How Do You Feel About Medically Assisted Suicide?

by Guest Sat Mar 12, 2016 2:44 pm

California To Permit Medically Assisted Suicide As Of June 9
Updated March 10, 20167:30 PM ET Published March 10, 20166:58 PM ET
California Gov. Jerry Brown signed landmark legislation last October that would allow terminally ill people to request life-ending medication from their physicians.
But no one knew when the law would take effect, because of the unusual way in which the law was passed — in a legislative "extraordinary session" called by Brown. The bill could not go into effect until 90 days after that session adjourned.
The session closed Thursday, which means the End of Life Option Act will go into effect June 9.
"We're glad to finally have arrived at this day where we have a date certain," says Sen. Bill Monning, D-Carmel.
"It's a historic achievement for California, and for a limited universe of people dealing with a terminal illness," Monning says. "It could indeed be a transformative way of giving them the option of a compassionate end-of-life process."
Disability-rights advocates fought hard last year against passage of the legislative act, and they continue to voice concern.
Marilyn Golden, senior policy analyst with the Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund, says it would be impossible to know, for example, if a depressed patient went to many doctors — who all denied the request for lethal medication — before finding one who agreed to write the prescription.
"We are looking ahead at measures to protect people from abuse," Golden says, "and to explore and inform doctors, nurses and pharmacists that they don't have to participate."
As written, the law requires two doctors to agree, before prescribing the drugs, that a patient has six months or less to live. Patients must be able to swallow the medication themselves and must affirm in writing, 48 hours before taking the medication, that they will do so.
California is the fifth state to permit this option at the end of life. It joins Vermont, Oregon, Washington and Montana.
Across the state, some patients with advanced cancer welcomed the news.
"It gives me a great peace of mind to know that I will not be forced to die slowly and painfully," says Elizabeth Wallner, in a release from Compassion & Choices, an aid-in-dying advocacy group. Wallner, 52, of Sacramento, is a single mother with stage 4 colon cancer that has spread to her liver and lungs.
"It gives great comfort to know that the agonizingly traumatic image of me suffering will not be my family's last memory of me," she says.
Monning says he's grateful to people who worked for passage of the law, some in their final days:

Brittany Maynard, an Orange County, Calif., woman with brain cancer, moved to Oregon to take advantage of laws there that allowed her to get lethal medication. Before she died in 2014, she recorded a video that was shown during hearings on the End of Life Option Act in Sacramento.
Jennifer Glass, of San Mateo, Calif., helped to launch the campaign in 2014, then died of lung cancer last year.
Christy O'Donnell, 47, of Los Angeles, died of lung cancer last month.

"I really believe," Monning says, "we use today to mark and dedicate the memory of some true champions."
http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/03/10/469970753/californias-law-on-medically-assisted-suicide-to-take-effect-june-9?sc=nd

I've had this discussion with a couple of other members {another community we've been together over 10 yrs}, one dear man from Norway - dying of a brain tumor and another mid 60's gentleman had relocated to Japan; both of them had strong feelings about this option but lived and died in countries that were not on board about it.

What are your thoughts - feelings?

by Syl Sat Mar 12, 2016 4:08 pm

I feel people who are terminally ill should have the legal right to die with medical assistance without traipsing to another country in order to do so.
If the laws were changed the medical profession would be able to help far more than they can now.

by Guest Sat Mar 12, 2016 4:22 pm

Syl wrote:I feel people who are terminally ill should have the legal right to die with medical assistance without traipsing to another country in order to do so.
If the laws were changed the medical profession would be able to help far more than they can now.

While I have compassion for the Medical Professionals and that hippocratic oath that they take and avow to up hold to the best of their human ability; what about the 'HUMAN' and our rights to make this life/keep sustaining the medicine/medical issue because it's what the doctors feel the need to do?

My elderly buddy dying from his brain tumor was unable to fly home to his family {where he had a 2nd home} to die there as he desired; he'd waited just to long and the tumor was growing in mass far too fast.

But having a excellent staff of home health nurses {sexy looking ones at that} allowed him to pass at his dwelling amongst his friends as he wished...but the pain and suffering --- well it's indescribable what Norway had and didn't have to alleviate that level of PAIN he endured.

Does England have such a 'Right To Die' program for their terminally ill residents?

by Syl Sat Mar 12, 2016 4:53 pm

We dont have a right to die policy here yet 4ever...we read about people travelling to Dignitas and places in order to end their lives because of all the legal complications here.

