Let's Get Controversial: Euthanasia

My grandmother slowly died of Alzheimer's right before my eyes. I said to myself that if I ever had Alzheimer's, I would want to end it and not be a burden to others and not suffer the loss of dignity that comes with it. The question with this disease is that, while you can make and give informed consent when you first have it diagnosed, as the disease progresses you lose the ability to give consent to end it, and so one can say.that in certain diseases like Alzheimer's you have a brief window where you can take action,so to speak; how long you wait is the question. Honestly, this topic brings a lot of emotions to me.

In conclusion, while I do see moral objections to euthanasia, I feel that I cannot try to force people to suffer through something that we all know what the outcome will be.

 

In full support.

If someone decided a life in constant, severe pain is not worth living, that is their decision and we should respect it.

Factors like children should obviously be considered, but ultimately, I don't feel like we should force anyone to live in agony, or live at all.

 

Even though I'm a nursing student, and we are taught to help patients come back from that "I don't want to live" area, I am in full support of the beautiful end of life.

At one of my clinical locations, I have been able to see the poor residents who literally are wheeled around, can't speak, can't move, and just...do anything! It's so depressing. They deserve better.

 

I agree with the use of euthanasia. Not assisted suicide. And not when a person has a functioning brain. But when someone is literally just a mass of tissue, no consciousness, needing to be fed by tubes. At a certain point you're not keeping a person alive, but keeping someone trapped after they've already gone.

 

That would simply be letting the person die. If they're on the ventilator, it's terminal weaning - where they remove the vent and let the person pass. That's a widely accepted practice. It might be nice to combine the two.

It's odd that in our medical field, it's fine to remove life support but absolutely horrific to suggest giving extra morphine in hopes it will help the process along.

 

I have strong feelings on the matter, but I am not touching this after what happened yesterday....

 

I believe people have a right to die, yes. It gets complicated when the person is in a state where they cannot say whether they want to live or not, but if the person is fully capable of deciding and voicing that decision, then yes, I believe they absolutely can choose death if they want to. It's not our place to tell people they have to live.

 

I honestly think it's up to the person (provided they are MENTALLY STABLE) to decide if they want to live or not. As selfish as it might seem to friends and family, only the person suffering the chronic, terminal illness can understand the pain they are going through. If life has become a living hell, of course death may be preferable. If the person is already in an irreversible vegetative state (maybe from an accident- so they didn't have the opportunity to elect whether they wanted euthanasia or not) not to sound insensitive but I think they should be euthanised so the hospital can use it's resources/space on someone who has a chance...I'm not sure who decides this though?

 

I believe if someone was suffering and they wanted to end their life due to being sick or in pain I think that should be their decision. However I do believe they should be mentally stable enough to make this decision and have to wait a certain period of time o make sure that is really what they want. I do believ that parents should also have this decision for their children if they are suffering, in pain, or not able to really live their life due to some circumstances extreme health issues etc.

 

Forcing people to suffer to make us feel better is evil. Deeply evil.

I hope I've made myself perfectly clear.

~ Adrienne

 

Everyone has a right to die with dignity.

 

^^^
Could not have put it better.

 

I don't have anything else to say but this x100

There are things in this world that are worse than death and this is one of them

 

Thanks, Gen. With that said, I will comment being there are eyes on this thread.

I personally feel that it should not be legalized on the state level. It should be left to the hospitals themselves to declare their own policy. The only way I think it should be treated is on a case by case basis by a medical doctor at a hospital who is licensed. It should be stated as permissible in the person's will as well. I believe the majority of doctors would not approve the procedure unless the person is on a ventilation device and is struggling.

I am not an expert on this topic, but I do know that I don't want the state involved. The reason I don't want the state involved is so they cannot kill the elderly who do not wish to die. With the baby boomer generation living longer and being great in number, I worry for abuse of euthanasia by the government.

 

100% supportive of it.

 

Sometimes it might be needed.

Like other things, death penalty for example, involving ending a creature's life it should be handled very very carefully. Giving someone rights on someone's right to live or die can be easily abused. People sell their honor, country or even their own mothers and daughters for money... what's the life of another while money will keep them warm at nights.

 

Morally? It's fine. What else is someone more entitled to than their own body? The only issue is potential for curing a "terminal" illness or something (aka maybe a permanent solution to a temporary thing). That leads into the question of suicide (maybe assisted), though. The general consensus is that suicide is wrong. But why? I can't find any good moral objections. Whether you live and become happy later, live and suffer your entire life, or die, what difference does it make in the long run? Why shouldn't we allow people to end their agony if they choose? Hmm..... Anyways yes euthanasia is okay.