Should assisted suicide be made legal in the UK?

[R.A.N.D]

basically i thinks it's going Down the old Dr Mengele route playing god

[wodger]

Every case is different. It is down to the individual. Myself I have nobody to persuade me either way and any decision I choose to make will be mine alone. That is why, When the time comes I shall have no hesitation. As one poster said. The Government may make this choice easier for me and when life becomes harder then that will be the time..

[plekhanov]

basically i thinks it's going Down the old Dr Mengele route playing god

I'm always rather confused by this 'no one should play god' business.

 

Surely it's just as must "playing god" to keep someone alive as to kill them.

 

I know quite a few people who but for medical intervention would have died, do you object to this on the grounds that it was "playing god" if not why not?

 

To me at least it seems if anyone in this situation is trying to take on the roll of "god" it is you by seeking to impose your arbitrary opinions upon the rest of humanity.

 

I believe that my life is my own and that if my life was going to be one of ever increasing suffering, loss of control over my mind & body... then I should have the right to end my own life, this would include the right to request that other people help me end my life if I'm not physically able to do so myself.

 

Any such helpers wouldn't be "playing god" by doing so they would be being a good friend/family member/wife by doing something for me at my request that I was incapable of doing for myself. In contrast by forcing me or anyone else to endure a life of nothing but suffering you would be 'playing god'.

[charlie9865]

I agree, I have a peripheral nerve in my hands and feet, Spondilouse of the spine and CFS. These all effect me in different ways some days I can't get out of bed but i still try my best to do the things i used to do.

 

There are no good days,sometimes the pain is manageable with medication but the tiredness, the fog, forgetfulness never goes away. At times i do get scared everything will one day get on top of me and i won't be able to enjoy life its self.

 

Although i wouldn't want someone to assited me due to the trouble they'd get into. I watched a documentry about a mom who assited her daughters death, who had CFS and i believe its not a selfish act on the assisters part in that case. But i see the other side too how if it was legal there is husbands and familys who see people with disabilties/illness as a hinderence or as if their lifes have stopped they can feel trapped too. The thing is that if it was legal how could it be safe so no one could abuse the system.

 

I have noticed so many of us are so effected in a million ways and I know each and every person must be scared of their own fate or future.

But I see it this way it's hard but that's life, I can sit and cry and feel sorry for myself everyday but no matter how many tears fall It won't change facts.

You have what you have and no amount of crying is going to change that.

 

I was told the other yr when I was 26 that if I suffer another lung collapse caused by muscle waist around my lung.

That they can't operate as if they put someone "normal "to sleep they would breath shallow where as if they pit me to sleep.

I would stop breathing also they cant do another chest drain this is due to my lungs being to weak.

 

I suffer restricted breathing and at times have had to be put on a breathing machine to help me breath at night.

I have nerve and muscle pain loss of reflexes and foot drop, gastronomic intestinal problems. Ect

 

If I was to have another collapsed lung my consultant in neurology made it clear to my family I won't make it.

Yes it's been hard going from am active mum that lived dancing and being active and that was never too lazy to walk any where to being wheelchair dependent 24/7.

 

But there is always someone worse off then our selves.

I met a lot of people as I have to go neuro rehabilitation every so often.

I was placed on osbourne 4 at northern general.

It's a ward for people with neuro problems and brain injuries.

 

There was women on there with MS and I remember one in her late 50's-early 60's.

She had the loveliest partner but they had never had kids due to the ladies ms.

When I sat and thought about my situation I realised actually my life was not so bad.

 

I had 3 beautiful children aged 3-13 that kept me going and feeling alive.

And another women in there was tube fed with MS and her kids aged 15'ish and 18 fed, dressed and washed her.

And I sat thinking I'm so glad it Wont be my kids doing that for me.

 

I have to live my life day by day as they can't predict when my lung may collapse again, I see it as better then not living at all.

When I was told my prognosis I sat thinking my god I'm only young I don't wanna die I got kids .

 

Then when I'm having a rubbish day & I don't Want to be here anymore.

I remember that day and how I felt and it reminds me that I do want to be here.

 

I know a 6 yr old girl that suffers with my motor neurones from birth.

She has a better social life then me, I think my life's hard but I started with symptoms of age of 18 .

This young girl had symptoms from day 1, my nan and aunt have fibromyalgia and had ME.

 

They both do amazing my nan always doing courses at age of 66 and carboots to raise money for church

And my aunt runs a support group for people that have same problems as her.

 

I would never ask a lady their age but know you have a daughter around my age.

And know you are on your feet and drive which is great.

Sit and write some goals you want to achieve be realistic.

But remember being disabled don't mean can't it just means in my own time.

 

I hope this helps luv keep positive and remember there ways someone worse off.

Things never seem as bad when you do this, at least right now rest of ya is functioning.

You never know what u got till it's gone luv make most of every day xx

[Rupert_Baehr]

basically i thinks it's going Down the old Dr Mengele route playing god

 

Leave my (ex) dentist out of this!

 

Perhaps a better question would be: "Should assisted suicide be de-criminalised?"

[Rupert_Baehr]

Thanks for your post, Charlie.

