To Yvonne, Celivia and all others who have offered their concerns - thank you.

What my mother wants is to die peacefully at a time of her own choosing.

What she doesn't want is to die choking as her lungs finally fail.

What she does want is to talk to her family and friends and say everything she feels needs to be said.

But she doesn't have that choice. She cannot take a little pill when she is ready, because that is not available here.

She cannot plan only wait.

My sister and I cannot plan, only wait.

Sure doctors can up the pain medication, but not only is that placing the doctors with all the responsibility, it is not something that can be done with all my mother's family at her side. It is a lonely death.

My old cat got a better deal, I was able to sit beside him with his head cupped in my hand while the vet euthanised him.

What value is a life if we condemn our elderly to such a lack of dignity and compassion?

Fractelle,
Yes, this is probably the only situation when animals are treated more humane than humans.

Loudmouth,
Look up the terms, “euthanasia” and “murder”.

Clearly, not only the religious think that their beliefs should trump the needs/beliefs/wishes of others.
If YOU ever come to suffer an unbearable illness and don’t want to be euthanised, then simply don’t request euthanasia.

Assisted suicide is actually one of the options but is not suitable for everyone.

My aunt, a few months back, had her request for euthanasia approved. Her doctor discussed the euthanatica with her and her husband and gave her several options.
After that talk, she was able to feel more relaxed about death and as a result she could cope better with her pain, and died a natural dead.

For many patients, just knowing that a soft death is only a phone call away, removes their fear of suffering.
That’s why many patients who received approval for euthanasia never use it. It’s an enormous relief to know that help is there if the suffering all gets too much to cope with.

Here’s a link to the Dutch euthanasia brochure (in English) where you can read the rules. Not sure whether the Australian rules would be similar.
http://www.minvws.nl/en/folders/ibe/euthanasia_the_netherlands_new_rules.asp
Click the link at the bottom for the euthanasia pdf brochure.

“Most requests for euthanasia come from patients who are suffering unbearably with no prospect of improvement and see death as the only way out. They do not request euthanasia because of inadequate terminal care or palliative care (i.e. care to relieve suffering). It is almost always possible to provide terminal patients with a high standard of care, even if there is no cure for their condition. In nearly all cases, the patient’s suffering is physical. More than eighty percent of these requests for euthanasia come from cancer patients in the final stages of their illness.”

“Two-thirds of the requests for euthanasia that are put to doctors are refused. Often, treatment still offers some hope of improvement or there are ways of relieving a patient’s suffering, such as effective pain control.”

Loudmouth:

You are nothing but a godless, gutless, insensative, unfeeling wasted space!

How dare you make the statement that you did, when a lady who has a mother obviously dying, seeks compassion and solace for herself and her mother, and you spout forth your one-eyed, self-centered, ignorant and childish venom!

You may survive long enough to one day reconsider the folly of your words, and if you are faced with a similar fate, I hope that you are treated with the compassion and understanding that you so rightly deserve!.....may your GOD have mercy upon you

Fractelle:

I would suggest that you simply ignore "Loudmouth`s" response to this very emotive issue, an issue that deserves humanitarian consideration!

I feel (I hope!) that "Loudmouth" is an exception to the rule, ( if not we are in deep, deep trouble!) and consequently he should be more pitied than laughed at! He would be well-suited to running around burning crosses and wearing pillow-cases,.....so maybe he could consider heading across the ocean to join others of his kind!

I offer you my apologies on his behalf and trust that some realistic solution to your Mother`s situation is forthcoming, and the sooner the better for all of us, as eventually most of us may well face this situation in one way or another!

Its because of negativity like some of the above, is exactly the reason why its always in the "TOO HARD BASKET"

Its simply a choice that should not concern anyone but the individual.
(By the way, I'm not dieing! nor am I sick in anyway)

The commonsense just rings out in all its simplicity. But I also keep forgetting that the dollar parts right through the middle of it.
The emotion button is the key point to this whole thing.

Again! Its a case of, you just have to be there! its it!

And the number one point of all time is, the government just don't want to get their hands dirty, with blood on them.

Then its true then! We are owned by big brother! and keep telling us about freedom!

WHAT A LIE!

EVO

EVO this issue is not necessary to put in the 'too hard basket'. Legislation allowing voluntary euthanasia does not mean that it becomes compulsory to avail yourself of this at any time. It does not force any person, or doctor for that matter, to participate.

Even if there where family members pressuring a dying relative this will come to surface when the person has to go through the rigorous procedure with at least 2 separate, independent from each other medical practitioners.

As Celivia pointed out, only a very small number of people actually avail themselves of this. Knowing that there is some personal control over one's own dying allows that person to fully live the remainder of their time.

Something that is often forgotten is that many of us do not die 'natural deaths' anymore. That goes for anybody who takes heart medication or anti hypertension medication, just to mention only 2 reasons. Our deaths are becoming more protracted and more unpleasant as we become more clever at prolonging quality of life through medication.

Suffering, pain or dignity is a wholly personal experience. Some accept what comes stoically, some even joyfully. But not all of us can. There is nobody who can determine for you what is acceptable or reasonable for you at the end of your life. For any of us to blightly hand this over to any doctor, as we do here in Australia, is a abrogation of our personal responsibility to live our life congruent with our own personal philosophy. It is a responsibility none of us should ever freely hand over.

Make no mistake. You can not discuss the manner of your death freely with your doctor. Very often, at the end it is the medical personel who determine when you have had enough. Not you.

Loudmouth, if only you were a dictator, it would mean peace would reign on this Earth. No more wars, no more killing, we'd accept whatever rule came to us, we'd accept peacefully whatever was done. As you said, there is never an excuse to kill. Killing is always wrong.