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Assisted Suicide - Sorry do not read if it disturbs you.
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"Tonights programme, yes it had me in tears, but would you want the choice if it was you? And if so, would you want to travel to another country rather than your own home? I personally think it should be legalised or is that just me xx" I didn't see the program, i can understand peoples reasons for wanting it legalised, but i think it is open to too much abuse so no i don't think it should be legalised. kat | |||
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"The problem with euthansia is that when a person is still compus mentus they can make the decision that their life should end at a given point in the future (when pain levels reach unsustainable proportions for example), but there also comes a point where they are not able to communicate their wishes and they may have changed their mind about it. To me life is sacrosanct and the whole idea of mercy killing goes against everything I believe in. Doctors take an oath when they qualify to protect life above all else. How can a doctor remain true to that oath if he/she assists someone to die. It's a can of worms I know, but that's my take on it. I'm not saying I'm right, it's just how I see it and others may see it differently." I get where you are coming from, but then surely every doctor that does an abortion is killing? I think it is a very grey area, but abortions are legal, so i dont see why this cant be made legal too. | |||
"Tonights programme, yes it had me in tears, but would you want the choice if it was you? And if so, would you want to travel to another country rather than your own home? I personally think it should be legalised or is that just me xx I didn't see the program, i can understand peoples reasons for wanting it legalised, but i think it is open to too much abuse so no i don't think it should be legalised. kat" But, that should be the minimum? Yes I understand, but if you are forced to go overseas, is that not putting more pressure on you over and above? And yes this is a conversation I have had with my mum x | |||
"To me life is sacrosanct and the whole idea of mercy killing goes against everything I believe in. Doctors take an oath when they qualify to protect life above all else. How can a doctor remain true to that oath if he/she assists someone to die. " But doctors help patients to die all the time. The problem is when the urge to make them live at any cost is not in the patient's longterm interests. I helped my father die and while I will never ever regret what happened, I have to say that the after effects of making that decision weighed extremely heavily. That's why enabled suicide is a much better option- enabling the patient to take the potion or whatever, when they decide, not when the family/medical profession chose to offer it. | |||
"Tonights programme, yes it had me in tears, but would you want the choice if it was you? And if so, would you want to travel to another country rather than your own home? I personally think it should be legalised or is that just me xx I didn't see the program, i can understand peoples reasons for wanting it legalised, but i think it is open to too much abuse so no i don't think it should be legalised. kat But, that should be the minimum? Yes I understand, but if you are forced to go overseas, is that not putting more pressure on you over and above? And yes this is a conversation I have had with my mum x" I always said that when the time comes and someone has to wipe my ass, then its time im gone.... Yet i worked with folk doing personal care etc and they were living good lives, enjoying their days and families etc. Ok, so they needed a little help... It did change my _iew big time. | |||
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"The problem with euthansia is that when a person is still compus mentus they can make the decision that their life should end at a given point in the future (when pain levels reach unsustainable proportions for example), but there also comes a point where they are not able to communicate their wishes and they may have changed their mind about it. To me life is sacrosanct and the whole idea of mercy killing goes against everything I believe in. Doctors take an oath when they qualify to protect life above all else. How can a doctor remain true to that oath if he/she assists someone to die. It's a can of worms I know, but that's my take on it. I'm not saying I'm right, it's just how I see it and others may see it differently." in a way the doctors do it by stopping active treatment in some cases - when a patient has medicines , food via ng tube, fluids via IV with held as seen as prolonging a life without any quality in it. having worked in healthcare for nearly 16 yr i often seen people suffer so much that if they had been an animal they would have been put to sleep long before that stage in their lives. i often heard other staff say if they got to that stage they would want given the option to end it - myself included. | |||
