Thoughts on assisted suicide? - think Jack K is right!

[TR Custom Parts]

First off, my day job is being a Maintenance Director for a skilled nursing home. The stuff I see every day makes me wonder if that is any kind of life? If I ever got to that point would I want to lay in a bed waiting for the grim reaper to finally pay me a visit. Think Jack Kevorkian has the right idea.

Reason I am writing this is something happened this week to a friend's family that really hits home. His mother has Alzheimers and doesn't even know who she is and doesn't recognize her own children. Father is suffering from cancer and doesn't have long to live. He is the primary caregiver to the wife.

Well, the other day a visiting nurse came to the house and discovered them both passed away in the house. He shot his wife in the head with a .38 and then turned the gun on himself. Just think if you want to check out you should be allowed to in a more dignified way than this. Just got back from the wake, really sad stuff.

Check out the new movie on HBO if you get a chance called, You don't know Jack starring Al Pacino. We take care of our pets better than our loved ones.

 

[HOT ROD-GN]

WOW! that sadmark hope your ok my friend..

 

[ZNix]

I do not see anything wrong with it. However if you do not have proof that you were hired/told to do it... Then obviously murder charges most likely will get you.

 

[WH1_T-Type]

I think it should be allowed. Who are we to tell someone that they HAVE to keep living if they don't want to????

Oh wait...that would be the RELIGIOUS NUTS FORCING THEIR VIEWS ON EVERYONE!!! (go ahead...ask me what I think about religion....but not the point).

Your life. Your choice.

 

[TR Custom Parts]

WOW! that sadmark hope your ok my friend..

I'm fine, friend's family is pretty upset. They didn't see this coming. Nothing like being front page news.

 

[terik.m]

Damn its sad to hear stories like this. Murder is a sin and suicide is a HUGE sin. Im not trying to force my opinions or beliefs on anyone so to each is own. So sad to hear it. I think that things like this are not going to be too common amongst our generation because of our uber high divorce rate.

 

[coach]

Sorry Mark,
I must say I had to put my best friend down 3 weeks ago. He was my 20 lb kitty named Patches. You are correct, we let people suffer way more than we would let our pets. It is totally unnecessary. If they are of sound mind and body, they can make the choice. Its certain religious fanatics that wont let it happen. This is a debate that will go on for an eternity. No ones right, and no ones wrong. I see both sides.

Hope your friends family pulls through.
Coach

 

[DJ Red Barron]

Coach just touched on the point I was going to make. It's "humane" to put your pet to sleep. But humans are supposed to suffer? I think not. If a person chooses to have physician's assisted suicide, I see no problem with it.

 

[novaderrik]

you don't get to choose when your life begins, but after you've lived your life you should be able to choose how and when it ends.
unless you are a child molester or murderer- then your victims and their families should get to choose how and when your life ends. eye for an eye and what not..

 

[bmackinnon]

I think it should be allowed. Who are we to tell someone that they HAVE to keep living if they don't want to????

Oh wait...that would be the RELIGIOUS NUTS FORCING THEIR VIEWS ON EVERYONE!!! (go ahead...ask me what I think about religion....but not the point).

Your life. Your choice.

Word!

Murder is a sin and suicide is a HUGE sin...... I think that things like this are not going to be too common amongst our generation because of our uber high divorce rate.

So wait... suicide is worse than murder?? and divorce predicates murder/suicide??? ...say what??

 

[Pronto]

I agree with you Mark. I go to see my Mom in a nursing facility several times a week. I've watched her and her friends deteriorate and it makes me sad. Modern medicine is fastastic at making you live longer. Problem is living longer doesn't nessasarily mean living life. Ya, they eat, breath and shett but have no mind and don't even know there name. I can't figure how that serves God.

This thread will probably turn too political/religious for this section though. Maybe it should be moved...

 

[TR Custom Parts]

I agree with you Mark. I go to see my Mom in a nursing facility several times a week. I've watched her and her friends deteriorate and it makes me sad. Modern medicine is fastastic at making you live longer. Problem is living longer doesn't nessasarily mean living life. Ya, they eat, breath and shett but have no mind and don't even know there name. I can't figure how that serves God.

