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Original poster

A Short Stay in Switzerand - I am sat here crying

37 replies

KatyMac · 25/01/2009 21:44

I hate it that this happens

It is bringing back all the memories of my nana starving to death because euthanasia is illegal

OP posts:

bellabelly · 25/01/2009 23:36

I thought it was great, even though it made me blub. I would definitely like to have the choice about when to die if I was ever in that situation.

expatinscotland · 26/01/2009 00:52

if i develop alzheimer's i will kill myself asap and i decided this LONG before i even knew what the hell the BBC was.

Alambil · 26/01/2009 03:04

I've just watched it on Iplayer and I can't see clearly to type.

What an exceptionally horrific thing to have to do - to leave your own country under such secrecy.

I think it depicted the whole issue very well, IMO - no histrionics; just the facts and a bit of emotional drama (such as would be, I could imagine)

travellingwilbury · 26/01/2009 07:39

I watched this last night too , I thought it was handled really well and Dr Turner seemed to be such a strong woman .
I did cry towards the end and it was really sad but I also laughed in a few places too .
I don't think I have ever heard the word BUngalow said with such venom .

I think if you had nursed a husband or loved one through something like this and then ended up with a similar illness it would be so painful to know exactly what your own future held .

I would have liked to have seen the original footage , and to hear from the real life family to see what they thought of the drama .

backintheUK · 26/01/2009 07:42

God, I've woken with puffy eyes I cried so much. Terribly moving and distressing. Brilliantly well acted

OrmIrian · 26/01/2009 08:10

Me too backintheUK .

ClementFreudsGreatestAdmirer · 26/01/2009 09:27

i am inclined to agree with hatwoman actually. julie w was of course excellent, but i thought the children were given some rubbish lines to say. that said, it brought back lots of memories of my parents' deaths, one from a degenerative disease (though he was fortunate to die of a surgical complication before the degeneration affected his upper body) and the other from cancer. we offspring had so many conversations with each other and a few with our parents, and some, if portrayed by others in a drama, would no doubt have seemed unlikely/trite etc. when mum was in the final stages, i was asked whether i thought she would like her pain relief meds increasing, even though it would make her more drowsy. i asked her if she wanted to be more sleepy or not and she said more sleepy. that was the last thing she said, though it took another couple of days for her to die. i have always viewed that as the closest thing to euthanasia we could have provided. at least she was at home, with all her children.

FiveGoMadInDorset · 26/01/2009 09:56

Have only just managed to bring myself to comment. I just sat there with tears pouring down my face for most of that programme, beautifully acted by JW.

TwoIfBySea · 26/01/2009 13:20

It was very intelligently done for such an emotive issue.

My dad has Alzheimer's and it is like he has already died. I know for a fact he wouldn't want to go on as he is now, he forgot how to eat the other day FFS.

If it happens to me, I'll be on the first plane to Switzerland. I want some dignity, I don't want that - selfishly for me but also for my family, to put them through that. It really annoys me when people start banging on about how it gives carte blanche for people to start getting rid of anyone with a disability. Sorry but as the programme put so brilliantly, it is my body, it is my choice not to suffer just to ease their conscience.

vjg13 · 26/01/2009 13:36

I'm with hatwoman and CFGA, I thought it wasn't done well and the children were portrayed as so polite and correct without much emotion.

It is such an important subject and debate and could have done much better. There wasn't much from the other side of the arguement apart from the chess game bit.

OrmIrian · 26/01/2009 15:33

Well isn't that because it was a drama based on a real life and death, not a balanced debate. And as it was centred on the woman who was ill, why would it show the other side? It was her story. She wanted it to end that way.

billysitch · 30/01/2009 12:24

Poignant and thought provoking stuff. JW as always a stalwart actress was superb, I found myself questioning could I do it, I thought before the programme I could but to be honest I am not sure I would have the courage to leave my boys, but then I wouldnt want them to have to deal with the horrid demise of me either.

I suppose unless you are in the situation of Julie Walters character you couldnt say for sure.

I do believe in euthanasia, choice for ALL.

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