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"To me life is sacrosanct and the whole idea of mercy killing goes against everything I believe in. Doctors take an oath when they qualify to protect life above all else. How can a doctor remain true to that oath if he/she assists someone to die. But doctors help patients to die all the time. The problem is when the urge to make them live at any cost is not in the patient's longterm interests. I helped my father die and while I will never ever regret what happened, I have to say that the after effects of making that decision weighed extremely heavily. That's why enabled suicide is a much better option- enabling the patient to take the potion or whatever, when they decide, not when the family/medical profession chose to offer it." Thank you Jamme Yes I have a parent who has made me make a promise, as they have worked in ederly homes all their lives, so what do I do if they do not make the changes in law in this country? Make their wish or go to jail??? I don't know xx | |||
"I get where you are coming from, but then surely every doctor that does an abortion is killing? I think it is a very grey area, but abortions are legal, so i dont see why this cant be made legal too." Like I said, it's a can of worms. I don't support abortion either, unless in extreme circumstances where the mother's life would end were she to try and give birth. Even then I think there should be irrefutable evidence that that would be the outcome, and even that isn't an exact science. | |||
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"it is a human right to die by your own hand (not exact words) I watched this show and I found it hard going, before this and still after this, I personally would chose assisted suicide. If i develop terminal cancer, or any other terminal condition, I would be straight off to these clinics, reasons being is that those I leave behind, I want to remember me in my prime condition etc, not whithered and torn apart by whatever condition, I also could not put family friends through watching me deteriorate into whatever condition I would die in" MR Naughty | |||
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"I get where you are coming from, but then surely every doctor that does an abortion is killing? I think it is a very grey area, but abortions are legal, so i dont see why this cant be made legal too. Like I said, it's a can of worms. I don't support abortion either, unless in extreme circumstances where the mother's life would end were she to try and give birth. Even then I think there should be irrefutable evidence that that would be the outcome, and even that isn't an exact science." I have to say I think every woman has a choice to end a pregency... However I know 2 friends that have had an abortion and they have never been able to forgive themselves for it but at the time it was the right thing to do... | |||
"The problem with euthansia is that when a person is still compus mentus they can make the decision that their life should end at a given point in the future (when pain levels reach unsustainable proportions for example), but there also comes a point where they are not able to communicate their wishes and they may have changed their mind about it. To me life is sacrosanct and the whole idea of mercy killing goes against everything I believe in. Doctors take an oath when they qualify to protect life above all else. How can a doctor remain true to that oath if he/she assists someone to die. It's a can of worms I know, but that's my take on it. I'm not saying I'm right, it's just how I see it and others may see it differently." I could have written this as my _iews too. | |||
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"I get where you are coming from, but then surely every doctor that does an abortion is killing? I think it is a very grey area, but abortions are legal, so i dont see why this cant be made legal too. Like I said, it's a can of worms. I don't support abortion either, unless in extreme circumstances where the mother's life would end were she to try and give birth. Even then I think there should be irrefutable evidence that that would be the outcome, and even that isn't an exact science. I have to say I think every woman has a choice to end a pregency... However I know 2 friends that have had an abortion and they have never been able to forgive themselves for it but at the time it was the right thing to do... " I understand that fully, really I do. There are so many factors at play in whether termination of a pregnancy or a living person is right or wrong. From my perspective as a man, many years ago a girlfriend had a termination and I had no rights whatsoever to prevent her, yet that was my child too. I felt it was my duty as it's father to protect my child as much as could but it was all to no avail, and that experience formulated my _iew on abortion in general. | |||
