[t]http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201435/SCCZEN_270814SPLBENETT1_620x310.jpg[/t]
[url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11315263]Source[/url]
[quote]
A New Zealand great-grandmother suffering from dementia took her own life with her husband at her side just hours after publishing a moving letter explaining her decision.
Christchurch-born Gillian Bennett, 85, died near her home in Canada on August 18. Her husband Jonathan held her hand during her final moments, around midday.
Yesterday he spoke to the Herald about his wife of 60 years' decision to end her life, why he supported her and why he wants people to read her four-page letter.
It opens with: "I will take my life today around noon. It is time."
Mrs Bennett then explains that she did not want to end up a "vegetable" or lose herself; nor did she want her family to suffer the heartbreak of her decline.
"It happened amazingly quickly. After about half an hour her eyes were open but I couldn't see her, her chest was not moving. It looked like she was gone. I waited another half hour and then I called our doctor and then the police were called."
[/quote]
Pretty sad that the government would rather feed people up with medication and let them become nothing more than a beating heart in a lifeless body.
[QUOTE=kibble;45822118]
Pretty sad that the government would rather feed people up with medication and let them become nothing more than a beating heart in a lifeless body.[/QUOTE]
sounds kind of hot to me
[quote]Today, now, I go cheerfully and so thankfully into that good night. Jonathan, the courageous, the faithful, the true and the gentle, surrounds me with company. I need no more.
It is almost noon.[/quote]
We are so wired to think that suicide is awful and should never be an option 100% of the time, yet when you see a situation like this where it's not done out of depression or spite, but instead as a medical choice, it really skews your perspective on the philosophy behind euthanasia and inalienable rights.
My great grandma just had a stroke yesterday, shes 92 and also has dementia. Shes tried to commit suicide several times her whole life, and she is absolutely depressed that she just cannot die.
It's some serious shit.
Assisted suicide should be legal in the case where the person is dying and wants to go out on their own terms. This protects the family from walking in on father's brains sprayed on the walls. This protects the person committing suicide from shooting themselves and missing. It saves emergency units and criminal investigators work ensuring that the suicide wasn't actually murder. It also saves someone a lot of emotional distress while attempting and potentially failing to carry through.
It's just a better situation for everyone involved.
Dementia is terrible, you lose the person before the body dies.
Everybody should take the time to watch this documentary, in which Terry Pratchett talks to people and ultimately sits with a couple in Switzerland at the only clinic in the world (as far as I'm aware) that is legally able to help people with terminal diseases die with dignity.
It used to be on Youtube but now all I can give you is a Dailymotion video. It streams though, so it's just as good: [URL="http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xnu340_terry-pratchett-choosing-to-die_shortfilms"]link[/URL]
Oh wow. I didn't even know it assisted suicide was illegal in Canada or that you could get over a decade in prison for it.
[QUOTE]"I wasn't allowed to help her at any stage which was pretty hard. But the law here is pretty clear," Mr Bennett said.[/QUOTE]
If people who are capable of suicide are allowed to do it so should people who can't, through physician assisted suicide. Equality rights and all.
The fact that our government is just going "NAHH, THAT'S HORRIBLE IF YOU HELP SOMEONE END THEIR LIFE." and not looking at the fact that some people don't want to have to suffer/make close ones suffer is just fucked.
Why hasn't assisted suicide (With the person's permission and a doctor by their side, ofc.) been put into place?
[QUOTE=Spydurr117;45822266]The fact that our government is just going "NAHH, THAT'S HORRIBLE IF YOU HELP SOMEONE END THEIR LIFE." and not looking at the fact that some people don't want to have to suffer/make close ones suffer is just fucked.
Why hasn't assisted suicide (With the person's permission and a doctor by their side, ofc.) been put into place?[/QUOTE]
If this were to be implemented, it would require a board that would look at the facts and determine eligibility based on the illness and mental state of being for the recipient. I'm just weary of assisted suicide because there'd definitely be money involved and American medical industry has shown time and time again that they don't give a fuck when there's profit to be made.
[QUOTE=_illuminati_;45822141]sounds kind of hot to me[/QUOTE]
You're not WhiteHusky, the fuck are you doing?
Gotta respect dignity
[QUOTE=_illuminati_;45822141]sounds kind of hot to me[/QUOTE]
That's the kind of weird shit that I don't really like to see here, newcomer. I can't speak for others however.
Euthanasia should be allowed, so long as it is in conjunction with laws surrounded informed consent from the person of whom it was being performed on, or from the direct consent of the person.
There should be a process whereby those who wish to have this procedure, must consult some sort of council that confers with doctors who can assess mental stability.
It's so hard to legislate in this area though, given the huge number of situations, and grey areas.
Old age is the reason I don't want to live too long, I have no problem with being wrinkly and smelly, it's just that I wouldn't want to suffer all of the other physical, mental, and possibly emotional consequence of living too long.
[QUOTE=Maloof?;45822224]Everybody should take the time to watch this documentary, in which Terry Pratchett talks to people and ultimately sits with a couple in Switzerland at the only clinic in the world (as far as I'm aware) that is legally able to help people with terminal diseases die with dignity.
It used to be on Youtube but now all I can give you is a Dailymotion video. It streams though, so it's just as good: [URL="http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xnu340_terry-pratchett-choosing-to-die_shortfilms"]link[/URL][/QUOTE]
That was a good watch. A bit depressing but very insightful.
Thank you for sharing.
