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I think the "high morphine dose" is done rather more often than anyone would like to admit. This is why I want it codified and the legal grey areas removed. Or else we get the situation as Monksie describes with some professionals with very strong beliefs and we get too many badly handled deaths.
My own belief is in active euthanasia. However my views are at one edge of what is acceptable. I must always keep my mind focussed on the patient - and its their expressed view or the best guess as to their view that is paramount.
I have come into conflict on this. A family who wanted everything possible done for their dad even tho to me he was clearly dying. He dide in A&E surrounded by strangers with needles stuck in him instead of in the nursing home surrounded by people he knew.
However it is right that its not my views that are paramount. Its right it is the persons and their families views.
To me a painfree dignified death surrounded by your loved ones is the best outcome where death is inevitable and I think its right that we manage terminal illness to provide that as the outcome.
Godbothers. You can act as you want and I will follow your wishes for you - but don't dare tell me what should happen with others.
Yes, as Monksie, Hels and others' experience shows we quite clearly have 'under the carpet' euthanasia in this country. My view is that it wuold be better for all concerned to bring it out into the open.
a junior doctor on rotation who despite very definite instructions not to give certain meds. that would prolong a persons life but in great distress ... gave the drugs asked not to and did some resusc.I think ... he (doctor) is a born again christian.
In theory I am of the view that we should not discriminate against people due to religious beliefs. However, if their religion leads to that kind of poor decision making, we should think again. Although in this case you've got to hope that it was the inexperience of a junior doctor. I know of practitioners who will not do things on religious grounds but will step aside and let someone else do it. Hypocritical? Maybe.
Personally I don't plan on letting myself get to the stage where I have to rely on others to end my life. I had a lot of respect for Hunter S. Thompson's view where if he couldn't end his own life at any moment then he didn't want to carry on living. If this offends anyone then I'm sorry but it is only my personnel feelings about my own life.
What does scare me is being paralysed. I mountain bike, play rugby, and go rock climbing so my chances of this happening are probably a bit higher than most. The idea of having no control over my own decisions scares me more than anything. I believe that Margo MacDonald has already had to remove disabled people from the list of people eligible for assisted suicide. So the new law, if it comes into force, would be useless for me and I'd be forced to beg friends and relatives to take me to Switzerland and I would be completely at their mercy. This is absolutely my greatest fear.
Being disabled is a really knotty one, Stephen Hawkins, Superman* etc all did some cool stuff whilst pretty much immobile. I feel that it's up to the individual to decide in that case as they are still lucid and able.
*Christopher Reeve, I had to google that
don't plan on letting myself get to the stage where I have to rely on others to end my life
Most people don't, but many people who do find themselves in such an unfortunate predicament report they have a higher standard of life than anticipated and many that felt as strongly as you intimated change their minds when faced with this for real.
Also, do you have a spouse or dependent children that would rely on a life assurance payout, enhanced pension or death in service payment from your work to help them? You may forfeit these is you go down the Switzerland route.
I agree there should be a choice. (edit) not in any way criticising your views just adding comments to emphase that it's a difficult choice and a potential political minefield.