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"I get where you are coming from, but then surely every doctor that does an abortion is killing? I think it is a very grey area, but abortions are legal, so i dont see why this cant be made legal too. Like I said, it's a can of worms. I don't support abortion either, unless in extreme circumstances where the mother's life would end were she to try and give birth. Even then I think there should be irrefutable evidence that that would be the outcome, and even that isn't an exact science. I have to say I think every woman has a choice to end a pregency... However I know 2 friends that have had an abortion and they have never been able to forgive themselves for it but at the time it was the right thing to do... I understand that fully, really I do. There are so many factors at play in whether termination of a pregnancy or a living person is right or wrong. From my perspective as a man, many years ago a girlfriend had a termination and I had no rights whatsoever to prevent her, yet that was my child too. I felt it was my duty as it's father to protect my child as much as could but it was all to no avail, and that experience formulated my _iew on abortion in general." I agree to an extent not that I go into much personal stuff on the forum. The guy I got pregnant by buggered off.. Yes I was considering every avenue but the avenue that was chosen was losing the baby. It was not the right time and the thought of being a single parent scared the living shit out of me.. | |||
"make it legal.... if you have a termimal illness and you know there is no cure then dont prolong the agon after all you dont let animals suffer so why should a human" My dear sister had a terminal illness which she fought daily and for 10 years, always hoping the treatment she had would work, another year, six months... Ive never known anyone fight so bloody hard to stay alive.yet she lost but none of us would have had it any other way. | |||
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" But doctors help patients to die all the time. The problem is when the urge to make them live at any cost is not in the patient's longterm interests. " My father died last year, having suffered with dementia and Parkinsons. Without going into the gory details, he basically got into a cycle of infections, each time it was treated and 'cured', just for another one to strike. My brothers and I discussed it and we had a meeting with his consultant and impressed on him our wish that the treatments should cease. Much of our thinking was based on the fact that if our father had been aware of his condition/state, he'd have been at the very least horrified. The consultant thanked us and said he appreciated the meeting, and promised that our father would be kept comfortable. A few days later, he 'slipped away'! So yes, a form of 'assistance' happens all the time. The problem for the medical people is when a family takes the opposite attitude to ours. | |||
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"Sorry... but am I missing something here? I am on a swingers site and reading a forum about assisted suicide? Why would you want to discuss such a morbid subject here? Remember what the site is for and go out and play and enjoy life!" It's a forum. There are plenty of other threads to "play" on. | |||
" But doctors help patients to die all the time. The problem is when the urge to make them live at any cost is not in the patient's longterm interests. My father died last year, having suffered with dementia and Parkinsons. Without going into the gory details, he basically got into a cycle of infections, each time it was treated and 'cured', just for another one to strike. My brothers and I discussed it and we had a meeting with his consultant and impressed on him our wish that the treatments should cease. Much of our thinking was based on the fact that if our father had been aware of his condition/state, he'd have been at the very least horrified. The consultant thanked us and said he appreciated the meeting, and promised that our father would be kept comfortable. A few days later, he 'slipped away'! So yes, a form of 'assistance' happens all the time. The problem for the medical people is when a family takes the opposite attitude to ours." I very much agree that in some cases its easier for docs if desisions are made by families . My mum had a stroke 2 yrs ago and we were told by docs to prepare for the worst,they asked us if my mums heart should stop did we want her resusitated we asked what her quality of life would be when they told us she'd be like a vegetable we asked for them to let her go should her heart stop . The up shot was she came out of her coma after 8 days and spent 23 weeks in a stroke rhabilitation unit and finaly came home but she has no quality of life she cant communicate, walk or do anything for herself how do i feel about this ?very mixed emotions happy she is still with us very sad for her and yes sometimes i do think god why didnt you just take her so for me i cant really answer this question as to wether it is right or wrong  | |||
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"Sorry... but am I missing something here? I am on a swingers site and reading a forum about assisted suicide? Why would you want to discuss such a morbid subject here? Remember what the site is for and go out and play and enjoy life!" It is an adult site where we can discuss most things,it doesn't always have to be about sex. | |||
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"It's an adult site for Swingers not morbid banter. My Opinion!" ok not getting into a debate here but as the op stated in the title of the thread if easily offended do not read, the forums are here for everyone and on a multitude of different subjects. you dont like a thread you move onto the next one. my personal opinion is this is an interesting subject that most people have thoughts on and can debate in a civil matter. this subject i wouldnt call banter. | |||
