Voluntary Euthanasia passed in Victoria's lower house
Historic voluntary euthanasia laws have passed Victoria's lower house after MPs endured a marathon sitting overnight and well into Friday morning.
The legislation will head to Parliament's upper house next month, with supporters hopeful they have the numbers to pass the momentous laws.
Oh PB, if only the anti-euthenasia Senators could read what you went through, maybe it would help to get it through. One day in the future when the penny finally drops and they understand how vital this legislation is, it will be too late, the opportunity will be missed.
Thanks, Toot -- yes it was most unpleasant -- and it not only happened at the time of his death either this happened through the 18months that he was ill
( I might add at the grand age of 48) -- he had never had a sick day in his life -- he died 3 weeks after his 50th and I nursed him through the lot, I am so pleased I was able to be trained for Palliative and give him my very best care, as the time when he had to go into Hospital for more pain relief -- I went in and found him in his own mess -- this never happened when I looked after him.
A Dutch doctor told me ''if I was in my country now, I'd tell you to kiss your mother goodbye and I'd put her out of her misery''. She - and her loved ones - continued to suffer horribly for months. God forgive me - I prayed every night for that phone call. I realized, months after her death, that I had not been able to grieve normally. All I felt, for ages, was relief that it was over. When the loss finally hit me, I suffered horrible feelings of guilt and struggled with delayed grief for ages, and I discovered that delayed grieving is very hard because people don't understand it at all. They think you callous and uncaring when you don't grieve normally, and they have no patience with you when you grieve at a time when they think you should be forgetting and getting on with life.
I had gone through the same thing years earlier with a loved one who suffered cancer and whose young children had to watch her slowly fade to a vegetable, and die of starvation because the cancer wouldn't let her body absorb nutrition, even when it was fed through a tube.
All this BS about risks irritates me. People can seek the help of their doctor and lawyer to declare that if they reach a certain level of ill-health, nothing is to be done to help prolong their life. This document has to be drawn when the patient is mentally alert and doctors and lawyers can confirm they understand what they are signing fully and are expressing their own wishes without undue influence. All that needs to be done to safeguard against the risks of legalizing euthanasia is to allow people to add a clause stating the conditions under which they want a doctor to assist them to end their life. If euthanasia is only permitted where a document has been previously signed clearly stating the conditions under which someone wants to be helped to die, there is minimal risk of abuse of the ability of a doctor to legally assist death.
The ''do-gooders'' who insist that assisted dying should remain illegal are cruel and inhuman and are condemning people to hideous suffering - not just the dying, but the loved ones who have to stand by helplessly and watch. And I suspect many of the doctors demanding assisted dying remain illegal are more worried about their fees than the risks of legalizing euthanasia. Any claim that they can relieve pain and suffering is a blatant lie. But I'm sure palliative care is very profitable for those offering it.
Rainy, I understand how you felt -- to be glad to see your loved one finally over the horrid suffering and how you had the delayed grieving -- because of course, you were so pleased the suffering was now over for your beloved Mother. I totally understand.
At this time Palliative care can go so far and no further
P.B. we would love to have the pills at the ready when/if we feel the time is right to say hi to God and our loved ones who have left before us.
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Such a lot of hoo ha to travel to buy them, and the carry on, if they are found on the person with them.
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We are given reason and intelligence, so allow people the right to use that, when it "becomes all to much" without leaving it to anyone else to do if needed.
just my two bob's worth.
Hi Phyl how are you, I hope all OK? Lovely to hear from you again -- and I will expect you around to decorate my home soon LOL
BTW Phyl, I agree with everything you said.
Like everything in Australia this will be abused by the relations who want their estates NOW and don't wish to bother to look after their kindred folk because they have become a burdon.
Lawyers will go for their cut in the rackets. Just look at how the country is governed now by the pack of greedy A soles. Think again and don't give them more power.
The Pietersma family and doctor Sjef Boesten (with stethoscope) gather round as Siep Pietersma's life ebbs away.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-04-10/one-familys-experience-of-assisted-suicide/6381604
You know I would HATE to have all those people around when I was dying -- I would just like to be able to see my loved ones when I was able to speak -- and then be left to myself in private.
My Mother God love her did the same -- she waited till I had left her to die in private, I was told many choose to do that - and now I can relate to it.
I posted this on the other forum..but thought I'd drag it over here as well since this is such an important topic..
Should we have pity on those suffering without the hope to survive and allow them the dignity to die peacefully? People are divided on this and offer moral and logical reasons as to why mercy killing is.. or is not.. moral. Fundamentally we say.. it is not fine to kill another human.. but unlike most ethical and moral theories, life has exceptions.
There are two ethical approaches to this dilemma. Kantian and Utilitarian. A Utilitarian approach to this dilemma would allow the mercy killing only if certain conditions are met. This approach would not follow divine command which means they are not bound by a holy scripture to find guidance. A Utilitarian would weigh the circumstances and state that the right thing to do is whatever results in the greatest amount of happiness for the greatest number of people involved. Thus if the person wanted to die, and less family members objected than those who agreed.. the mercy killing would be fine.
On the other hand..a Kantian approach would disagree that mercy killing is the right thing to do as it would result in a new acceptable behaviour of murdering. Although it, too, excludes divine command.. its theory states whatever you do.. you create a universal law.
Both of these theories have their place in society..but the truth is.. life has exceptions.. and so must ethical theories. We cannot rule life in black and white. If a person will die and there is no hope of recovery..if they are suffering and no other person’s rights are being violated..then a mercy killing only benefits the person in pain and takes nothing away from others.
So therefore my own personal opinion is.. providing all the necessary safeguards are put into place and doctors or anyone else are not forced to do something they don’t believe in..then..when someone is terminally ill and suffering immensely without hope for life.. they should be permitted to die.
Here's a link if anyone wishes to read more about the theories mentioned....
https://owlcation.com/humanities/Ethical-Theories-on-Human-EuthanasiaMercy-Killing
I read this on the main forum a few days ago Fleur and thought it a brilliant argument and still think so.
May I have your permission to post it on another forum?
Victoria's euthanasia bill has passed the Upper House 22 votes to 18 in its second reading after robust debate over the controversial proposal.
Extra palliative care for regional Victoria will be considered as Labor tries to win the support of key Liberal MPs in a bid to pass controversial assisted dying laws.
The legislation passed its latest test in the state's upper house on Friday after emotional speeches, with debate on amendments to start on November 14.
My Husband was lifting off the bed and screaming with the extreme pain he had -- there was nothing more they could do -- he was already on 1500 of Morphine via IV and IM and via a portocath and a pump and the Dr had to open up a vein in his ankle to administer more -- he did warn me that this could kill him and it did but there was no other way. I was by his side the whole time.