The right to die

[who can tell]

A grim topic I know but one that comes into the media now and again over the years. So what circumstances should a person be given the right to die here s a few test cases:

Case one: A man has terminal cancer and will be given powerful drugs to make his last few weeks of life comfortable as possible but will have side effects. Should he be given medical assistance to end his life?

Case two: A woman needs 24 hours of care and has limited freedom and suffers from mental health problems due to illnesses or disability she is not terminal ill but wishs to end her life?

Case three: The most challenging question of them all. A child had a terminal illness and no treatment is going to help them do the parents of that child have the right to end that child's life?

In some countries around the world people do have the right to die with medical assistance but here in the UK theirs no right to die.

[Fly]

No straight answer as to a circumstance.
Each decision should be made by family, doctors, and possibly a judge for each and every individual case.
It should be allowed in some cases in my opinion.

[Umpire]

There was a very good documentary on TV last week which followed a 57 year old man who had motor neurone disease .It followed him through the stages of this dreadful illness  and early on he decided to go to Switzerland and have euthanasia when the time came that he could go on no longer.
He chatted with the Director of the clinic and a doctor and they assessed  him to see if he was doing it for the right reasons.The cost was £7000.After they gave him the go ahead he arranged a date to go back but he deteriorated very quickly and in fact three days before the due date he tried to hang himself but it was unsuccessful.
Finally he went back to Switzerland  with his wife and some close friends  and it showed him press the button for the  drug to stop his heart within 30 seconds and he was declared dead 4 minutes later.
Brilliant programme but very sad.

[Old Cruser]

There was a very good documentary on TV last week which followed a 57 year old man who had motor neurone disease .It followed him through the stages of this dreadful illness  and early on he decided to go to Switzerland and have euthanasia when the time came that he could go on no longer.
He chatted with the Director of the clinic and a doctor and they assessed  him to see if he was doing it for the right reasons.The cost was £7000.After they gave him the go ahead he arranged a date to go back but he deteriorated very quickly and in fact three days before the due date he tried to hang himself but it was unsuccessful.
Finally he went back to Switzerland  with his wife and some close friends  and it showed him press the button for the  drug to stop his heart within 30 seconds and he was declared dead 4 minutes later.
Brilliant programme but very sad.

I saw that advertised Umpire, I couldn't watch it.
I do agree with a persons Right to Die choice, but not someone with mental health problems having that choice. That person may not be of a sound enough mind as suggested in case 3 by WCT.

As for a child - no unless that child requests it as they my not be well but still able to have enjoyment from life, even if only on a limited basis.

[who can tell]

I support the right to die myself here's why. Over six years ago I had a grandmother who had dementia the first few years were reasonable and my grandfather looked after her but as the illness progressed she had to be put in home. My grans health declined sharply her last six mouths of her life she had one stroke after another which resulted that she could not eat or drink fuild and was bed ridden for all purposes was brain dead as the strokes did more damage to her brain. No words can tell you the impact it had on my family to watch her suffer. In my gran case their was no hope of recovery or any treatment that would have brought about improvement. If we were offered the right to die we would have given it very deep thought . If it did become legal in the UK it would need to be on a case by case basis and only allowed if their is no hope of recovery and every option looked at and to rule out any criminal element. Their is such a thing called a living will if their is a request made in that will it should be taken into account and the final say in the matter should family and court desion.

[Old Cruser]

WCT, your descriptives are of 'end of life' and I would certainly endorse the person having the right to end their life if they so wished.
I can understand you and your families anguish at watching your loved ones demise like this.

I can add my own instance when my father with failing heart and bowel cancer fell asleep at home.
My mum called me and I rushed down, to me he had left us.

It's a different scenario but I think also needs changing.

We were instructed by the emergency to perform resus, which we did although didn't agree with. When the ambulance came they then took over breaking ribs in their efforts - he was dead and was when I arrived at his home.
What was the point - her was skeleton, 84 years old with a weak heart he had had enough.
Give them some dignity at the end! Let them go!

My living will will be no resus if I should be terminally ill.

As a youngster I remember the GP's visiting really ill people nearing their end of life, it wasn't unusual for the patient to die shortly after the visit.
It was accepted that they would be helped on their way back then, too many busy bodies wanting to control our lives these days for my liking!

[Scimitar]

I watched my Dad die slowly over 6 months from pancreatic cancer. He knew he was going to die - he was 83 after all and he said he'd had a good life & accepted his fate. We still had 6 months with him though with his banter & wit - he kept his sense of humour on the face of it alive (but what was going on in his mind knowing he was shortly to die I can't bear to think about) until he finally had to go to Ashgate Hospice.
I cherished the months we had left for obvious reasons.
Only once whilst visiting him at the hospice heavily sedated he muttered "Please God take me" whilst not being fully cohesive.
Yes. he died peacefully at Ashgate Hospice in wonderful care - they are absolutely brilliant there.
It's kind of assisted death with dignity.
Father-in-law was similar - had a heart attack & lasted a short while after that but eventually had to go in to a home where he passed away.
The boys & girls who look after these people are absolutely amazing