Reply to: bit drastic

[ratewhore]

You are passing judgement on something you have no idea of. How do you know what the quality of life of these people is?

I hold an opinion, I'm not passing judgement. I'm not telling anyone they are wrong because their opinion differs from mine.

[ThomasSoerensen]

But it wasn't just him. The doctors had to decide to help kill him... normally ending some else's life is not a decision you're allowed to make!

do you think they offeret it to him before he asked?

[d000hg]

I think that everybody should be able to make their own decisions.

He was convinced that this was the best solution.

We can only hope he had thought it through.

But it wasn't just him. The doctors had to decide to help kill him... normally ending some else's life is not a decision you're allowed to make!

[Diestl]

You are passing judgement on something you have no idea of. How do you know what the quality of life of these people is?

It's called imagination, some humans have this ability.

[Bob Dalek]

You are passing judgement on something you have no idea of. How do you know what the quality of life of these people is?

WHS. And without any reference to pets' names.

[DodgyAgent]

Why? Because although it's tragic he is paralysed from the chest down (i.e. he still has use of his arms), it will not result in a deteriation in his quality of life to the point of death being a viable alternative, that's why!!

Contrast it to the guys and girls returning from afghanistan and iraq minus limbs (in some cases, all their limbs).

You are passing judgement on something you have no idea of. How do you know what the quality of life of these people is?

[ThomasSoerensen]

I think that everybody should be able to make their own decisions.

He was convinced that this was the best solution.

We can only hope he had thought it through.

[ratewhore]

If I have offended anybody, really, I apologize - always a tricky call this sort of thing.

I thought you were trolling...

[d000hg]

Having no legs and being in pain is not grounds for euthanasia. Loads of people have chronic pain from spinal problems... I actually think losing your arms would be far worse than legs... just look at the number of sports you can do in a wheelchair.

As for bowel problems, that's embarrassing but again, not that rare or dehabilitating. And with working arms you can presumably clean yourself which would be dreadful otherwise.

Nothing to stop you offing yourself, nobody can really stop that, but a doctor shouldn't be sanctioning it for someone with working brain and still mobile.

[Bob Dalek]

Whoa whoa whoa there, there is no need for that.
I know we do cynical mostly in general, but this is a subject that requires more dignity than that.

If I have offended anybody, really, I apologize - always a tricky call this sort of thing.

[The Lone Gunman]

Why not start to call them by new pet names? e.g. Fido, Rex, Tiddles, etc.? That way, if they end up being nothing more than a head wired up to various machines, you can, without any risk of worrying your conscience, have them put down.

Whoa whoa whoa there, there is no need for that.
I know we do cynical mostly in general, but this is a subject that requires more dignity than that.

[TheBigYinJames]

I appreciate what you're saying and it's all valid, but, for me, I could not help my kids end their own life simple because of paralysis.

Even if they begged you? I agree that I would not want to do it, but I couldn't force them to live a life of misery if they really didn't want it and there was no future, and they were begging me to help them. Would you want them to help you to die if you wanted it at the end of your life, or for them to refuse you on the ground they wouldn' like it?

Saying sall that, in this particular case, partial paralysis doesn't seem enough of a "no future" for me to take this, I'd be very tempted to say to them "wait a year and if you're still that unhappy I'll help you do it" in the hope that if it was just a temporary depression and I could convince them life could still be good in that year.

[Bob Dalek]

I appreciate what you're saying and it's all valid, but, for me, I could not help my kids end their own life simple because of paralysis.

It's an opinion, that's all...

Why not start to call them by new pet names? e.g. Fido, Rex, Tiddles, etc.? That way, if they end up being nothing more than a head wired up to various machines, you can, without any risk of worrying your conscience, have them put down.

[ratewhore]

What if it is what they want? If they do not want the transition?
You would rather inflict 50 - 60 years of suffering on them?
You would be happy never to see them again after they turned against you for not helping?
You would be happy to subject them to a life of horrors that you can not imagine?

I appreciate what you're saying and it's all valid, but, for me, I could not help my kids end their own life simple because of paralysis.

It's an opinion, that's all...

[The Lone Gunman]

Maybe they might feel different after a while?

Maybe, but what if they do not?
I do not expect that this decision was taken lightly.