I believe that the state Premier of Victoria will be
pushing for a yes vote on voluntary euthanasia in state
parliament next year. The Australian Medical Association
seems to be against this move.

How do the rest of you feel about this controversial issue?

Are you not ignoring doctor's advice with your comeback, Foxy?

How do you feel about COMPULSORY euthanasia for Australian politicians and other people who do not believe in individuals' rights to make decicions for themselves? I include doctors in that: like politicians, they try to control their customers instead of serving them. I'm glad you have chosen to ignore the doctor who said that OLO is bad for your health. Glad to see you back!

Dear TTBN,

Thanks for the "Welcome Back."

I've missed the Forum, and I'm happy to be back.

As for Voluntary Euthanasia? I'm having difficulty
coming to grips with this issue because of personal
experience with my mum who suffers from dementia.
She's had several falls recently and ended up with all
sorts of complications. When my brothers visited her
from interstate they felt that her medicine should be
stopped - because according to one brother - "It's only
the meds that are keeping her alive and she has
no quality of life." I disagreed strongly. Her meds were
simply keeping her comfortable. As for her quality of
life - She recognises us all on her good days, she does
react to things, and she seems to understand things as well.
I have my mum's "Power of Attorney," so I politely explained
things to my brother.

These are only some of the issues that worry me about
Euthanasia. Or put another way - "Where there's a will,
there's always a relative." The only time that I would
approve of Euthanasia is for terminally ill patients who
are suffering and in great pain. But even then, I would like
several opinions on the matter, and a panel and boundaries
put in place to protect the vunerable.

But perhaps that's what the state Premier has in mind for
Victoria. I'd like to find out more about what exactly they
do have in mind. It shall be interesting to also see if the bill
gets passed next year.

Btw - my mum is slowly improving. But that's dementia, I'm told.

I can see reasons why people want voluntary euthanasia. The problem is that just like the abortionist convinced the gullible that the debate was about that poor 14 year old girl who was raped so those pushing for euthanasia pretend it will remain volutary. Now we have around 80000 babies slaughtered largely due to convenience each year. Why would the euthanasia industry (yes it will become like abortion) do the same. People like Nitschke have been shown to have next to no ethics. There are some who genuinely believe it is better for people to opt to end their own life. Let them do it but don't legislate to open the can of worms.

G'day again, Foxy,

My view is that euthanasia should be available to those who want it. I respect those who don't want it, because that's freedom of choice; what I don't like is politicians making the decision based purely on their own feelings or beliefs. The vote was lost here in SA recently by a single vote, even though the general population were in favour of euthanasia for those wanting it.

I'm more interested in your mother, however. I don't think that it is correct that dementia patients improve (unless you were referring to problems from her falls). There are 12 conditions that can be confused with dementia or Alzheimer's, which is becoming more commonly diagnosed. Incorrect diagnoses are not as uncommon as sometimes thought, and an excellent neurologist who actually saved my life several years ago, advises me that there is never any improvement or recovery from dementia. I'm a complete layman on the matter, but is it possible that your Mother could have one of the 'false' dementias that can be treated?

Dear Foxy,

My mother went into a nursing home when my father was unable to care for her. She had had a number of falls, and my father was physically unable to keep lifting her. Although my mother's mind was ok when she first went into the nursing home she started to drift into dementia. She was aware of what was happening to her and said she wanted to die. Her deterioration continued until the last seven years of her life were spent in a completely vegetative state.

I wish that she had been helped to end her life when she said she wanted to die. I incorporated my feelings toward my mother in the nursing home in a story I wrote:

“He never could talk to his Mother when she could talk. He saw her now as she was the last time he visited Golden Hill, but he remembered her voice as he heard it in childhood. He saw the muddy green, unseeing eyes, "I've got eyes like a cat" but they were bright when she said it. He saw the aristocratic nose with gently flaring nostrils. When he was a child she would call attention to the shapely nose, "Isn't it a beautiful nose?" Sometimes she would say that in front of visitors, and little Barn would cringe. The last time he had seen the nose, it was the same chalky colour as the rest of the face. A year ago his cousin from Tyre had called Lefko. Somehow an attendant had let her fall from the bed. Mother landed on her face and broke her nose. The beautiful nose was broken, and there were dark circles under the eyes. She looked more alive than in years. Change. What would be the use of moving her to another nursing home? That could happen anyplace. Golden Hill had the best reputation. The nose was set, the bruises disappeared, and Mother stayed at Golden Hill.

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