Death with Dignity Act

[TripleDigitRide]

I just finished watching a heart-wrenching documentary on Netflix, How to Die in Oregon.

They follow a few people who are suffering their final days with a terminal illness, and all have decided to take advantage of Oregon's 'Death With Dignity Act'. Unlike Dr. Kevorkian's method of lethal injection, their doctors write them a prescription for a medication in pill form. They pick up the medication at their local pharmacy, then take the medication if and when they see fit.

I was on the fence about this issue, but after watching these people suffer, and the peacefullness after taking the medication, I am all for it.

As a huge documentary fan, this was one of the more difficult to watch. Left me with something to think about.

[knewcomb]

What exactly does the medication do?

[klamb5]

I too know where your coming from , I use to work in the Funeral business and have saw the burtality man can put on another. And some sometime I wondered which was worst the cure or the disease. Saw my Aunt die of cancer at the end was no more than 50 pounds Last time I saw her I prayed that it was enough for him to take her soon she was gone by the time I got home . But I still like to think its in Gods hands he has a purpose for all things. But I reserve the thought of what I would do for myself or wife.

[klamb5]

 

What exactly does the medication do?

 Let's you chose when to die.

[Sam1]

Many people won't agree, but I have and always will support this. We have no right to tell someone they have to lay there and suffer in levels of pain that most of us will never know exist

[Oh Shoot]

Many people won't agree, but I have and always will support this.

 

Me three. Once the die is obviously cast you shouldn't have to blow yer brains out or try to score enough smack in the ghetto to avoid a lingering, painful, and degrading end to the matter.

 

- OS

[TripleDigitRide]

Based on the documentary, they prescribe the patient 100 pills (10 grams) that gets mixed with a glass of water. The patient drinks it, and within a 2 or 3 minutes, they are out like a light. Basically, it's an overdose that puts the patient into medical induced coma very quickly. The actual death usually follows in less than 30 minutes.

Of the patients they showed taking the medication, it couldn't have been a better way to go, considering the circumstances. Everything appeared very calm and relaxing.
Edited July 1, 2013 by TripleDigitRide

[klamb5]

I agree But the human will to live is what keeps us here I think ,why? maybe just the sheer will to survive that God put in us.  Shame we cant all go setting in the old easy chair. I'm sure not into life saving measure with no hope of a quality life after. I sure wont begruge some one the abiltiy or judge them for it.

Edited July 1, 2013 by klamb5

[Oh Shoot]

I agree But the human will to live is what keeps us here I think ,why? maybe just the sheer will to survive that God put in us. 

 

Problem is that lots of folks outlive their will to do it. And there's nothing but pain and humiliation of despair involved.

 

And of course that silly thing about suicide as a Big Sin that the Catholic Church pushed off and on for a couple thousand years. (that's pretty much passe now, though you still hear it some in fundamentalist protestant sects a good bit).

 

- OS

Edited July 1, 2013 by Oh Shoot

[TMF]

We allow our pets more dignity in death than our loved ones. I hope that by the time I am that age I can go as peacefully as our dog we put down due to his age.

[Caster]

I don't get along well with most people on this subject. As a believer I get shunned for even harboring the thought. Oh well. I've been labeled a blasphemer for saying this but, I wouldn't serve a God that would be sadistic enough to demand I stay here in pain and misery as opposed to punching out early.
I have no issues with it and can't say in all honesty that I won't choose the same thing.


As far as the church goes, well I despise organized religion and I can tell you why the church says its a sin. It means less people filling the coffers and offering plates. In the past, it would have meant less people to subjugate. It's never been about the soul, it's always been about control.

Christ loves everyone and wants nothing more than peace and happiness in our lives. How does stage four stomach cancer figure into that?

[Mike.357]

Any person should be able to decide when to end their life, and of course they ultimately can.  Being deathly ill should not even play into it.  But it should never have to come to a point where a guy shoots himself in the temple or lock himself in his garage with a running car.  If for some reason I came to the conclusion that death is better than life you can be assured I would act on it.

 

Death with Dignity should be the law of the land.