Watching someone slowly die when all their physical faculties have gone is horrible. It can be even worse than when their mental state has deteriorated because the person knows they can do nothing for themselves and never will again.....that puts them in more mental torment than some can bare.
I was asked by medical staff whether I wanted my mum to be constantly rehydrated to keep her alive, I said no and she died quicker than if Dr's had treated her accordingly.
How much better to end a persons life before it came to this though?

by nicko Sat Mar 12, 2016 5:23 pm

As one who has been there, if you want to go,why should any one stop you?

by The Devil, You Know Sat Mar 12, 2016 6:29 pm

you can't choose to be born, but you should be able to choose when you die and no bleeding heart liberals or religious nuts should be able to stop you.
far better it is done with some dignity and no pain than the trauma of someone having to scrape up your remains from the front of a train or a pavement.

by Guest Sat Mar 12, 2016 6:41 pm

We have 2 main 'Pre-Hospital' / 'Home Health Care/Hospice' medical required forms to keep on hand for the family member that is in failing health:

Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) Directive - …
www.advancedlegalplanning.com/dnr.php
Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) Directive. A DNR Directive (or a DNR Request) is a signed, ... To get a free download of a DNR form from Kansas Health Ethics, Inc., ...

Advance Directive Forms - Wichita Medical Research & Edu
www.wichitamedicalresearch.org/KansasAdvanceDirectivesHome/DNRForms
Medical Research is not a solitary endeavor. Your gift of: membership dues, endowment gifts; memorials; bequests provides many opportunities for us to gain knowledge ...

The DNR {do not resuscitate} just covers any medical staff or EMT/Fireman from performing the CPR {cardio pulmonary resuscitation} procedure because it will bust ribs and crack the sternum and if you're in failing health for other reasons have busted ribs and cracked sternum is extremely painful to the patient. But by law --- if there's no DNR form on hand when they arrive then they are Legally Required to start that CPR procedure and once started it has to be a continuum process until time is called for TOD {time of death} by a doctor on standby!

The Advance Directive covers any process that could/would be used to keep you alive:
from a line-by-line itemized signifier for all equipment known to mankind that you might be hooked up to in order to sustain your life! This form is many pages long and requires a actual initial with signature and witnesses to be considered a LEGAL Advance Directive. Very in depth and detailed and it's such a wonderful thing to go over with the family member prior to their mental dementia issues and sudden onset of a stroke or heat attack that might make communication a problem.

But then again --- there have been instances where family members had these DNR and Advance Directive paper work forms in hand - shipped to the hospital via the ambulance only to have the admitting doctors ignore what they were told 'DO NOT DO THIS' {per the AD} and the elderly were hooked up to everything that the hospital had within their building to sustain that 90+ year old gentleman! And this upset his 90+ elderly wife to so much stress she had a major heart attack and died while seated beside her dear husband and all of his vital organs being kept functioning by machines!
How Do You Feel About Medically Assisted Suicide? 2396444674

How Do You Feel About Medically Assisted Suicide? 2396444674

by Ben Reilly Sat Mar 12, 2016 7:07 pm

The Devil, You Know wrote:you can't choose to be born, but you should be able to choose when you die and no bleeding heart liberals or religious nuts should be able to stop you.
far better it is done with some dignity and no pain than the trauma of someone having to scrape up your remains from the front of a train or a pavement.

Excuse me, bleeding heart liberals?

Washington is one of the most liberal states in the U.S. -- and the only one with legal euthanasia. At one point it was the only state with legal euthanasia, recreational marijuana and gay marriage, though of course gay marriage is now legal in all states.

by HoratioTarr Sat Mar 12, 2016 7:22 pm

everyone is entitled to choose how they die, and with dignity.

by Major Sat Mar 12, 2016 7:35 pm

I believe people should be able to determine their own end when they have a serious, painful, deadly medical condition.

by Guest Sat Mar 12, 2016 8:17 pm

HoratioTarr wrote:everyone is entitled to choose how they die, and with dignity.

True - unless some well intentioned 'FAMILY MEMBER' assumes that they know better and have 'YOUR BEST INTEREST AT HEART' --- then you'll be screwed 7 ways of Sunday and live as long as the legal system allows just like this unfortunate young woman did >

Terri Schiavo: 10 Years After Her Death 'End of Life ...
abcnews.go.com/Health/terri-schiavo-10-years-death-end-life-debate/

Mar 31, 2015 · Video embedded · Ten years after the death of Terri Schiavo, the debate over when to end the life of someone catastrophically ill rages on.

