Stage-four brain cancer. There’s really no hope at all. Words and phrases like “terminal” and “expected chance of living” are thrown around in a casual way. Pain; excruciating pain twenty-four hours a day. All you want is peace. Peace from the pain and the situation you’ve been stuck in for several months. The medication stopped working long ago. Now you’re just waiting for the inevitable end to come. Your only request is to die in the way you desire. Request denied.
Physician-assisted suicide, more commonly known as euthanasia, is a controversial issue for many reasons. Only four out of fifty states in America (Montana, Oregon, Texas and Washington) have passed bills in favor of physician-assisted suicide, or PAS. All of the bills in these states were passed in the last ten years, titling the initiatives the “Death for Dignity Acts”. The subject of physician-assisted suicide has always been incredibly fascinating to me because of its large controversy and the statements we hear concerning it on the news.
Words like “rights” and “suicide” have always and probably will continue to have a powerful affect on the American people. When we hear news broadcasts or read articles, you’d be hard-pressed to find a story that doesn’t include those two words. It’s the wordplay that’s important in controversial issues such as this one. Because physician-assisted suicide is such an incredibly touchy subject, it’s not so surprising to hear extremes on either standpoint.
The four states to have passed these “Death with Dignity Acts” (and other citizens in the other states) claim that terminally ill patients have the right to die in the way they wish. In fact, there was a study done by Harris Interactive in 2005 that showed the results that 70% of adults were in favor of passing a law that allows doctors to comply with the patient, if he or she is in terminal distress, to have their life ended. They argue that if the patient is terminal, with no chance of survival, they should have the choice of how their “chapter of life” closes.
The other side of this states that it’s suicide, regardless of how you put it. They state that keeping them alive with “competent care” is more humane than physician-assisted suicide. Another argument claims that if PAS is legalized, it will result in society undermining the respect for the sanctity of life; giving someone the chance in how they will end their life is inhumane and goes against what we strive for in life.
Clearly, you all didn’t think you’d escape a blog of mine without hearing my opinion on this, did you? Didn’t think so. Here’s my take on it: I think that many people who are against PAS think that what these terminally-ill patients are doing is committing suicide because of whatever reason they’re claiming. Terminally-ill has a very specific meaning. It means you’re not going to live. And, if you’re not going to live, then I think that the right for your decision on how to die should be up to you. The other side claims that it’s inhumane and that it’s disrespecting the sanctity of life. However, granting these human beings the right to pass on in a way they wish seems to me to be truly humane and is respect in the highest regard. Granted, these are just one girl’s musings. A loud-mouth’s musings, but musings nonetheless.
Physician-assisted suicide, more commonly known as euthanasia, is a controversial issue for many reasons. Only four out of fifty states in America (Montana, Oregon, Texas and Washington) have passed bills in favor of physician-assisted suicide, or PAS. All of the bills in these states were passed in the last ten years, titling the initiatives the “Death for Dignity Acts”. The subject of physician-assisted suicide has always been incredibly fascinating to me because of its large controversy and the statements we hear concerning it on the news.
Words like “rights” and “suicide” have always and probably will continue to have a powerful affect on the American people. When we hear news broadcasts or read articles, you’d be hard-pressed to find a story that doesn’t include those two words. It’s the wordplay that’s important in controversial issues such as this one. Because physician-assisted suicide is such an incredibly touchy subject, it’s not so surprising to hear extremes on either standpoint.
The four states to have passed these “Death with Dignity Acts” (and other citizens in the other states) claim that terminally ill patients have the right to die in the way they wish. In fact, there was a study done by Harris Interactive in 2005 that showed the results that 70% of adults were in favor of passing a law that allows doctors to comply with the patient, if he or she is in terminal distress, to have their life ended. They argue that if the patient is terminal, with no chance of survival, they should have the choice of how their “chapter of life” closes.
The other side of this states that it’s suicide, regardless of how you put it. They state that keeping them alive with “competent care” is more humane than physician-assisted suicide. Another argument claims that if PAS is legalized, it will result in society undermining the respect for the sanctity of life; giving someone the chance in how they will end their life is inhumane and goes against what we strive for in life.
Clearly, you all didn’t think you’d escape a blog of mine without hearing my opinion on this, did you? Didn’t think so. Here’s my take on it: I think that many people who are against PAS think that what these terminally-ill patients are doing is committing suicide because of whatever reason they’re claiming. Terminally-ill has a very specific meaning. It means you’re not going to live. And, if you’re not going to live, then I think that the right for your decision on how to die should be up to you. The other side claims that it’s inhumane and that it’s disrespecting the sanctity of life. However, granting these human beings the right to pass on in a way they wish seems to me to be truly humane and is respect in the highest regard. Granted, these are just one girl’s musings. A loud-mouth’s musings, but musings nonetheless.
Works Cited
Boer, Theo A. "Recurring Themes in the Debate About Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide." Journal of Religious Ethics 35.3 (2007): 529-555. Religion and Philosophy Collection. EBSCO. Web. 17 May 2010.
Gill, Michael B. "Is the Legalization of Physician-Assisted Suicide Compatible with Good End-of-Life Care?." Journal of Applied Philosophy 26.1 (2009): 27-45. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 17 May 2010.
Harris Interactive. "Physician-Assisted Suicide: Compassionate Liberation or Murder?." MEDSURG Nursing 19.2 (2010): 121-125. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 17 May 2010.