" ........... So yes, a form of 'assistance' happens all the time. The problem for the medical people is when a family takes the opposite attitude to ours." I don't know that it's such a problem. A physician's first responsibility is to the patient and, whilst s/he will take the family's wishes into account, any decision made will be in the best interest of the patient. | |||
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"It's an adult site for Swingers not morbid banter. My Opinion!" It's The Lounge. It's where we chill out a bit and acknowledge that swinging is just a part of our lives - an important part I grant you but not the entire raison d'etre. | |||
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". A physician's first responsibility is to the patient and, whilst s/he will take the family's wishes into account, any decision made will be in the best interest of the patient." . Well, yes, that's the job description but the problem is that if death is imminent, surely that death, in the quietest, most dignified pain-free way is the humane option? We've all met consultants with a God Complex to whom Death is defeat | |||
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". A physician's first responsibility is to the patient and, whilst s/he will take the family's wishes into account, any decision made will be in the best interest of the patient.. Well, yes, that's the job description but the problem is that if death is imminent, surely that death, in the quietest, most dignified pain-free way is the humane option? We've all met consultants with a God Complex to whom Death is defeat" The problem for NHS consultants is that death adversly affects their 'patient outcome statistics' and some Health Boards use that as a metric for the merit awards which can easily double a consultant's already significant salary - even before private practice income is taken into account. It's a truth that a decision taken on the last day of an accounting quarter might be different from the decision taken on the first day of the next quarter | |||
"Yes only with my families full consent. And legally and medically sanctioned." +1 | |||
"Ok keep the nasty personal comments off the forums...the post I removed was well out of order. " I didn't spot it but ......... thank you. | |||
"Yes only with my families full consent. And legally and medically sanctioned. +1" How far down the family tree ought this "full consent" be sought? Second cousins twice removed and, if not, why not? My opinion is that the only person authorised to make decisions about my body is ME and that I'll expect a consultant to abide by my wishes or relinquish the task to someone who will. In anticipation of that I've already made clear to my next of kin that there are certain circumstances in which they can authorise some interventions but, in the main, nobody should strive officiously to sustain (my) life. My call. | |||
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"well this makes a change from the me me me attention seeking threads that have been awash on the forums lately. " Those threads are very valuable. It's like a pre-prepared block list for those willing to see. | |||
"Tonights programme, yes it had me in tears, but would you want the choice if it was you? And if so, would you want to travel to another country rather than your own home? I personally think it should be legalised or is that just me xx" Yes. I would not want to spend weeks or months in pain. | |||
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"This thread seems to be rapidly turning into an abortion thread. I think we need to be very clear that two are very different. The legality and morality of one should be kept entirely separate from the other. Abortion is intended to be prevention of a new life being created (where you decide life begins is a whole other debate). An embryo should not be a conscious entity when it occurs. Assisted suicide on the other hand is supposedly done with the consent of the individual but I wonder how often that consent is influenced by circumstance. When someone healthy is suicidal, assisted suicide is not an option many would agree with. How comfortable you are when you are ill is also a factor. I think it would be all to easy for cost cutting exercises to make euthanasia appear a more attractive option than it should be. If you were given the right dose of morphine perhaps, for a while at least, you would be less inclined towards death. What if a new treatment was discovered the day after someone is euthanised? If we were able to research cryonics that could even be years later. We can't prevent death altogether but I think way too many die unnecessarily because we can't give everyone the highest standard of care available." You make some very interesting points here, which shows what a very difficult topic this is. I thought the programme was very well, and tastefully, done. But I think it raises the issues of respect, compassion, and dignity. And at what point does the decision to "assist" become valid? | |||
