frednoid

Okay, so in the United States, euthanasia has been deemed illegal due to "moral reasons." But, wouldn't it seem more unfair if we were to leave these people who are destined to never awake from a coma or to slowly and painfully die to rot by themselves? Doctor Kavorkian was considered a bad person by society for having assisted his mortally ill patients to take their lives. Is it considered murder if you're helping the person take their own life? In Australia, for a period of time, they used to sell these packages designed specifically to take your own life. Basically, what they were were bags that you put over your head tied off so that you could suffocate yourself to death. I feel that not all people should be elligible for euthanasia. If they are in a coma for more than three months, and the doctors say that they'll never wake up, and even if they do, they'll be a vegetable for the rest of their lives, then the family should be allowed to decide on if they want them to live or die. Also, if the patient themself is going to die, and they know it, then they should be allowed to have a quick, painless, druge induced death, instead of living longer and dealing with excruciating pain for the rest of their lives. Go ahead, yell at me for my opinion. But, face the facts. If you were in this condition, would you want to be a drain on your family, or would you want to be euthanized? If it's okay for our pets, then it should be okay for us.

Hassun

A very difficult subject. (Even Jesus wouldn't touch that one with an 80 foot pole!)

Anyway, it's all pretty easy when the person in question is still able to communicate with other people.
But when it's someone is in a vegetative state/coma/suffering from severe dementia/... things get much more dificult.

The only real advice I can give is making an official statement or a will of some kind about what you want to have done to you if you should ever face problems like this.
E.g. Someone I know told me that if this would ever happen to her she would want to die and her family should "pull the plug".

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HolderOfTheDarkChalice

i thin it should be aloud it takes away the pain if yuor gonna suffer the rest of your life,and its not suicide or murder i call it a release from your
tragic life wich is the truth pretty much so im for a qucik painless death

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Arrianna

The problem is that you don't know what they want. There are cases where people have woken after years and fully recovered when they weren't supposed to. They had full knowledge of what was happening around them they just couldn't move or communicate. With only one exception all of them I have known of have said they wanted to live.

That is why we have something called living wills. If you don't think you would want to live under those circumstances then you can make a living will that requires that the doctors not use and "extrodinary measures" to keep you alive such as life support. Under that circumstance you would be allowed to die and it would be known that that is what you the patient wanted.

And just for the record that is neither euthenasia or assisted suicide. Simply refused medical treatment which any adult has the right to do.

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MistressMorgan

We dont have euthanasia but we do have "die with dignity". Not all states have leagalized it, in fact they are very few. But if you are diagnosed with a lethal disease a doctor can prescribe (for lack of a better word) a poison. I know this is legal in Wyoming and a few other states. I think the whole country should do this because it allows families to let their loved ones die in peace without prolonging their pain and suffering. It saves tons of money for the family and allows them to have their last memories of a visually healthy person. I read an article about a man who did this. He was diagnosed with brain cancer and only had a year to live, most of that in bed. When some of his organs started to fail he threw a big party and gave away all his stuff and said goodbye to all of his family. At the end of the night everyone gatherd around and watched him take his prescription and die in peace. So sad.

Hassun

Really, are there wills like that in the USA? That comes as a surprise to me.

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frednoid

There are such things as living wills that say that if such circumstances do arise, they won't attempt to save them. But if the person doesn't have a living will, because they thought that they would never need one, then the doctors will do anything in their power to keep them alive.

altera

to tell you the truth I wouldn't like to be the one that decides over someones life..everyone has the right to live and die..

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Arrianna

Living Will Registry

Why does that surprise you?

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Pteronophobia

Euthanasia is murder even if it is what the person wants. This may seem like it is cruel and unusual treatment for people who are suffering but it still is murder. Ending your own life is murder (even if you are in pain), so why would killing someone else (even if you see it as mercy or as help) who is in pain or suffering be any better? It wouldn't.


xD

Miroku4444

Yes it is cruel and unusual treatment to make them live. I guess your taking the religious stance? I dont consider it murder when your dieing anyway. So its good to let yourself suffer, but bad to relieve that suffering? Dont sound right to me.

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