Dear Banjo,

Thank You for your kind words.

I can't seem to be able to access the link you gave me.
My is an old computer - and it plays up regularly.
So, my apologies,
I am unable to comment at this time.
However, you are right. I did speak from personal
experience in my previous post. It's something that will
stay with me for quite sometime.

Dear Hassie,

I'm sorry about your knee.

I hope that you won't have too long to wait.

Have you investigated (through your specialist or GP)
if there are any medical
programs currently on offer - that would be able to help
you with your problem sooner?

My brother recently had his heart surgery done in Brisbane
through a special program that his specialist recommended.

Dear Geoffrey,

I wish you every success in your work.

.

Dear Foxy,

.

It’s a PDF document. This link might work better :

http://www.google.fr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CC8QFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aph.gov.au%2FDocumentStore.ashx%3Fid%3Dc1447c7d-6904-4d9e-a7d6-a67edd6fb115%26subId%3D300148&ei=g5v5VNGlLYLfatrSgYAE&usg=AFQjCNGFEgm86rD84Z5IQxCtmCDeD0GZ6g&bvm=bv.87611401,d.d2s

If not, you could try googling :

"Exposure draft of the Medical Services (Dying with Dignity) Bill 2014 Submission 133"

.

Thanks for the good wishes Suse & Foxy. I hope you can get your knee in reasonable time Suse.

I'm not complaining. I expect this type of delay will become worse in the future as our medical costs for increasingly high technology continue to grow.

I received very prompt treatment with my heart attacks, & as such treatment is more critical than a knee, it is only right such treatment has priority.

I have seen enormously expensive medical treatment of our older population, & I know in my mother's case, she did not want any of it. We should be able to chose to die, when life is no longer enjoyable.

Yuyitsu "It would definitely be wrong to expect them - but why doctors of all people? merciful killing is not a medical procedure!"

Really?
I believe that in countries where VE is legal, it is carried out by doctors using drugs?
How would you suggest the deaths should occur, if not by medical procedure?

As for the bible, I would suggest that we all read into that exactly what we want it to say or mean...

Ian Wood: “A quick and peaceful death brought about under medical supervision at the request of and in the interests of a patient in which prescribed safeguards are followed.”

So what you mean in effect is doctors assisting patients to commit suicide. That can never be ethical.

Dear Suse,

Yes, the current practice is that where VE is legal it is carried out by doctors with drugs, but that need not remain so. It is also bad for the doctors to do that which goes against their Hippocratic oath. Doctors are supposed to dedicate their lives to healing, not to killing - which is a completely different service.

Killing someone by their own free request is not murder and should not be illegal so long as it is carried by the person(s) authorised by the one being killed and in the method(s) they requested.

While suicide is a sin, it is not the business of the state to prevent sinfulness, nor can it. When a suicide is assisted, the sinner is the one who commits suicide while their helper(s) remain free of sin.

Regarding the bible, I am not saying it's right and I'm not saying it's wrong, only that the English translation is incorrect. Hebrew, as in English, has distinct verbs for "kill" and "murder" and the one used in the ten commandments is clearly "murder".