Gill, Michael B. "Is the Legalization of Physician-Assisted Suicide Compatible with Good End-of-Life Care?." Journal of Applied Philosophy 26.1 (2009): 27-45. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 17 May 2010.
Harris Interactive. "Physician-Assisted Suicide: Compassionate Liberation or Murder?." MEDSURG Nursing 19.2 (2010): 121-125. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 17 May 2010.
This is a really touchy subject and it brings up so many big issues. Like you were saying those opposed say that it is a violation of the sanctity of life and that it is suicide. Which then can bring up the ensnaring issue of religion and how suicide is an unforgivable sin and those who kill themselves are damned and going to roast in hell. No wonder we have so much controversy regarding this issue. It is a tough thing to think about, people who suffer from terminal illness just lying in bed in complete pain just waiting to die. This image can make any normal person pretty sad I think, and in my opinion if there is absolutely nothing that can be done to help them continue on without pain, then if that is what they chose then let them. Terminal diseases offer no hope and the best you can do is try to slow it down and control the pain. I would think that if I had to live in agony everyday without any chance of surviving I would like the choice to have an assisted suicide. But who knows what they would really do, it one thing to have an opinion and another thing to be going through this. We simply do not know what these people are suffering through, and therefore should allow them to make their own choices.
ReplyDeleteI could never make up my mind if I’m up for PAS or not. If I were in that type of critical condition, I’d probably want to end my life too. But then again there’s always hope. I saw a video once about a man who was covered with 3rd degree burns from a car accident. Treatments for 3rd degree burns are very very very painful. The man wanted to end his life but his mother kept pushing to save his life not thinking about the horrible sufferings her son is going through. He had no control over his own life, but thanks to his mom and the medical staff who stopped him from ending his life, he now has a bright future. If his family and the medical staff insisted his request to end his life, he would not have a memorable loving marriage and a successful business.
ReplyDeleteThat’s one of the situations that stops me from accepting PAS. Why not take the chance of survival? But then again like I said earlier, I’d probably want to die too if I were lying down on a bed24/7 in extreme pain and bathing in a tub of alcohol that burns that crap out of me every single day. Sigh, I really don’t know.
Wow! What a hot topic. I, as others, have mixed feelings on the subject.
ReplyDeleteYears ago my mom asked me to be the executor of her living will, which essentially meant that she asked me to pull the plug if it looked as though she would not make it very much longer. She did not want to be a monetary or otherwise bother to the family that remained if she would inevitably move on. Because she was older, I honored her request. I only hope the good Lord will take her in her sleep and I won't have to be the one to officially end her life.
Two very wonderful women I knew died this past year from breast cancer. Their names were Cheryl and Maggie. One was a close friend from church and the other was my next-door neighbor. Cheryl battled cancer for 15 years before it took her. And I mean BATTLED. She never gave up on the hope that she would be saved. In the end she was. Maggie suffered a lesser time of servitude to the disease. She visited every alternative doctor available since the conventional ones had given up. I visited with her the night before she died. She was ready.
There was an inevitableness of death that occurred at some point: both of these women had different perspectives on how and when it should occur. The former taught those who knew her to persevere and hope, while the latter eventually gave up and readied herself to die. I applaud both for their love of reality and hope. I surely would like a doctor to say “let’s try this” instead of “we’ve done everything for you known to man.” On the other hand, who am I to say how I will feel if I ever face a debilitating disease that has no known cure. How awful doctors must feel when they visit with patients that are so far gone that all they know is pain. But I wonder how a physician could ever consent to ending a person's life as he has sworn to protect life to the best of his learned abilities. I wonder how he or she could think of themselves as the decider of who lives and who dies. In this respect, I am against PAS. But only if the patient is unable to make that decision for themselves.
And to that I say muse away. Look if anyone wants to get technical that euthanasia is suicide and that's just end of story, they need to also rethink their logical backing for their argument. As you so eloquently put it if they are terminal, that means that the advancements in medicine, that we currently have are unable or incapable of saving your life. Which means all you can do is plan for the inevitable and make the best of what you got left. Now I am not saying that this gives the terminal individual carte blanche to do whatever they want. I think that if an individual sees their end and they want to make such an end as to be remembered positively, then I ask why the hell not? Who are we to deny them their last request? I personally feel that if an individual has exhausted every option available, and I mean every last option; from the organical voodoo to the modern medical technologies, if they have tried it all and it hasn't worked then let them decide how the book ends. This does not mean we hand them a loaded gun and turn away. It means that we turn to PAS because we want them to be comfortable if that is their choosing.
ReplyDeleteIn my last blog response I spoke about my uncle who passed away from cancer, he tried a lot of different treatments from various sources and locales but it didn't matter, the cancer had taken a hold of him and it would not let go. The pain must have been unbearable and unimaginable, he was receiving the most effective pain killers to ease his passing, yet the pain was still visible. All we could do was wait for the inevitable, it was painful, it was emotional, and in the end we were with him day and night until he drew his last breath.
Nobody on this Earth should have the decision of who lives and who dies, such an authority is beyond any human's capability to grasp the fabric of space and time. We all have our purpose in life and nobody can see the importance of an individual's life or the impact he or she could have. A life is precious yet we casually brush it off. The right to die is misinterpreted, nobody should just have the right to check out early, but if they were in this instance, I believe it is not their right but their choice to decide how they leave their mark in this world.