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"The thing is....Everyone suffering always has hope and without that hope that things will get better then they have nothing left. It has to be about choice and as long as we are of sound mind , we all should have that choice ." That's the word that's been missing from this thread. Hope. Where there is life there is also hope. None of us are born with a clear path through to our ultimate destination and none of can dictate that our time here should be pain free, physically or emotionally. As a sentient species we are subject to the highs and lows that being sentient affords us but to 'duck out', for want of a better phrase, when the going gets tough is defeatist. I choose to hold onto my life for as long as nature permits me to. If at my end I am in pain then I will face that as and when it occurs but I will never concede to permitting someone else to determine the level of pain I must endure before sanctioning the end of my life prematurely. The cycle of life and death must be permitted to continue to it's conclusion as was determined at it's onset. | |||
"The thing is....Everyone suffering always has hope and without that hope that things will get better then they have nothing left. It has to be about choice and as long as we are of sound mind , we all should have that choice . That's the word that's been missing from this thread. Hope. Where there is life there is also hope. None of us are born with a clear path through to our ultimate destination and none of can dictate that our time here should be pain free, physically or emotionally. As a sentient species we are subject to the highs and lows that being sentient affords us but to 'duck out', for want of a better phrase, when the going gets tough is defeatist. I choose to hold onto my life for as long as nature permits me to. If at my end I am in pain then I will face that as and when it occurs but I will never concede to permitting someone else to determine the level of pain I must endure before sanctioning the end of my life prematurely. The cycle of life and death must be permitted to continue to it's conclusion as was determined at it's onset." well written wishy x | |||
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"make it legal.... if you have a termimal illness and you know there is no cure then dont prolong the agon after all you dont let animals suffer so why should a human My dear sister had a terminal illness which she fought daily and for 10 years, always hoping the treatment she had would work, another year, six months... Ive never known anyone fight so bloody hard to stay alive.yet she lost but none of us would have had it any other way." I know exactly where your coming from Peaches but I too lost a sister from the same thing. I remember one evening sitting with her in the hospice watching her suffer. It was only a few days close to when she eventually passed, but listening to the morphine driver click as it pumped more into her. For a brief moment I entertained the idea of breaking that driver and pumping the whole lot into her. | |||
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"ive more faith in humans than that." I may have agreed with that a few years ago but experience with some people has made me think differently | |||
"ive more faith in humans than that. I may have agreed with that a few years ago but experience with some people has made me think differently " how dare u disagree with me...after my compliments 2 minutes ago!!!!- farcifies thread now...Im right!!!lol | |||
" snip.......... To me life is sacrosanct and the whole idea of mercy killing goes against everything I believe in. Doctors take an oath when they qualify to protect life above all else. How can a doctor remain true to that oath if he/she assists someone to die. " Not true anymore. The modern version of the Hippocratic oath allows for a wider interpretation of the original:- "Most especially must I tread with care in matters of life and death. If it is given to me to save a life, all thanks. But it may also be within my power to take a life; this awesome responsibility must be faced with great humbleness and awareness of my own frailty. Above all, I must not play at God." This is the only mention of the life/death question in the Hippocratic oath as used toady, but even this varies from country to country and religion to religion. Doctors are not legally, or morally obliged to take the oath anymore. | |||
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" These days, legal protocols are written into all UK medical qualifications which originate from the WHO guidelines of life-preservation and non-intervention. I have been asked many times to cease cpr or withold vital drugs, but have never done so, because that is inbuilt into my own treatment ethic, as well as legal protocols. I'll be damned if I let a patient die on me, whether they want to or not!" Is that fair on the patient? It sounds like the most important thing, to you, is keeping someone alive - even if it's clear that's not in the patient's best interests. It sounds, and I'm being deliberately, harsh here, as if it's just about getting to the end of your shift with 'no losses' and leaving an issue which should have been adressed earlier to the next shift. | |||
