Hello Banjo Paterson, you write "the doctors had let his father suffer". It should be remembered that in a civilised society it should NEVER be up to the doctors to make a decision to withdraw treatment or perform euthanasia. I'm talking about a civilised society where euthanasia is legal. It should be the patient's choice. In this situation, his father would have had the choice to either battle on or to have a doctor perform euthanasia. Either way it would need to be the patient's choice. A patient's wishes can be documented well before death, or even well before hospitialisation. As soon as that choice is taken out of the hands of the patient, then society has no hope. Keeping in mind of course the grey area when someone has an accident, and right from the start can't communicate anything, and who has not previously documented his or her wishes; this situation could occupy an entirely different topic here as the intricacies are very complex.

MaryE,
I don't think anyone is romanticising death. I too have seen many deaths in my line of work. Yes, there have been many horrible deaths that could have been avoided if we had legal voluntary euthanasia.

I would imagine that anyone in his position would have some degree of depression. However, whether or not this guy has depression, he is living a horrible life. At present he has no other choice than to refuse food and water has he?

Better a couple of weeks of life without food or water, hopefully eased by plenty of medications, than the other alternative he has.

Hello suzeonline, by the term "romanticising death" I was referring to the fact that some people in society think that death is peaceful, I'm talking about the actual in the moment death itself. They "imagine" that euthanasia must be like this, peaceful and painless, just like the moment at death has often been depicted in Hollywood movies. The reality, more often than not, is quite different indeed. The pain and distress at the actual time of death can often be utterly horrendous and indescribable. It's impossible to predict which passing will be relatively pain free, and which one will not. Taking a life is a complex and risky business, and I desperately weep for the people who are currently left to do the act via their own hand. They deserve better. A medically supervised passing gives them the best chance by FAR for a less distressing and less painful passing. Unfortunately we're still a long way from legalised euthanasia in this country.

And yes suzeonline, he is living a horrible life, and if he is of sound mind then I think he should have the right to euthanasia. However, if he is depressed, then the depression can be treated. Noboby needs to suffer severely from permanent depression with the very effective drug treatments available these days. I think it would be awfully cruel to allow a severely depressed person to go under euthanasia. It's just as cruel as denying a person, who is of sound mind, access to euthanasia if that's what they want. If he's not depressed, or he was depressed but is now not depressed due to treatment, then he is probably of sound mind and should have the right to euthanasia. Now, maybe this man is of sound mind or maybe he isn't, maybe he's been depressed and maybe he hasn't, or maybe he's been treated for depression or maybe he hasn't been treated. Until we know the answers regarding this, then it's impossible for me (or anyone actually) to pass a truly informed judgment regarding this man's circumstances. One's heart goes out to this poor man.

“Gee Pied Piper, so now the Medical profession are in on the whole euthanasia conspiracy are they, what with writing out death-drug scripts and all?”

No – where did you get that from? But I was suggesting earlier that if we think about the doctors it may be unkind to place this burden on them.

“Going back to the original post about the quadruplegic at the Nursing home wanting to die,
I would say to all anti-euthanasia proponents that the issue at hand is a request for VOLUNTARY euthanasia to be legalised.”

Agreed. The big problem seems to be the legalizing as other forms of voluntary euthanasia are self-preformed and there is no emotional or legal recourse for a person that has decided they want to go and then committed suicide. See it will get to a point where someone will pass all the counseling, be declared by a shrink fit to make the decision and then at an autopsy will reveal a small tumor in the brain and the people who insist on life for others will point out how the person wasn’t in charge of their own decision at all.

“Anyone who unfortunately develops a terminal illness or an extreme disability can decide that they want to linger on and offer it all up for their God if that is their wish.”

Or anyone who is of sound mind and able body who has just had enough.

“Please leave the rest of us alone to make our own decision without all the religious claptrap behind it”.

In this case I don’t understand the religious people objecting… God isn’t keeping him alive, machines are.

“This poor man should be given what he asks for- the right to stop all food and fluids, and to have a peaceful, painfree death.”

No that sucks, if I was him I’d want to know about the next five minutes. He might have a date and time that he wishes to leave. The right to die should come with a few choices.

Piper

<< He might have a date and time that he wishes to leave. The right to die should come with a few choices. >>

Too right! There may be friends and family he wants around - and some he definitely doesn't. Music would be a consideration. For myself the Sex Pistols version of "I did it my way" is at the top of my list.

Would like the option of writing a 'will prequel' - how I would like to end my life if the end is nigh. For example, also into organ donation, provided I have anything left that might be useful and also able to declare myself an atheist so no religion gets to put in their 2 cents worth... Then it would all be mandated and no one could argue.

*A medically supervised passing gives them the best chance by FAR for a less distressing and less painful passing.*

MaryE, I completely agree with you here. Perhaps we could learn
something from the two organisations in Switzerland and their
experiences, to come up with our own Australian suitable version.

A friend of mine went through all this when her dad was just so
sick with cancer, in his 80s and decided it was time. IIRC
it was an organisation called Dignitas, but I would have to check.

She said that they came to the nursing home where he was located,
as he was really too sick to travel anywhere. The family were
present, she says it was all very tastefully done and a moving
experience for all.

Why we as a society think that it is better for people to hang on
until they gasp for their last breath, really beats me, when things
could be so different.