compassion, time, and understanding; but physicians must never dispense death. That is not in their job description. Killing in the name of compassion and mercy is wrong for all the right reasons

I've just received a mail telling me this subject has been posted on several other sites for the sole purpose of stirring up controversy so I won't be dicussing it any further. We can all hold on to what we believe in and no harm done.

[NicoleLJ]

Yes it has been posted by me on the forums I am on because I thought it would make a good discussion and it has. Not to stir up controversy. And guess what. Very few disagree with the majority here. And none of them have turned into a negative thread. All are being talked about in an adult manner. Just because YOU don't like peoples opinions on the matter does not mean it was started for the reason you stated. So don't imply something that I did not do please.

As the you calling it murder, which it is not. Then I guess that means every single pet owner, me and you included, are murderers as well. Ending someones suffering because that is their wish is not the same thing as killing someone agianst their will.

[Catty1]

Right on, Nicole.

[Bonny]

You can die with dignity if you can stand the pain. Doctors administer pain killers but they don't always work. They are careful too, so they don't shut down your organs instantly. Personally if I was terminal suffering & in a lot of pain religion or no religion I would want the pain to cease. It would be please please put me out of my misery. Give me a good shot of something & let me go. I have seen to many people suffer in my life time.

This is a good thread. It makes you think & everyones input is important.

[Medusa]

I've often said that if the time ever came when I was suffering w/an incurable disease that I'd want to have the option to die w/dignity by my own hand. A friend of mine unexpectedly died just a few days ago in his sleep, the way that many of us say that we'd like to go. After thinking about it, though, I would not want to go that way unexpectedly. If I were seriously ill and knew that death was imminent, then, yes, dying in my sleep would be preferable to long term suffering. Otherwise, as long as I have my mind in good working order, I want to live and use my mind to help me attain that goal. However, if the suffering becomes unbearable or if I can no longer take care of myself (I live alone), then I feel that it should be my right to choose when to leave this earth. I hold the belief that this life is not the only life there is and I say that, not to start another discussion about life after death and/or to highjack this thread, but I say it b/c that's what I believe. We help our beloved pets to die when the quality of life is no longer present; we should be able to make that same decision for ourselves. No one should be able to make that decision for us but the doctors who might help us in this endeavor should be held harmless.

[Marigold2]

A great post.

Yes it has been posted by me on the forums I am on because I thought it would make a good discussion and it has. Not to stir up controversy. And guess what. Very few disagree with the majority here. And none of them have turned into a negative thread. All are being talked about in an adult manner. Just because YOU don't like peoples opinions on the matter does not mean it was started for the reason you stated. So don't imply something that I did not do please.

As the you calling it murder, which it is not. Then I guess that means every single pet owner, me and you included, are murderers as well. Ending someones suffering because that is their wish is not the same thing as killing someone agianst their will.

[Queen of Poop]

I believe is someone is suffering they should be allowed to have that suffering end. The same as I've done for 6 of my pets over the years. When their quality of life diminished to the point that living was no longer a good thing I made the choice to let them go. Painful as it was/is. Why do we treat our pets better than ourselves?

This next comment is pretty graphic, warning you ahead of time.

Why, when my sister's brains were oozing out of every orifice in her head did the doctors feel the need to bring her back from not one, not two, but three heart attacks? Thank goodness she was finally allowed to die when my parents said next one, let her go. If she had survived she would have been a mere shell of herself. She needed to be let go and she was.

3 months later my brother was in a car accident. Similar to my sister, he had a serious head injury, following surgery it was determined he was brain dead. We allowed his organs to be harvested and he was let go.

Neither one of them would have wanted to live in the state they would have been in had they survived.

Bottom line, end the suffering. No one, be they human or animal should be made to suffer.

[wombat2u2004]

Yes it has been posted by me on the forums I am on because I thought it would make a good discussion and it has. Not to stir up controversy. And guess what. Very few disagree with the majority here. And none of them have turned into a negative thread. All are being talked about in an adult manner. Just because YOU don't like peoples opinions on the matter does not mean it was started for the reason you stated. So don't imply something that I did not do please.

As the you calling it murder, which it is not. Then I guess that means every single pet owner, me and you included, are murderers as well. Ending someones suffering because that is their wish is not the same thing as killing someone agianst their will.

Yes, it has made good discussion. And I'm sure this subject is on everyones mind. After all, we all die and we'd all like to go out painlessly and with dignity.
I'm glad you posted this Nicole, it has helped me understand the fors and againsts.