" These days, legal protocols are written into all UK medical qualifications which originate from the WHO guidelines of life-preservation and non-intervention. I have been asked many times to cease cpr or withold vital drugs, but have never done so, because that is inbuilt into my own treatment ethic, as well as legal protocols. I'll be damned if I let a patient die on me, whether they want to or not! Is that fair on the patient? It sounds like the most important thing, to you, is keeping someone alive - even if it's clear that's not in the patient's best interests. It sounds, and I'm being deliberately, harsh here, as if it's just about getting to the end of your shift with 'no losses' and leaving an issue which should have been adressed earlier to the next shift." Yup, you're quite right - I save lives to avoid doing the paperwork  | |||
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" These days, legal protocols are written into all UK medical qualifications which originate from the WHO guidelines of life-preservation and non-intervention. I have been asked many times to cease cpr or withold vital drugs, but have never done so, because that is inbuilt into my own treatment ethic, as well as legal protocols. I'll be damned if I let a patient die on me, whether they want to or not! Is that fair on the patient? It sounds like the most important thing, to you, is keeping someone alive - even if it's clear that's not in the patient's best interests. It sounds, and I'm being deliberately, harsh here, as if it's just about getting to the end of your shift with 'no losses' and leaving an issue which should have been adressed earlier to the next shift. Yup, you're quite right - I save lives to avoid doing the paperwork "Since we know (I hope!) you're kidding about the paperwork - where's the problem in having a patient die on your watch? | |||
" These days, legal protocols are written into all UK medical qualifications which originate from the WHO guidelines of life-preservation and non-intervention. I have been asked many times to cease cpr or withold vital drugs, but have never done so, because that is inbuilt into my own treatment ethic, as well as legal protocols. I'll be damned if I let a patient die on me, whether they want to or not! Is that fair on the patient? It sounds like the most important thing, to you, is keeping someone alive - even if it's clear that's not in the patient's best interests. It sounds, and I'm being deliberately, harsh here, as if it's just about getting to the end of your shift with 'no losses' and leaving an issue which should have been adressed earlier to the next shift. Yup, you're quite right - I save lives to avoid doing the paperwork
Since we know (I hope!) you're kidding about the paperwork - where's the problem in having a patient die on your watch?"I don't work in a hospital, I work mainly as a paramedic in the UK and as a trauma medic with MSF in various shitholes round the world. The patients I attend don't have their full medical history on them, and are usually not in any kind of position to communicate effectively. In these situations, keeping the patient alive is always in their best interest - if they recover, they can choose to take their own life if they wish. | |||
"The problem with euthansia is that when a person is still compus mentus they can make the decision that their life should end at a given point in the future (when pain levels reach unsustainable proportions for example), but there also comes a point where they are not able to communicate their wishes and they may have changed their mind about it. To me life is sacrosanct and the whole idea of mercy killing goes against everything I believe in. Doctors take an oath when they qualify to protect life above all else. How can a doctor remain true to that oath if he/she assists someone to die. It's a can of worms I know, but that's my take on it. I'm not saying I'm right, it's just how I see it and others may see it differently." Hi there am the ugly part of us. I lived a long time in Switzerland and speak Swiss German. The Swiss are very unhappy with all the outsiders travelling to Switzerland to have assisted "death". However unknown to many there is no doctor present but a "Begleiter". A doctor sees your medical report and writes out the medi's and that was it for him [Dignitas uses 1 doctor]. The whole discussion has been going in Switzerland for 20 years now and no one has found a solution. The main issue is are we allowed do die in a way of our choice or are we hooked up to machines until someone "pulls the plug"? | |||
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"i would sooner be dead than simply exist life is for living not existing could i assist someone in dying tho ? hmmm not so sure having responsibility for your own life is one thing - having responsibility for someone elses is a whole different thing !" i agree with first bit and to answer second bit yes i could we have this exact situation in our family at the moment a member with MS and it has already been discussed at legnth and my mother will be the one that helps her when the time comes we have talked about it at legnth as a family and have all agreed should anyone need help we will all be here for each other i just hope one day we can do it here not have to travel abroad | |||
