Death, (split from former topic)

If you are a nurse, doctor etc. it is illegal for you to kill someone if they ask you to. Euthanasia is only legal in Oregon. The other 49 states have turned it down. It goes against the Hippocratic oath ironically, which every doctor swore. In the small country of the Netherlands more than 1,000 people are put to death every year without their consent. The improvement in terminal care is a direct result of attempts made to minimize suffering. Every doctor can tell stories of patients expected to die within days who surprise everyone with their extraordinary recoveries.
Once any group of human beings is considered unworthy of living, what is to stop our society from extending this cruelty to other groups?

I appluad your conviction to life, but...!

The miraculous recoveries are one in millions! If a person requests that they do not suffer beyond a certain point I find it humane and reasonable to grant the request! I in no way condone wantin murder due to disease or incapicity... but the right to die a dignified death should not be with held to those that wish it! I have witnessed many relatives die a long and painfull death , they wished for it to end, but due to the common " christian " holdings of the government and those tending to their care, it was not allowed. MY LIFE IS MINE AND YOUR'S IS Yours! DO not interfere in my wishes, allow us to die in peace and dignity!

The right to die is as great as the right to life!!!!!!!!!

Euthanasia is a very touchy subject, but I agree with Shadows in one respect that the choice should be left up to the person who is of a sound mind. I do not believe in Doctors making the decision for us. As maryellen posted earlier it has gotten out of control in the Netherlands and other countries. I think the system we have in place is pretty good. A living will is a perfect way to let your wishes be carried out.

My sister-law's mother was diagnosed with liver cancer two and half years ago. There is no known effective treatment. She being a Christian surprised most of her family and friends, because she opted to go home and die with dignity. She said when the end came near there would be no feeding tubes or I-Vs. Many people came over to pray for her to be healed, but she would stop them. Her belief was if God wanted to heal her he would have done it already---"I am ready to die, and if God changes his mind and heals me I'm gonna be mad," she would often say. A year later in late spring she passed. This lady showed great courage and strength. It was her choice not to be in a vegetable-state lingering for months in a sterile hospital room, but to die with her loved ones around her in the privacy of her own home. She planned her own memorial service---making audio tape messages to her different loved ones. She encouraged them not to weep but to rejoice. She also donated her body to science so it could help find the cure for cancer and other terminal illness. Her name is Lynn Dehner and she is my hero!

Huzzah! ( that is Hurray in modern english )! I commend her for her stand on dignaty and the right to life ( death )! Her stand on life is comendable! If the Creator wants you to live on you will, no matter what modern science and medicine wants to believe. I feel for any loss you had but , it is the way of life ! What comes to existence, leaves that plane of life to continue in the next.

I totally agree. I watched my sister-n-law, who had MS, die slowly with home hospice. The nurses were wonderful people who really cared,but were limited to what they could do for her. Mostly it was as much morphine as they could give her until the end. A month before we had to put our choc.lab to sleep. She had breast cancer,went thru all of the treatments,then had a stroke. There was no hope for either one of them. I'm glad we had the choice of not letting Tilly suffer.

I do also agree - but only for the case you have a person dying.
Perhaps some of you might have the experience to accompany a beloved one during his last days and his very last period of time to live until his last breath. I did. And it was a horrible way of dying, just inhuman how one has to suffer if morphine doesn't help any longer! You can't do anything to relieve the undescribable pain, the dreadful suffering...
You should have the possibility to die in dignity and peace.
Yes, we have more compassion or mercy on our pets - we have the choice there.
I swore if I were in the same situation again I would not stand next without helping and I do not mind any human law or punishment then.
I'm responsible for my way of actioning and I'll take my responsibilities then knowing that everything, welldone or not, will return to me.

"Primum non nocere" First, do no harm.

That's the first rule of medicine (whether you are a physician, nurse, paramedic or janitor) and it's my first rule of behavior in my life.

Through technology and knowledge we've been able to render the line between life and death fuzzy indeed. Now we must sometimes ask if we do more harm by prolonging a life of agony, or in allowing that life to come to an end.

As far as I'm concerned the finest nurses on Earth are those who provide hospice care for the terminally ill. Their patients aren't only the dying victim, but family members and friends as well.

I believe the question of assisted suicide must to be addressed on a case-by-case basis. I have no problem with with-holding potentially life-sustaining treatment in cases where recovery is unlikely. In my mind pulling the plug is not the same thing as actively killing a person. It simply leaves the decision of life or death to the Almighty.

But pulling the trigger? I have problems with that.

I've had to euthanize pets, and it's a heart rending thing. I can't imagine having to euthanize my wife or my daughter. I don't think I could bear to do that.

Swanny

Swanny,

I agree with you. In the case of having to make the decision of life or death of a loved one would be heart-wrenching. So this is why I think a living will is a paper written in love to your loved ones---taking the burden and guilt off of them. As for my young children, I would have a really hard time letting go. I pray to God I never have to make that decision, but if I do, I hope He will give me the strength to do what is right.

personally, and I know this is childish,but I'm terrified of death. I have no idea what come next because all I can think about is being a casket in the ground rotting. I've been scared of it my whole life, I used to have horrible dreams as a child about it and wake up screaming. I know that our bodies are just shells that carry our souls around, but I'm kind of attached to mine. I've tried to read about the subject, but I can never seem to keep the before mentioned image out of my head!

That is normal.
I am and I'm not comfortable about it. It just depends on the day....

Right now I can honestly say I do not fear death. That does not mean that my view will not change in the future

I had an interesting case today that sort of applies in this discussion. Just a bit of background. Because we see few medical cases on the pipeline where I work, off of us medics are required to spend at least 160 hours per year in clinical training either with a busy urban ambulance service, or an emergency department. I choose to serve my sentence....hm.....perform my clinicals at our local hospital ER.

We had an elderly stroke victim transported from the local nursing home after he was discovered essentially unconscious this morning. Without going into great detail, his situation looked extremely grim with signs of septic shock, plus signs of a big-time heart attack, plus signs of another stroke, affectiving the part of the brain that controls vegetative function.

The patient's physician gathered the family around and as gently as he could explained that cases such as this have less than a 5% chance of recovery, and he talked them into signing do-not-resuscitate orders for the patient.

Well, we did our thing (worked our magick if you wish) and two hours later this patient was awake, alert and able to speak in full sentences. No, it wasn't a miracle as I understand the term, but was a rather unusal bit of successful science and art at work. Sometimes, even though we "know" the answer, circumstances change quickly and sometimes for the better.

Now, a quote I heard some time back. I can't remember the original author, but the quotation is firmly planted in my memory. "Death is what makes life important."

One more thought before bed. "The only thing worse than dying, is refusing to truly LIVE the life you are given."

Swanny

Death is a new beginning as I see it, a rebirth into a new. I do believe that there is reincarnation if it is warranted. I have never had a fear of death, most likely will never have a fear of it. Pretty much everyone that knows me will tell you that they think I welcome it at times. Not to say that I am suicidal. I've got a deep understanding about Death that is difficult to put into words, more like strong feelings and knowing in the end, I will be safe.

RWF

some of my own art.

Attached Image. (Click thumbnail to expand)

I agree with Swanny "Death is what makes Life important"

Now since I'm in the Grove heading I won't go there about heaven and earth stuff but I too believe that someone I love and that loves me will come and get me and the streets will be paved in gold and jewels and everything will be perfect and I'll have a heavenly body (hopefully a little butt) and I'll have all the time in the world to sing and praise...but I really believe I'm going to be happy there...cause I believe. Death is just the beginning.

Annabelle

death is camp.