Euthanasia by the back door.

[KateLMead]

Surely all who "think" must be aware that Euthanasia has been alive and well for many many years.
It is rarely out of the news for long.
In today's Wail. 60,000 put to death on pathway without being told. We can probably double and yes even treble that. Families kept in the dark about deaths of the terminally ill. Hospitals "Bribed to put patients on Pathway to death.
Now we are told that hospital managers or doctors who try to hide such information will be prosecuted for criminal intent.
However I suppose they will find another means of doing the job.

[pederito1]

I think and expect they are nearly always right with their morphine overdoses but a horror story if they get it wrong and there is a chance of recovery. I certainly would not wish to be kept alive artificially.

[Paddypix]

I wouldn't care about being euthanised if the alternative was no quality of life. I don't have any religious delusions and I've spoken to both my sons about it. They know what my wishes are and I will continue to update them from time to time as I get older, just in case I change my mind. At the moment I am fit and healthy but the will to live is strong and there is no saying how I would feel if it came to the crunch, but I hope I would have the strength of will to ask for a DNR order.

I can only speak for myself, but for others who have religious faith and a belief in the sanctity of human life, it's quite a different story. They should be protected from unscrupulous relatives or over zealous medical professionals who would like to make unilateral decisions about life or death for their patients. It's a minefield.

I agree with Kate though. Euthanasia has always been practiced under one pretext or another, often as the most humane way to end a life of suffering when there is no hope of improvement. It's said that George V was euthanised in order to catch the morning news bulletin.

[debih]

I wouldn't care about being euthanised if the alternative was no quality of life. I don't have any religious delusions and I've spoken to both my sons about it. They know what my wishes are and I will continue to update them from time to time as I get older, just in case I change my mind. At the moment I am fit and healthy but the will to live is strong and there is no saying how I would feel if it came to the crunch, but I hope I would have the strength of will to ask for a DNR order.

I can only speak for myself, but for others who have religious faith and a belief in the sanctity of human life, it's quite a different story. They should be protected from unscrupulous relatives or over zealous medical professionals who would like to make unilateral decisions about life or death for their patients. It's a minefield.

I agree with Kate though. Euthanasia has always been practiced under one pretext or another, often as the most humane way to end a life of suffering when there is no hope of improvement. It's said that George V was euthanised in order to catch the morning news bulletin.

I agree with everything you say Paddy.

I know I would much rather be helped on my way than live any sort of life that is no longer a decent life.

[moondancer]

Whatever horror stories appear in the tabloids, I don't believe for one second that anyone who is not terminally ill and suffering horrendously is ever euthanized.

I know my grandfather, my mum and my dad all were, except my mother was left to suffer for far too long.

My grandmother had pneumonia and was 92 and obviously dying; when her heart stopped she was leapt upon by several doctors and nurses and her chest was compressed so hard that my mum, who was waiting on the other side of the curtains, quite clearly heard her ribs breaking.

I know what I'd prefer.

[Paddypix]

That's why, if the patient wants it, a DNR should be offered. It's a very difficult and delicate conversation to have with a seriously ill patient of course so it's understandable that doctors resuscitate as a matter of course to protect themselves from possible law suits afterwards, rather than have that conversation. It's why I've already had the conversation with my sons so that they know exactly where they stand if asked.

[Diflower]

Totally agree MD and PP.

Some could say I suppose that my mum was euthanised - not what I'd call it.
If you're in complete agony - and I do mean the kind of pain no person can actually bear - then the only relief from that pain is a 'fatal' dose of morphine. Usually given with much consideration, compassion and tenderness.

Oh and btw, the day before that, she, with two of her oldest friends, had laughed until they cried all through a 2-hour visit.
Not such a bad way to go.
And it's not necessarily an instant death, it's still pretty natural; Mum was unconscious for another 5 days, not always altogether unaware of things.

[TheOstrich]

Actually, Di, as I understand it from our own "family history", that's more or less what happened in the case of one of my grand-mothers too, and that was back in the 1950's ...

Although unlike PP I do have a Christian belief, I don't think that life should be prolonged just for the sake of it, and once it's clear the "quality of life" is no longer there, then I have no problem with euthanasia. I suspect, given another 20 years or so, it'll probably be accepted practice.

[Workingman]

I am going to sit on the fence on this.

I have no religious or moral reasons for or against euthanasia, but I have been on morphine for pain and it alters one's attitude.

There was one time when my eye was so painful I wanted it all to end - the morphine was not working and life was Hell. Would I have accepted the option - probably, maybe, I don't know? Thankfully, from my POV, it was not an option and I am still here.

But my mother's case was so different. She had undergone her fourth by-pass op and unknown to the medical staff had an open stomach ulcer. To cut a long story.... it was a relief to have the life-support turned off. My choice, but I did it for mum knowing that she would never recover and be free from pain.

The problem, as I see it, is that there is no 'one size fits all' solution, and never will be, so each case has to be treated individually. How that can be achieved to suit all cases is beyond me.

[Kaz]

I agree pretty much word for word with what Paddy said, and Di too.....Moonie that is horrendous

Very, very hard for the relatives to make these decisions though - the last few weeks of my dad's life were pretty tortuous for us as he was so very weak and mainly 'out of it', but mercifully not in a lot of pain until the last day. I am glad I didn't have to make a decision such as yours Frank, but like to think I would have had the strength to do so if it had been needed (((((x)))))

My MIL was the first Macmillan nurse in Gloucester and nursed countless dying people. She has said to me that with some illnesses or conditions she would end it herself before she was unable to do it.....She is not religious but is spiritual and believes she will see her dead loved ones again and has no fear of death, just a fear of some ways of dying, and of being helpless, and in fact the helpless is her greatest fear

I don't believe in life at all costs, there has to be some quality