I'm doing my legal studies report on Euthanasia and it's stories like this which makes me want euthanasia legalised more
I've done a lot of research into support, over 70% of Australians support it and I wouldn't be surprised if that is the case in New Zealand, Canada, the US, UK, Europe and what not but the minority of those groups disallow it and would rather have someone suffer than to die peacefully
I hope change comes soon, its sad people have to do this to escape when they could rather have a needle injected into them and die peacefully alongside their family
Just as a point on matter, there's a [URL="http://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1399592"]Mass Debate thread in regards to Euthanasia[/URL] if you wish to write an elongated, and eloquent answer for/against euthanasia.
[QUOTE=Bradyns;45822676]Just as a point on matter, there's a [URL="http://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1399592"]Mass Debate thread in regards to Euthanasia[/URL] if you wish to write an elongated, and eloquent answer for/against euthanasia.[/QUOTE]
Why do that when you can just shitpost in sensationalist headlines?
[QUOTE=kibble;45822118]
Pretty sad that the government would rather feed people up with medication and let them become nothing more than a beating heart in a lifeless body.[/QUOTE]
dat government!!!
Pretty sad that the government would rather feed people up with unhealthy food and let them become nothing more than a fart stupid beating body in a unlivable apartment.
And you have no choice other than buy more food and medication.
[QUOTE=_illuminati_;45822685]Why do that when you can just shitpost in sensationalist headlines?[/QUOTE]
Stimulating discussion isn't generally associated with short responses.
The problem is with assisted suicide, that it can be abused or regretted. Like, if someone is in a wheelchair and decides they want to suicide, they should'nt be allowed to do it, because they might regret it and actually have a good life
You have a single life, you might as well try to have a good one.
[QUOTE=metalhand;45822820]The problem is with assisted suicide, that it can be abused or regretted. Like, if someone is in a wheelchair and decides they want to suicide, they should'nt be allowed to do it, because they might regret it and actually have a good life
You have a single life, you might as well try to have a good one.[/QUOTE]
how do i regret something if im dead
[QUOTE=metalhand;45822820]
You have a single life, you might as well try to have a good one.[/QUOTE]
Conversely, your life is yours and yours alone. You should have the power to choose how it ends.
Honestly, I'd probably hire a hitman to off me in a spectacular way if faced with a similar situation. I don't think I could force my family to deal with a straight suicide. "He died from a freak accident, a truck carrying pop rocks and a truck carrying diet coke both hit his house at the same time," would go over a hell of a lot better than, "he killed himself to head off a permanent mental breakdown."
[QUOTE=metalhand;45822820]The problem is with assisted suicide, that it can be abused or regretted. Like, if someone is in a wheelchair and decides they want to suicide, they should'nt be allowed to do it, because they might regret it and actually have a good life
You have a single life, you might as well try to have a good one.[/QUOTE]
In regards to physical disabilities, they main the mental faculties to reach a clear, and informed decision regarding their termination.
If they believe their quality of life is gone, why should they have to keep living?
The problem is when it comes to people like myself who through suffering depression would have readily taken euthanasia (I'd be dead as an option 3months ago).
[QUOTE=GeneralSpecific;45822871]Conversely, your life is yours and yours alone. You should have the power to choose how it ends.[/QUOTE]
And if you are stupid enough to change your mind later when you eat the pill, well, stupidity works and you will die to help the evolution.
My grandmother had alzheimers,dementia and parkinsons. She spent her last 3 years in a bed completely out of this world. Yeah if i would get diagnosed with those i'd rather kill myself before i loose my mind altogether.
My grandfather has an aneurysm in his brain that could pop at any moment, a bad valve and has been through three different surgeries to address problems with his heart, including one for a ruptured aorta.
He's been told that his chances to survive each of these operations was low each time, and manages to keep trucking on despite the odds.
He's had his "final" prayers and goodbyes so many times, he's told everyone not to bother next time.
He's not depressed about life, nor does he wish to die, but enough is enough.
My grandmother has had Leukemia and has been on/off various forms of treatment. Every time it resurfaces, they treat it and it simmers down again.
One thing that's been discussed in the family is death and euthanasia.
At some point, you have to weight the cost (emotional, financially and to society in general) of keeping someone alive well beyond what can be expected.
In my family we tend to approach it in a very pragmatic way. I guess it's a bit of a Dutch thing, maybe?
Both my grandfather and grandmother are suffering from several eventually-terminal issues.
They are mobile, lucid and can take care of themselves, but they've reached the point where they have no problem if they are going to "go".
Picking a date for both of them to do so together would be a peaceful and respectful way to end nearly 90 years of life.
I don't think they'd want to waste away separately, slowly and possibly painfully after being together for 60+ of those years.
Euthanasia should be available. At some point, people are just content with what they've experienced in life, and would rather end it with grace at a time and place of their own choosing.
My grandfather died 2 years ago with Alzheimer 2 years ago while he holded the fight during 18 years. It was diagnosed the year I was born. At the same same time I loved my gramps and I didn't want him to go, all our family were already accepting his death. My mother was always saying: "All I want is that your grandfather falls asleep and that he stays there, forever."
He lost a leg, he couldn't talk, he couldn't move. But.. he could smile and laugh. I was always messing around just to make him happy. And the more I made him laugh, the more I wanted him to stay. It was like a curse..
My grandfather died peacefully at 1 am at March 2nd 2012 at Portugal's biggest Hospital with 63 years old. I hope that when I join him, I could see him without that horrible thing. Euthanasia should be avaiable. When people stay like my gramps, for example, they stop enjoying life. They stop living it.
Oh shit I'm crying.
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