 

I noted that you said: "But there is always someone worse off then our selves."

 

I gather that for you, life is often painful and scary and is likely to be short. But you are making the best of what you've got. I wish you the best, for however long you have left. (Hopefully, 'however long you have left' will be a long time with fewer problems.)

 

There are some people who want to die and who are quite prepared to commit suicide. Maybe 'assisted suicide' should be de-criminalised, but I'm not sure that suicide - be it the real article or assisted - should be facilitated. There is (perhaps) a risk that should suicide become too readily available, a number of people who might've thought they wanted to kill themselves (but were wrong and didn't really want to do that) would do so.

 

I'm getting old. Not that old, but - perhaps because I've been doing it for a while - 'Time Travel' seems to work more quickly nowadays. (That's forward in time. - I can't seem to make the reverse gear work )

 

I've already decided how I want to die. I want to be run over by an alien spaceship. If I don't get my first choice, then I hope it's a fairly quick death.

 

None of us asked to be born (though some of us haven't stopped asking since. )

 

If life has any value at all, then should there not be a price to get out of it? - A long drawn-out painful illness doesn't seem like a good deal (that price is very high) but 'going to sleep' (chemically) sounds a bit like a cop-out.

 

Each to his own. I believe that we should have as few laws as possible, so I would vote that assisted suicide should be de-criminalised, but (IMO) it should not be treated as the socially-accepted norm.

 

There was a time (not so long ago) when suicide was an offence. (I don't know what the punishment was - I doubt it was a capital punishment.) We got rid of that nonsense.

 

Perhaps it's time that the state turned a 'Nelsonian eye' to the 'assisted' bit.

[Dozy]

That's not assisting death, it's withdrawing medication/nutrition. This is what leads to a lengthy and horrific death. I've witnessed it first hand.

 

I have too Roots, it was a peaceful way for the person to go on morphine

 

If the person was on morphine, then they didn't have their medication withdrawn, did they?? Of course they had a peaceful death, if it was from a morphine overdose.

 

And very different from cases where patients are denied nutrition and medication, which does lead to suffering and takes a hell of a lot longer than drifting peacefully away on morphine.

[charlie9865]

Thanks for your post, Charlie.

 

I noted that you said: "But there is always someone worse off then our selves."

 

I gather that for you, life is often painful and scary and is likely to be short. But you are making the best of what you've got. I wish you the best, for however long you have left. (Hopefully, 'however long you have left' will be a long time with fewer problems.)

 

I've already decided how I want to die. I want to be run over by an alien spaceship. If I don't get my first choice, then I hope it's a fairly quick death.

 

Thanks for that and yes it is something I whole heartedly believe in.

You reep what you sow, and knowing this condition is hereditary and my son been tested and given the all clear. I still am waiting on my daughter being tested. I never had no support with regards to cmt and want to make sure I show my kids. That if they have cmt it not end of world they can still carry on and there only me that can set that example.

 

I still go clubs and get on dance floor in my chair, I thought people would be rude but they have admiration and respect for me.

I still get on living room floor to do painting, and yes bad days are hard for anyone.

 

But bad days can still be fun, easter day 2011. I had a crap day but I don't remember it for that bad day. I remember it because I was in bed but didnt want to miss our yearly easter egg hunt at home.

So my husband hid the eggs round our bedroom and kids did their hunt in my room so I could still be part of it.

 

I get told I am brave a lot but to be honest I am not, I am a mum and if it was not for that I would not be able to carry on.

I feel blessed to have my life and kids, and to of loved and lost.

I am finally at a point in my life where I have amazing friends and family that are all there for me.

 

Although my stubbornness does drive them mad, I always had to look after myself as a kid.

So even now I try to be as independent, like I said I do washing, Ironing, cleaning and sort my kids do bedtime and shower time.

It might take me a little longer then most and I have had to adapt new ways of doing tasks but once you find a good way there no stopping me lol

 

And the alien death thing lol, I once read summit on here that always stuck with me. Someone said they wanted to die by being hit by a stampede of bison in orchard square. I thought this was so funny , your idea has to top this one though. x

[charlie9865]

Think this thread backs up my point of There is always someone more worse off then yourself. This little girl had everything to live for but was not as lucky, I bet her parents wished she had a disability rather then cancer.

I bet they wish she was with them everyday, goes to show you need to be grateful for what you have and how it could be your still living.

I hope this link makes people stop and think and see how lucky they are.

What a brave and admiral family, wish them all the best at this sad time.

http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?p=7779723&posted=1#post7779723

[patch13]

could do to my darling father was diagnosed with pre senile dementure in the 70s he was only in his 40s. in 2000 he had cancer and beat it even complications that goes with ops.

in 2007 my dad was addmitted to hosp with a chest infection, no cough or sneezing just a temp, he never came home, i sat with a man who would have loved to have lived but died the most horrible way, meds was taken away, food and drink he was left to die like this, his lips and mouth was parched to me i truelly beleive this was murder but its supposed to be END OF LIFE if there was no more that they could do why didnt they just give him a drug to stop all of his suffering. im sat here now and once again my heart is breaking and tears are falling for the man who loved me and i him but there was nothing i help him..........