"i would sooner be dead than simply exist life is for living not existing could i assist someone in dying tho ? hmmm not so sure having responsibility for your own life is one thing - having responsibility for someone elses is a whole different thing !" i agree with first bit and to answer second bit yes i could we have this exact situation in our family at the moment a member with MS and it has already been discussed at legnth and my mother will be the one that helps her when the time comes we have talked about it at legnth as a family and have all agreed should anyone need help we will all be here for each other i just hope one day we can do it here not have to travel abroad | |||
"Who owns your life?" asked Terry Pratchett, the 63-year-old novelist diagnosed with Alzheimer's three years ago. The question lay at the heart of his profoundly affecting journey to Dignitas to explore the prospect of assisted suicide for himself, and accompany two British men who ended their lives in the Swiss euthanasia clinic. The media controversy that had swirled around one of these deaths, captured on screen and observed by Pratchett, had threatened to hijack the finer points of this stunning, sensitive documentary. In the end, while Peter Smedley's final moments were highly discomforting _iewing, they did not feel like gratuitous or voyeuristic television-making. They hit home the point that had hitherto remained theoretical: that this final cup of tea, this surreal composure, this fast gulping of a poison liquid and this gasping for breath and pleading for water is what it meant to give a man the right to die. It was wise of the BBC to schedule a Newsnight debate straight after its airing. Pratchett's authored documentary could not have failed to leave a single _iewer unmoved or unprovoked, and not just because of the death of Mr Smedley, a wealthy 71-year-old with motor neurone disease flanked by his wife and a Dignitas "escort" in his final moments. Pratchett delved deeply into the manner and method of our inevitable departure, and to what degree this should be self-determined. While he spoke of the campaign to have the right to die legalised in Britain, he never veered into out-and-out polemic. His tone was personal and inquisitive, and there was enough doubt to give his outlook psychological texture and moral complexity: "I know a time will come when words will fail me, when I can't write my books. I'm not sure I will want to go on living. Is it possible for someone like me and you to arrange for themselves a death that they want?" The question was clearly a wrenching task for Pratchett, who wiped away tears on numerous occasions and asked himself what he would want when it came to the crunch. Neither was the Dignitas way out a foregone conclusion. One of the company's conditions is that the client administers a deadly poison themselves, rather than have a relative or doctor assist them. The two men he followed might have ended their life sooner than was necessary, Pratchett argued, so that they could have the death they would eventually want, and so that their families could not be punished for assisting them. "It struck me the reason Peter was going now was to help to protect his wife. If you help someone to die, you may be prosecuted," Pratchett said. His own Alzheimer's is not yet acute but by the time it is, he may be too late to sign up to Dignitas. "The problem with Alzheimer's is the minute you are ready to die you may not be able to speak. You might have to die earlier than necessary." This seemed to be the case for Andrew Colgan, a 42-year-old with multiple sclerosis who had an evident lust for life but wanted to die this way while he still could. The most philosophically interesting moments came with Pratchett questioning the principles of voluntary death as it is currently practised. Speaking to Mrs Smedley, his voiceover said: "There is something distasteful about this." Mrs Smedley's mind had itself wandered to Nazi Germany ("I probably shouldn't say this....") she said, half laughingly, while talking about the similarity of German accents and the Swiss accents of Dignitas staff. Of course, it is not the same thing, yet disabled people were prominent in the Nazis' programme to terminate "lives unworthy of life" and an undertone remains, however unintentional. Driving to the clinic, Pratchett got a similar disquieting feeling. The clinic was in an industrial estate, and it seems in a sinister way, a little factory of death, set within a cloister of warehouses and manufacturing factories, Pratchett intimated. There are other uncomfortable moments to offset a simple case for the right-to-die in the Dignitas way. Ludwig Minelli, the head of Dignitas, set it up after coming across Article Eight of the European Convention of Human Rights: the right to self-determination. In keeping with that principle and determining one's end, we were told that 21 per cent of those who went to Dignitas were not terminally ill but had a "weariness for life". And Mr Colgan made a chilling point – albeit, half in jest – before he died: "One day there will be protocol around this," he said, a card perhaps, with the words "Congratulations on your death."" Its quite ironic that 50+ years ago people were screaming to get out of little rooms in the middle of nowhere(nazi germany) and runing off to switzeland...Now they are running off to little rooms inthe middle of nowhere in switzeland .... Sad. | |||
