The National Forum   Donate   Your Account   On Line Opinion   Forum   Blogs   Polling   About   
The Forum - On Line Opinion's article discussion area



Syndicate
RSS/XML


RSS 2.0

Main Articles General

Sign In      Register

The Forum > Article Comments > Dying to talk about euthanasia > Comments

Dying to talk about euthanasia : Comments

By The Redhead, published 20/9/2010

Let’s show some courage as a community. Let's have some sensible, adult discussion on euthanasia.

  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. ...
  6. 11
  7. 12
  8. 13
  9. Page 14
  10. All
Indeed Loudmouth- though I imagine euthanasia would actually be an easier field to differentiate from murder due to the need for clear legal parameters of records of consent by the deceased, unlike, say, an 'accidental' death or a 'heart attack in the hospital bed'.

Even more so if euthanasia practice was strictly limited to a stand-alone license that a medical practitioner needed to apply for, instead of being automatically assumed part of the job of your normal doctor or nurse.
Posted by King Hazza, Sunday, 26 September 2010 12:03:43 AM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
WAU,

(1) I have no objection to self-administered pain relief, like a morphine pump, even if everyone knows that a hefty dose will slow down body functions, breathing ,heart-beat, etc., and lead to death.

(2) If your father-in-law had been able to express the desire clearly and unambiguously for extra, extra, extra doses of morphine from hospital staff, this should be what legalised euthanasia should cover - ideally, self-administered.

Surely pain relief should be of primary concern in making dying patients comfortable ? And if pain cannot be relieved, then allow the patient control over the process of providing a means whereby he/she could at least gain the peace of unconsciousness, via a morphine pump, even if everybody knows that it will be the end. When my wife died two years ago of liver cancer, she did not complain about pain levels except to say that she couldn't get any sleep, but by then, her liver and kidneys had completely failed, and we all knew that even a small amount of morphine would take her, which it did, peacefully 24 hours after it was administered. Three weeks from go to whoa doesn't really give you time to say goodbye, and perhaps I'm biased against too hasty VE for that reason. But frankly, the issue would have been inconceivable in her case.

Yes, your Majesty, AS LONG AS clear legal parameters were set, the patient's intentions were clear, and the process was supervised appropriately, I would support VE, with the proviso that self-administration was ALWAYS to be preferred where possible, to preserve the patient's autonomy as much as possible.
Posted by Loudmouth, Sunday, 26 September 2010 4:22:45 PM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
Dear Joe (Loudmouth),

Now it's my turn to apologise to you.
I misjudged you and I should have paid
closer attention to what you were actually
saying. It seems that we're on the same
wave length afterall. I also have many
reservations as you do on this subject.

Anyway, please accept both my apology and
my deepest sympathy at the death of your wife.
I wish you an easier journey
along your life's path.

Nicola.
Posted by Foxy, Sunday, 26 September 2010 6:10:40 PM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
Thank you, Nicola. Death is so final, so irreversible - none of us is just an atomised individual, unattached to others. We leave a hole which sometimes can't be filled: our deaths have sometimes devastating impacts on the ones we leave behind, which is why I'm so concerned that taking a life, even one's own life, should be the last, last, last resort. It's not just some academic or intellectual exercise, is it ?

All the best :)

Joe
Posted by Loudmouth, Sunday, 26 September 2010 6:32:36 PM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
Dear Joe (Loudmouth),

I fully agree with you. It should be used
only as a last, last, resort.

I feel also that if society decided to accept
euthanasia, it should draw up legislation
with enough administrative safeguards to prevent
abuse.

I realize that it won't be easy, and it might not
satisfy many people, but it might satisfy others.
So, if a "safe" system of dispensing euthanasia
can be written into the law, as most of us seem to
believe it should, it seems up to the Parliamentarians
- the law makers - to ensure that it is.

At the moment our representatives do not hear pro-
euthanasia crowds beating down the gates and so they
do nothing. Governments are generally reluctant to
push any controversial legislation before the Parliament
of any nature unless there is a strong public demand
for it, or unless there is any great public benefit from
it.

What would embolden the MPs to cater to that approving but
almost mute majority would be the support of the
Australian Medical Association. That support is also
important because of the role doctors would inevitably
have to play if active euthanasia became accepted.

However, of course the AMA's position is that for a doctor
to help someone kill themself, goes against what the
Medical Profession is all about. The basic duty of a doctor
is to preserve life, not to end it, even though doctors
sometimes will approve the turning off life-support systems
of irreversably and terminally ill patients. This already
happens, but for even this small step to be legalised,
many people feel would create a "legal minefield"
sure to blow up doctors.

I guess we'll have to wait and see what develops with this
debate in Parliament.

Thanks again for for being
so open and honest.

Take care.
Posted by Foxy, Sunday, 26 September 2010 11:39:11 PM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
Thank you, Nicola,

You have a good heart.

Joe
Posted by Loudmouth, Monday, 27 September 2010 12:02:04 AM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. ...
  6. 11
  7. 12
  8. 13
  9. Page 14
  10. All

About Us :: Search :: Discuss :: Feedback :: Legals :: Privacy