Assisted dying

[ivykaty44]

I have nursed terminally ill relative, it was a case where Im sure that they would have chosen to use he assisted measures and would have more comfortable for them. It would have certainly distressed me, but I would have been keen to follow their wishes

They were diagnosed with a terminal illness that had a 4 months average life sentence and they died 11 weeks after the fatal diagnosis and refused palliative care to give them a few more weeks

I do believe in some cases to be able to have assisted dying, with possibly intervention of a court to ensure the person wishing to dye isn't being pressured by anyone - would indeed be kinder.

Death even a good loving death can be traumatic and cruel by the nature of dying, whereas a controlled process would be kinder in the actual process of dying.

Someone rasping for 3 or 4 days for breath is not a pleasant for anyone (I had a friend that this happened to but actually he went on for 5 days)

With strict control to ensure their isn't pressure or guilt to die surely this is not unreasonable to ask? I do mean literally with a few weeks to dye and allowing the person to choose when they are ready - if ever

If someone is clear on the position they are in and it has been agreed by multiple medical professionals that they are making the decision independently and with all the information then I am all for it.

No point delaying the inevitable if that just means longer suffering

Completely agree - relative recently died, took 20 days since accident, 10 of those days with no fluids. Inhumane.

Was talking about this with a friend. As long as there is someone who prior has been given consent to make that decision (power of attorney? I have no idea about these things), something is signed perhaps, I don’t see the problem.

A friend’s mum one day just had cancer absolutely everywhere. Chose assisted dying (not in UK of course). Civilised.

We put animals down for less, and they can't consent.

With proper safeguarding, I'm totally for it.

With proper safeguarding

Indeed

I wouldn't want a Dutch system, where death is offered with many diseases near the end of life - I would be against it being "offered" but something a patient should ask, enquire for if they so felt.

The bill in parliament at the moment needs two drs a judge, person needs to be of sound mind and with less than 6 months. yes I can accept that

however when we begin to talk about it as a way to solve the care crisis...that is very worrying and not a road to go down. The choice is based on individual. .not the needs of society.

I don’t actually have a problem with it being offered as one of the options of the care moving forward. You need all options to make an informed decision

Yes, I am in favour of assisted dying.

Here's a website where you can add your name to a list of supporters, if anyone on this thread is interested:

www.dignityindying.org.uk/

I find it odd and barbaric that we don’t have the right to end our own lives in a dignified manner. I suppose it comes from old religious ideas that all life belongs to god and he chooses when you are born and when you die etc… ?

@Flossieskeeper I am not a doc so maybe it’s impossible to say, but I feel like I would administer the drugs if I was. Isn’t the ethos ‘do no harm’? I’d say leaving someone suffering is doing harm by not doing anything, if you see what I mean. I’m talking about if it’s previously been discussed as in a DNR plan. However I am in my 30s and if I was left completely incompetent for example and wanted to be euthanised but couldn’t communicate it and hadn’t put any wishes into official documents or anything, that’s very tricky and I understand a doc probably wouldn’t be able to go ahead and id just have to exists for decades.

Absolutely in favour of it - my body my choice, yet at the moment I would have to resort to an uncertain outcome by attempting to do it myself, possibly failing and ending up in a worse condition. I've always been in favour but the story of the 97 year old frail man with the strong heart who resorted to hanging himself broke me. He should have been able to pass away in peace, calm and comfort but no, he hung himself alone, frightened and in a cold dingy garage. Truly awful.

Flossieskeeper

I am in a position of hindsight as I know when they died - so if I go backwards from that I could move just hours (12) to know it would have been the kindest way to go. But how would I know that without hindsight. So Im not sure I can answer it as to whether I would have chosen that time...

Yabu

I understand and empathise and on paper it all sounds reasonable...
But i am a highly skeptical on this part With strict control to ensure their isn't pressure or guilt to die

@Flossieskeeper

I’m sorry you and your relative went through that experience. Out of interest- if you were the hop being asked to assist dying could you? Could you prescribe the medication knowing it will end life or administer ( possibly by injection) knowing it will end life?

And I don’t mean double jeopardy whereby you are treating pain but know the morphine will have the effect of reducing the effort of breathing.

I’m asking because to implement assisted dying will entail some degree of this. It’s not a judgement on whether assisted dying should be offered.

After waiting weeks on both grandparents to die, one whose fluids had been removed and the other riddled with cancer pleading to die, I could do it. I don't think for a moment it would 'easy but yes I would be able to do it for the greater good.

It’s a slippery slope and it makes me uncomfortable.

@ivykaty44

With proper safeguarding

Indeed

I wouldn't want a Dutch system, where death is offered with many diseases near the end of life - I would be against it being "offered" but something a patient should ask, enquire for if they so felt.

Where have you heard that? Because the Dutch law is very clear that euthanasia can only be performed at the patient's request, and even then it's by no means guaranteed it will be approved. I have two family member in the Netherlands who suffered from cancer and who had both requested assisted dying. Both their applications were turned down (for different reasons). One of the two couldn't take it any longer and ended up committing suicide. The idea that the Netherlands is encouraging people to be euthanised certainly does not chime with my experience.

I have always said that at 50 when most of us have had experience of illness and death in parents, friends, colleagues and have the mental capacity enough to know what we would like to happen to us, we should be able to make a living will and set out requirements within whatever parameters are set on law. Having watched my mum slowly die of dementia, for me I would like to be supported to die at the point I am struggling to recognise my own children and my care is nothing but a burden to them. Equally, people could set out that they want every possible intervention regardless of the diagnosis or something in between. The way we treat people on their twilight years is barbaric with sub-standard care and a prolong life at all cost approach. We really do need to look at how people can be supported to make their own decisions.

I watched my dad suffocate to death over a week whilst fully conscious and on 100% oxygen whilst the end of his lung disease killed him, it was horrific. He knew that point was coming for a long time as it got progressively worse over years, I know he would have taken assisted dying before that final point and he should have had that right.

@BrainBleachNeeded

It’s a slippery slope and it makes me uncomfortable.

Why is it a slippery slope, is is not in countries where it is offered?

Also why should you finding it uncomfortable mean it is banned? There are things we all find uncomfortable but I am not of the view that because I find something uncomfortable it should be banned.

I think we keep people alive for far too long as it is. As a society we cannot afford life at all costs. There needs to be more debate on this and it needs to go further than a decision at 6 months for a terminally ill person.

1000% behind this,it's my decision,I would never want to burden anyone,it's not fair,it will hurt as it always does to the remaining loved
ones,but I will rest in piece,& you will realise it was the best decision.

I do think in an ideal world that people should be given the choice to state when they want to go and cannot tolerate pain and discomfort anymore but the fact is that if it does people will get to a certain age where they start to feel guilty about their own existence.

It won’t be practical for every case to be scrutinised by a court. There will be relatives who will coerce family members into it so that they don’t have to look after them anymore/ get some inheritance early.

You only have to look at comments on threads like this one and read posts such as “I won’t allow myself to be a burden on my children when I’m old”.

Older people are becoming more marginalised in society. I hear the phrase “Ok Boomer” banded about a lot. I don’t trust society not to abuse AD and use it in circumstances where it shouldn’t be.

Currently have a neighbour who was given six months to live, we are around five months now and the deterioration in the last week has been heartbreaking.
The pain and constant vomiting is distressing for her. I’m sure she’d press a button if she could.

I suppose it comes from old religious ideas that all life belongs to god and he chooses when you are born and when you die etc… ?

I would say that's definitely part of it. My grandmother died a long, slow, painful death due to bowel cancer. But she was of the attitude that this was what god had chosen for her, so this was her lot to endure.