This is just one of many such cases that have played out here in the states since long before Jack Kevorkian and since Jack Kevorkian = {Dr. Death.} assisted suicides cases.

[*]

Supreme Court Deals a Defeat to Kevorkian : Judiciary ...

articles.latimes.com/1995-04-25/news/mn-58776_1_supreme-court
Supreme Court Deals a Defeat to Kevorkian : Judiciary: Justices reject claim that Constitution allows doctor-assisted suicides. Authorities are now free to …
[*]

Chronology | The Kevorkian Verdict | FRONTLINE | PBS

www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/kevorkian/chronology.html
JACK KEVORKIAN'S LIFE AND ASSISTED ... An Oakland County Circuit Court Judge enjoins Kevorkian from aiding in any ... The ruling reinstates cases against Kevorkian …

by Guest Sat Mar 12, 2016 9:02 pm

I used to be against until I watched my Mum die. She wanted to die and couldn't, so she refused food. It was horrible.

by Guest Sat Mar 12, 2016 9:18 pm

sassy wrote:I used to be against until I watched my Mum die. She wanted to die and couldn't, so she refused food. It was horrible.

Before moving my mother in here and having her care to see to 24/7; I was doing 'Hospice' care for invalids/elderly/medically needy humans for the past 16 yrs. As a rotation based job - I could work as a Para-educator and still do my over night shift for the hospice patient.

I'm proud of the technical advances that our medical professionals have made --- but for those physically/emotionally & medically impaired that chose not be have their lives extended with the aid of medical equipment...well it's so hard to see & hear those patients plead with us {the care givers} to 'TURN OFF THE MACHINES' and just let me die!

And it's often their immediate children that are making those choices to circumvent what the parents want or don't want regardless of how much pain & suffering that patient is going through daily. Often it's the 'Guilt' pushing the children into ignoring what their dear elderly parents crave and long for. And the last 4 patients I had the over night shit with were all in their 90's; most often asked question as they'd grab my hand...'WTH am I still alive for?'

All I could say; 'it's not for me to say - that's not within my power - but I'm glad that I've had the time to get to know you' Sad

by Guest Sat Mar 12, 2016 9:19 pm

Must have been heartbreaking.

by Guest Sat Mar 12, 2016 9:30 pm

sassy wrote:Must have been heartbreaking.

There's a group of about 8 of us women that were recommended by the local doctor to anyone/everyone that might need some hospice/home health care helper to stay with their family member post surgery/pre-death so they could remain in their own homes, surrounded by their own items and comfort.

We are a tight group of women and we all support each other after a 'JOB'; holding someone's hands when they are living their last days & nights on the earth...well it's hard but I've gotten to know such warm/wonderful stories about they're youth - how they met their respective other - how they struggled to achieve their material possessions and what raising children was uniquely like post depression & dust bowl days.

We take away so many heartfelt memories but leave a little bit of our hearts behind as they pass on too!

by Guest Sat Mar 12, 2016 9:34 pm

I know exactly what you mean, I sat with my Grandmother while she was dying and my Mum and was holding their hands when they died. It takes a lot of strength to do it for non family members, but knowing you have helped is a wonderful thing.

by Cass Sat Mar 12, 2016 10:17 pm

Totally for it.

Dean its not the left/liberals who oppose this. Totally the hard core conservative right wing & evangelicals. They even take up lawsuits against people's next of kin to stop them turning off life support machines even if the brain dead person has a will/legal directive stating that is their wish and gives their next of kin powercof attorney.

by Raggamuffin Sat Mar 12, 2016 10:19 pm

I'm not terribly keen on it, but then I don't approve of suicide, let alone aided and abetted by doctors. I can see why others are for it though.

by Eilzel Sat Mar 12, 2016 11:25 pm

I've never known a liberal to oppose this Dean.

I'm entirely for it. The person suffering alone should ultimately have the choice, no one else.

by The Devil, You Know Sat Mar 12, 2016 11:50 pm

Stormee wrote:I believe people should be able to determine their own end when they have a serious, painful, deadly medical condition.

they should be able to determine when, no matter their condition.

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How Do You Feel About Medically Assisted Suicide?