Having lived with various forms of cancer for over 20 yrs, I can tell you quite truthfully that there will come a point on the pain threshold where making me live becomes cruel.
provided, it depends entirely on the context. i wholeheartedly agree with DrD, though; at some point, it really is cruel to force someone to go on living when they're suffering. i definitely believe that quality of life is more important than life period.
I live in Oregon, which is currently the only US state to allow assisted suicide. It has been challenged by the US gov't and by our own state, but the law has been upheld. I think that "death with dignity" should be a right.
A very good film relating to this issue is "Mar Adentro" (The Sea Inside). I highly recommend everyone see it!
I am for as tessajanuary put it Death with Dignity, I like that a lot better than assisted suicide even if it is the same, at least it doesn't have the negative connotations.
but what DrD just said then makes me think becuase are you okay now lori?
becuase if you have fully recovered was the pain worth these extra years you have with lars?
although i am for I also think if there's any chance of making a recovery it should be taken
I am currently in the worst health I have ever been - and worst of the pain (aside from one cancer operation. Man that one DID have me begging someone to please fetch my gun out of the car)
I am not now at the point of pain to hire Kevorkian, and that operation - well - I would not have pulled the trigger, although the thought was a serious one. However, if the current pain continues to escalate, then yeah, what kind of life with Lars will I have if I am immobilized with pain? And what kind of life would HE have if I'm immobilized with pain?
Next stop:Wheelchair and stronger pain meds... but eventually it WILL reach that never-return point where there is nothing to do but scream... and I WILL take an overdose then.
Oh hell no. You should know me well enough by now to know that I answer straight questions with a straight answer... and it was pertinent to the pick ;>
Generally I hear people are more for "euthanasia" than average "assisted suicide" because "euthanasia" is more "official." Really, it's all the same thing.
And see, they think Euthanasia is a kinder, gentler word than suicide. I disagree. When I hear 'euthanise' I think dog, cat... no personal choice for the one being euthanised...
With Suicide I have a free choice in the matter. The assistance of a medical doctor just makes it easier, less painful, and a bit more dignified.
I think that a person should have the right to end their life if that's their choice. And they should be assisted by a doctor.
And I don't think having a terminal illness should be a pre-requisite. I think any mentally competent adult should have the right to access physician assisted suicide for any reason. Period.
yeah gstine but if they have to be mentally sound then i don't think the doc applies ;P
so glad i wasn't putting my foot where isn't doesn't belong, so often i find my feet in 'it' whatever 'it' is
anyways since none of the against are speaking up and this is debate but i am too lazy and can't actually think of a arguement against I have put up a link to a against site here
i think if we have euthanasia, then the number of suicides would go down. just because, like in DrD's case, insted of jumping off of a building she could go to a doctor and get it done right, less painfully
Sorry for all you're going through, DrD. Get well soon.
tessajanuary - I actually just watched Mar Adentro and was about to put in a comment about that. Weird! But yeah, it's a decent movie that portrays the whole assisted suicide issue pretty well.
It is a bit of a struggle for me because I do believe that people have the right to make that sort of decision for themselves, but assisted suicide goes against my religion. I suppose that only those facing such a difficult choice can really know if it is the right choice. i saw both my grandfathers die slow and miserable deaths and I would not wish that fate on anyone.
I believe that no one should be forced to endure conditions they don't want to but there have to be safeguards. I believe that with guidelines set up like Oregon's (http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/ph/pas/ors.shtml) there is no issue with it.
I don't think anyone's brought up that doctor assisted suicide is a violation of the Hippocratic oath that all doctors must take. When a doctor purposefully kills a patient he is going against his word "To practice and prescribe to the best of my ability for the good of my patients, and to try to avoid harming them"
I have never been for something that involves interference with the human circle of life (hence my opinion on the death penalty and abortion). I don't think humans have the capacity to *choose* death, be it for themselves or for another person.
However, it seems up there with other rights that I believe humans are naturally guaranteed.
'To practice and prescribe to the best of my ability for the good of my patients, and to try to avoid harming them'
But there comes that time when keeping your patient alive, in inhumane circustances, when the persons wants to die, that that is more harmfull then helping them die. Helping them die in the way they choose is the only way you can still help them, that is the less harmfull option.
I don't know...If the patient is in their right mind, then they should choose what they want to do. I guess that makes me for it
I personally don't think I would ever choose suicide in that situation though....it's impossible to know of course, but I think I would be clinging to that last shred of hope that they would magically find a cure in time. I mean, what if I gave up and they found the cure a week later! Yeah I know it's stupid, but that's probably how I'd feel.
Join this Spot
Invite friend 
I don't think anyone is for allowing heart-broken 16 yr olds to hire Kevorkian.
A very good film relating to this issue is "Mar Adentro" (The Sea Inside). I highly recommend everyone see it!
becuase if you have fully recovered was the pain worth these extra years you have with lars?
although i am for I also think if there's any chance of making a recovery it should be taken
I am not now at the point of pain to hire Kevorkian, and that operation - well - I would not have pulled the trigger, although the thought was a serious one. However, if the current pain continues to escalate, then yeah, what kind of life with Lars will I have if I am immobilized with pain? And what kind of life would HE have if I'm immobilized with pain?
Next stop:Wheelchair and stronger pain meds... but eventually it WILL reach that never-return point where there is nothing to do but scream... and I WILL take an overdose then.
i'm sorry lori i didn't mean to bring up anything you didn't want brought up (if that makes sense)
Generally I hear people are more for "euthanasia" than average "assisted suicide" because "euthanasia" is more "official." Really, it's all the same thing.
With Suicide I have a free choice in the matter. The assistance of a medical doctor just makes it easier, less painful, and a bit more dignified.
And I don't think having a terminal illness should be a pre-requisite. I think any mentally competent adult should have the right to access physician assisted suicide for any reason. Period.
so glad i wasn't putting my foot where isn't doesn't belong, so often i find my feet in 'it' whatever 'it' is
anyways since none of the against are speaking up and this is debate but i am too lazy and can't actually think of a arguement against I have put up a link to a against site here
tessajanuary - I actually just watched Mar Adentro and was about to put in a comment about that. Weird! But yeah, it's a decent movie that portrays the whole assisted suicide issue pretty well.
However, it seems up there with other rights that I believe humans are naturally guaranteed.
Hmmmm.
But there comes that time when keeping your patient alive, in inhumane circustances, when the persons wants to die, that that is more harmfull then helping them die. Helping them die in the way they choose is the only way you can still help them, that is the less harmfull option.
I personally don't think I would ever choose suicide in that situation though....it's impossible to know of course, but I think I would be clinging to that last shred of hope that they would magically find a cure in time. I mean, what if I gave up and they found the cure a week later! Yeah I know it's stupid, but that's probably how I'd feel.
Sign In or join Fanpop to add your comment