hwnorth

Lissa - I get what your saying ... but explain how refusal of any treatment, when you know the outcome is terminal... differs from say... accepting treatment that doesnt work and makes your body rot and pain and suffering last 10x as long ... the end result is going to be the same both ways .. but one way you can stop the pain and suffering sooner , end your families pan and suffering, financial ruins from hospital bills after your dead and buried .. etc etc .

what makes those all that different ?

Lissa

Once again, suicide is not the same as natural death. You're just not getting it, are you?

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budnkota

She has indicated that she wants to continue to battle this. She won't even let my other aunts pack up her apartment or anything yet, even though she'll probably never go back there again. WIth her, it's just accepted that she wants to battle it out until theres nothing left to battle. Which may be in the next couple days if her liver doesn't kick in...

Assisted suicide is really a moot point as far as her story. It was simply a choice to pull the plugs when she was on the respirator - which was what the doc recommended, BTW. Perfectly legal

I was more curious where others drew the line. I just shared her story, because it's an example of you just never know. They've said time and time again that she's not going to live, and yet comes back a few weeks later and goes back to living a mostly normal life. Other than a lot of pills and persistent pain, she functions as a productive member of society.. Watching her just makes me wonder how many people have chosen to pull the plug on somebody who MAY have recovered just as well as she has time and time agan...
That said, I'd have been out a long time ago...

budnkota

I think that's especially the case for somebody who is dying young. My mom was somebody who REALLY lived (unlike me, who just kind of floats along), but when it came down to it, I think it was the kids that made her want to hold on. She wanted to be around for us and for the grandkids she's never see - that kind of thing. In the end, I think that's all that really matters to most parents.

hwnorth

Lissa - thers nothing to get other than you telling me its not the same.

Sticking a .44 down your throat because the girlfriend left and your job is shit ... thats suicide. Assisted death in terminally ill is not suicide. Some are "assisted", some are not....
...but you feel the person deserves to rot away in more pain than humanly imaginable ? Not only stripped of any pride and dignity, but they ARE going to die, and not long after... but they dont deserve the right to not suffer.

Have you ever looked up ALS and see how people die from that? All muscles under voluntary control are affected, (think about that for a second) and patients lose their strength and the ability to move their arms, legs, and body. When muscles in the diaphragm and chest wall fail, patients lose the ability to breathe.

The right to life is no different than the right to die. and you can repeat the same thing you did above... but again, toss out some reasoning ...

I think its easy to sit back and judge, but I think ones opinion would change living the life.

Lissa

I have already stated my views on this adnauseam. You're just not getting it. Sorry.

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hwnorth

Lissa - guess I missed that post ... all I say was you saying it was wrong without explanation ... no worries