Due to the disagreement between my husband and I, I made it a priority to put into effect a living will, letting known my wants and desires should something happen to me, rendering me incapable of making decisions for myself. I would never want my family to have to make that decision.
Before you make a judgment please take the time to follow the link provided and view the Suicide Tourist. Even if your beliefs do not allow you to do as Craig Ewert did maybe it will give insight into the souls of those who choose this path.
Therese,
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you made a living will. As you pointed out, it is agonizing for the family to make medical decisions that would end the life of their loved one. Without a living will, there is also the chance that you would not be able to let your desires known because of heavy medication or incapacitation due to the disease. Although I do not agree with assisted suicide, I understand that people would make that decision, if a doctor was found who would assist. Medicine is so advanced now that the prolongation of life is questionable in terminal cases. However, I do not think a living will is an assisted suicide, but is letting nature take it's course in terminal cases.
I learned this in Ethics and I had to write an essay about this topic. I really don't know where I stand on this I believe it all depends on the patient themselves. If a patient is alert and can decide what they want to do then it should be their right to deny any treatment but If a young person or anyone is in a coma and they can not tell your if they want to live or not then they should still get a chance. But there are so many different situations it is hard for me to decide if it is right or wrong. But that is a good idea to have a will stating what you want incase you can't choose.
ReplyDeletePracticing Medicine is not"playing God"! It is a great idea to have a living will. It's one thing to make the decision to deny any and all medicines and treatments but it's "playing God" to decide to take meds to end your life. How do you know that you might not be the one to over come these diseases? I believe in God and know he won't put us through more than we can handle. I want them to do everything possible to keep me alive as long as possible. If it comes to where a machine is keeping me alive and I can't function on my own, than pull the plug!
ReplyDeleteIf I had a terminal disease that was not curable, then I would probably choice ending my life before I was incapable of making the decision. I personally do not want my family to go through any anguish in having to make a decision if I live or die. However, that being said I would not take my life until I have ran out of all the medical options available. No matter what decision you make, it will be hard one to swallow. I definitely agree to having a living will and expressing what you want done if you are not capable of making the decision at that time.
ReplyDeleteI think it is hard to say what I would do in this type of situation until I was actually faced with it. I would like to think that if I came down with some kind of horrible disease that I would fight. I like to think that I would fight simply for my kids sake. However, I think that it comes down to quality of life and not the quantity of days you live. If I was suffering day in and day out, what would be the point. I would not want my children to see me suffer either. And just a brief comment about a previous comment... You said that you believe that God does not give us more than we can handle. But what about the people who commit suicide on their own free will, majority of the time not because of a sickness. They obviously felt like they could not handle anymore. Then there are the thousands of people who do decided to fight yet in the end they still lose. Death is truly the only thing that is guaranteed in this life. I think if someone wants to die at peace and with out a painful battle that they will most likely lose anyway, they should have that right to choose.
ReplyDeleteAmanda Miles
I think that if I were ill and in a situation in which there was no quality of life that like maybe on a vent or considered brain dead and only being kept alive by machines i would want my family to turn off the machines and if God wanted me to continue on it would be in His hands. I am a nurse and don't think the medical field tries to play God as often as people would think. And usually if someone is doing that the real God wins. I would not choose to end my life because I love life and believe it to be ethically wrong as a nurse to help someone end their life except in the situations in which someone is really not there anymore and just being kept alive by tubes and machines. As long as there is brain activity I believe there could be purpose to be alive and I wouldn't want to answer to God for taking it from myself or someone else. I am glad you have a living will. I think though assisted suicides are against the law. I would hope that you have health and wealth and are able to pass on the way you wish though!! Nancy Ringo
ReplyDeleteI believe in having a choice to do things to or for your own self, but I would want to live and die on my own time. I would hate to be stuck on life support when my body or soul was ready to pass on. I had to watch my grandmother suffer in the hospital for a little less than a year before she passed, and she finally got through to the doctors and everyone she just wanted to go home and pass on her own time before someone had to make the decision to "pull the plug" for her. Who would want to pretty much say,"ok let her die now," ? Life and death are natural things that happen. just as a plant dies in the forest, a person should die when their time comes.
ReplyDeleteSome of you have had some very interesting comments and points of view. My main statement I wanted to make is that I want it to be my choice without judgement. I too come from a long line of Doctors and nurses in my family and the stories I have heard and the things I have witnessed first hand have given me pause. Unfortunately the patient doesn't always have the last say.
ReplyDeleteTherese Shaath
I haven't really experienced losing a loved one or my family having to make a decision to live or let die. We all have burial plots though which I think is comforting but also really morbid. If I had an incurable disease,had to stay on life support to live, or even a coma I'd have it in writing that I would not want to be resuscitated or whatever the case may be. To me I feel I would be such a burden and wouldn't want anyone to remember the last time seeing me in my hospital bed. At least in a coffin you're preserved for a period of time and you have your hair and makeup done.
ReplyDeleteI honestly do not know just what I would do in this situation. I do pray that I am never faced with that kind of decision. I do know however that I would not want my family to suffer. That would be awful.
ReplyDeleteSimona Muttilib
Since we live in a free country, I believe we should have the choice to take medication or seek a doctor's help. If we choose not to, then that's a choice that we should be allowed to make.
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