This thread will probably turn too political/religious for this section though. Maybe it should be moved...

Yeah, see where this is going and probably good for debate in the political forum, maybe should be moved.....

The religion thing, brought up Protestant and protesting the whole way. Not into it AT all. I DO believe in everyone having the right to believe in what they want, just don't push it on me.

 

[plowboy72]

As I have stated here many times I'm a 14 year quadriplegic, I understand the view that this is a "sin". I do however feel that its easy to say that without ever truly knowing life without some form of serious illness or condition. I think it should be left up to you, and nobody else. I have no plans for this right now, but you never know what the future holds for you. The religious pushers wanna tell people how to worship,feel,and live. That's my problem with these sorts of issues.

 

[terik.m]

Word!



So wait... suicide is worse than murder?? and divorce predicates murder/suicide??? ...say what??

I feel that because of our generation's divorce rate we will see less and less of these situations because by the looks of things...we are gonna die single.
Can you just imagine being married to a woman for like 60 years and then she dies? That woman was your world...she was all you knew...and then she's gone. I think one of the biggest factors in adding to the quality of life for elders especially when their spouse dies is to love them and spend time with them. Maybe that love is enough to keep them going...even if they are terminally ill. As a kid I can remember most of my friends grandmas or grandpas actually lived with them. IE there would be a mom, dad, kids, grandma and a random cousin living with them. It seems that now, as a society, we dont have time to take care of our parents like how our parents took care of their's. I know that a nursing home seems like the right thing to do but I know the that when my parents cannot care for themselves anymore they can come live with me and I will care for them like they cared for me, I will be their to wipe their arses how they wiped mine, I will bring my children around them so that they can gain some knowledge. Examples, examples, examples....thats what we are lacking...good examples of what family is and what family does for each other.

 

[bishir]

My wife is a Speech Pathologist and has worked many hours in nursing homes. It's pretty sad that we can't just let some people die with honor.

 

[The Blob]

IMO, a society that condones euthanasia is starting down a slippery slope. Let's get the government involved in deciding when it is OK to kill someone... great idea!

Besides, as it is, anyone who wants to kill themselves is already free to do so.

How would assisted suicide have helped the alzheimers patient in the original post? If she didn't even know who she was how could she have consented to an assisted suicide?

 

[coach]

This will be debated forever. Point Mark was making in the O.P. was, it is a shame what we let people suffer with, but would never let happen to the family pet. The debate of right or wrong does not belong here. Just feelings on the loss his friends family is going thru and how, in the future, it might be handled different. I brought up the religious fanatics, but see both sides. To believe in something your whole life, and then go against your beliefs at the end...thats as scary as death itself.

R.I.P. to the 2 elderly who saw no other way out.
Coach

 

[Pronto]

I know that a nursing home seems like the right thing to do but I know the that when my parents cannot care for themselves anymore they can come live with me and I will care for them like they cared for me, I will be their to wipe their arses how they wiped mine, I will bring my children around them so that they can gain some knowledge. Examples, examples, examples....thats what we are lacking...good examples of what family is and what family does for each other.

There is no way I could provide the type and quality of care my Mom recieves. I can go and see her anytime I want. I bring my wife and son who is 24. Before she was too ill I would have her here for Sunday and holiday dinners and go shopping with her. I know some people that have tried to take care of the elderly. It's overwelming and they end up sick themselves. I've even seen it cause divorce.

 

[The Blob]

This will be debated forever. Point Mark was making in the O.P. was, it is a shame what we let people suffer with, but would never let happen to the family pet. The debate of right or wrong does not belong here.

The reason we can euthanize our pets when they are old and suffering is because we can euthanize them any time we want... for any reason or no reason at all. If you no longer want your dog just because you are tired of it you can take it to the pound where it will be euthanized after a token waiting period.

I don't see why we can't have the debate here, it is neither inherently political nor religious.

 

[plowboy72]

Nobody said the Gov't should be involved. Leave people to their own choice. And the only was A.S. would have helped the lady in the first post would have been if she could have arranged it before becoming that ill. She isn't free to do so now! Besides a DNR is about the same thing!