[peejman]

My worst nightmare is to be a financial and emotional burden on my family while I slowly waste away.  I've been witness to that very thing more than once, and it's horrible for everyone involved.  I've read a bit of scripture about suicide and my interpretation is that death with dignity isn't suicide. 

[Caster]

My worst nightmare is to be a financial and emotional burden on my family while I slowly waste away.  I've been witness to that very thing more than once, and it's horrible for everyone involved.  I've read a bit of scripture about suicide and my interpretation is that death with dignity isn't suicide.

Not just family, to anyone. I wouldn't care if I were a billionaire. I don't want some poor soul to have to wipe my rear because my body is spent but I'm still a 'cling-on'.

This can lead to a very dark place with the type people we have running the world right now, remember this. While I fully support the freedom to do on MY choice, how easy it would be one day for it to be mandatory and the decision be made by someone else.
Death with dignity I support, but this can lead to euthanasia very quickly as the morality of the world continues to slide off into the toilet.

[Joe357]

Death with dignity I support, but this can lead to euthanasia very quickly as the morality of the world continues to slide off into the toilet.

Agreed one step leads to the next. Let GOD set the time and place of my death, not for me to make the chose, and before some of you ask which GOD there is only one. ;)

[Dolomite`s Breezy]

I rather fall asleep with help when the time comes instead of being so bad off where my husband needs to wipe my arse ...I will not  burden anyone with that, much less my husband or son.

 

Not to mention the financial burden it would create at the end.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

I don't care what anyone does to their self, but I do care when there is a doctor writing prescriptions for one to die

with. Each unto his own, though. Something just rubs the wrong way with me and the doc's Hippocratic Oath. If he

gives me pain medication to relieve the suffering, that's enough.

 

You aren't doing exactly of your own volition if you need a doc to do yourself in.

 

Soyulent Green

[RobertNashville]

I have my opinion about this but I'm not going to argue for or against a person deciding to end their life in these circumstances.

 

The prblem that I think everyone shoudl be concerned about is when teh state (small s) decides for you by saying that "you" aren't worth the medical expense of treating you/keeping you alive if you want treatment.

 

When the Obamacare debate was going on, there was a famous story of the middle-aged woman with cancer who wanted treatment but the State of Oregon sent her a perscription for these pills.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

When the state is involved in life or death issues, they usually make bad law. Make your own damned poison

and quit trying to drag a doc from trying to save a life. I don't see any dignity here. If you want to feel in control

of a situation, leave the doc out of the equation.

 

Soyulent Green

[Romad7]

When the state is involved in life or death issues, they usually make bad law. Make your own damned poison
and quit trying to drag a doc from trying to save a life. I don't see any dignity here. If you want to feel in control
of a situation, leave the doc out of the equation.

Soyulent Green

Yup, if a person wants to have the option of ending their life they shouldn't put it on the doc to provide the tools to do it and deal with the moral dilemma. Before you know it there will be a federal requirement that docs issue the suicide drugs to patients who are in pain and request it. Probably find in Obamacare somewhere once somebody reads the whole thing.

In reference to religious factors. I'm a Christian but nowhere in the Bible does it indicate that suicide is an unforgivable sin, just another Catholic lie. It's a personal choice and it should be left to the person to choose. God will still love them. Edited July 3, 2013 by Romad7

[Guest Grout]

I will not be a burden on my loved ones.I have already told them that one day they will notice that I'm not around or they haven't heard from me in a while and when that day comes they will know I'm gone for good and they will never see me again in this world

[Joe357]

Yup, if a person wants to have the option of ending their life they shouldn't put it on the doc to provide the tools to do it and deal with the moral dilemma. Before you know it there will be a federal requirement that docs issue the suicide drugs to patients who are in pain and request it. Probably find in Obamacare somewhere once somebody reads the whole thing.

In reference to religious factors. I'm a Christian but nowhere in the Bible does it indicate that suicide is an unforgivable sin, just another Catholic lie. It's a personal choice and it should be left to the person to choose. God will still love them.

 

How about "Thou shall not KILL" :)

[Romad7]

Even breaking that commandment is not unforgivable in the way that some would have us believe that suicide is.

And I am of the opinion that the commandment it is addressing murder but that's a whole other debate.