Terrib - you sound as though you know more than you need to about pain and suffering. I hope you are okay????



I also hope that you have people to talk to around you. I will be thinking about you (not that that helps at all).

There is a difference between "Voluntary Euthanasia" and "Euthanasia". VE is where a person (who is mentally competent) makes their own decision about how and when they die. "Euthanasia" is where someone else makes a decision about the person.



I am a rectal cancer survivor and I do not want to go through chemo, radiation, and surgery again only to gain a few more days, weeks, or months! I do not want to be kept alive only to go through various painful procedures - or to be bringing up faeces through my nose and mouth (as I have seen with some bowel-blockage cases).



I have watched a number of family members dying of cancer. I cared for my husband who died a dreadful long drawn out death at home from the neurological disease Multiple Systems Atrophy. Death is rarely as pleasant and easy as is shown on TV or in novels.



Although paliative care has improved greatly, it still does not prevent some patients from dying painful or (what they consider) degrading deaths.



Hospices are often owned or run by religious organizations who do not support Voluntary Euthanasia.



"Slow euthanasia" - where pain medications are increased knowing that they will eventually bring about death - is practised by some feeling doctors - because they can say that their intention was to prevent pain - not to cause death. Slow euthanasia depends on the circumstances and doctor - and therefore is not available to everyone. Also, it is only available in the last days or hours when a person is in extremis.



"Advance Directives" have now been legally recognised in WA, and it is important to lodge a copy with all your doctors, carers, hospitals, attorney - and relatives who might be involved in making decisions if you are suddenly incapacitated. You should state clearly your directions about different treatments e.g. antibiotics, tube-feeding, hydration, pain control, ventilators, resucitation.



You should also find a GP who is willing to talk about your directions - and who does not have religious or other opinions opposed to your own. If he/she does oppose your views - or will not tell your their views - change GP!



Although you have a right to refuse treatment (if you are competent), be aware that ambulance staff are required to perform resucitation - even if they are told that you do not wish it.



I think people should attend an "Exit International" workshop to find out the facts on VE, euthanasia, and suicide. They cover the legal issues, palliative care, different options, things which can go wrong, as well as the political situation. Knowing the facts brings reassurance that you have taken all possible precautions against a nasty denoument. Exit is not saying that people should be euthanised against their will - they are saying that individuals should have the right to factual information and the right to choose for themselves the when and how.



I have had a reasonable life, and I have made all my own decisions. I feel that I have the right to make my own end-of-life decisions. If I have had enough of life (even if I am not terminally ill) it should be my choice about how and when I depart.

First this is NOT that Innes!! It is wife of Innes.



I believe that we should have euthanasia as a legal choice. I was the main carer for a close friend a few years ago, and his death was a true horror story.



I have had to euthanize a beloved pet and know how very difficult that was. I can't imagine having to decide that for a human. However, I think that we should be able to choose that for ourselves. As we seniors are at the winter end of life now - maybe it is us who should decide this NOT the government.

+++++++++++++++

When one of my dogs had to be euthanased I cried my eyes out. When I could think again I wished the same would happen to me one day - at MY choosing. It was peaceful, quick, simple. But there have to be tight laws. And for that we need a government, one free of ideological blinkers.

Klaus and Rusty

Is it so different.? If I could have pushed the needle to end my sisters suffering, after 3 weeks in hospital, suffering the amputations, as she did. Or is it different when the doctor says, there is no hope, when someone is in a coma, from which they will never recover, and you make the choice to turn off the life support machines? It's a very hard choice, and I hope in the future, some-one may make it for me. Seeing the imploring eyes of my sister, just to end her pain, made me one who could do it.

Yes I have had to have pets Euthanased and it was very very sad and I took ages to get over the loss--but I would have never have let them suffer. It is so very quick seconds really--

I really do not understand why the government is so much against humane methods to end one's life ...

We all dread to go into nursing homes or palliative facilities because they are privately run and work for

profit, which in turn means there just are not sufficient number or carers to provide the necessary service.

They commit us to a slow, painful death - and for what reason?

They blabber about conscience - what conscience?! They have no conscience - they lie, cheat and profiteer

on the daily basis ...

Sandikay, Very well said, I totally agree with you. There should be a limit to suffering,

I have witnessed my mother, and mother in-law, suffering beyond belief,

Begging the Doctor at the palliative care for mercy, and an end to their suffering No one should have to suffer like that. Euthanasia is humane, and must left up to the individual, not the government, or to religious institutions.

Charle2

In reply to Innes....yes I am ok, thank you for asking. I do appreciate someone caring enough to ask. I have been through many years of pain and know I have many more to go. It will get to the point that one day I won't want to carry on that way. That will be THE day. Unfortunately I have 9 chronic illnesses that are degenerative, 1 fatal. I am not yet 70 so still have time here. But the bottom line is we should all be preparing for the future because who knows what is ahead. Do as Pardelope says and attend the meetings at Exit and make your health directives known. That way you will have covered any possibilities that may arise. If you wait there is a chance you may have a stroke and not be able to write or talk, then it is too late to tell someone what you want. Do it while you can then you rest assured your future needs are covered.

We should also be making our voices heard about euthanasia, because the longer we keep quiet, the more the Government will sit back & say we don't have to consider this because nobody wants it. The more we talk about it, the better, then hopefully they might just have to consider talking about it. Other countries have bills in Parliament discussing euthanasia, I haven't heard yet whether any have been successful. I certainly hope more bring it in.

Be kind to animals......be kind to humans too.

Of course we should be able to choose when we die or not. Remember that poor man that could move, he had to lie in bed all day, every day. He has to spend $100,000 so he can go with a carer to Digitas in Switzerland and end his life with dignity. Also the case of the two Australian women who helped the pilot to die - one lady committed suicide because she was ill and couldn't stand the thought of going to gaol and the other went to gaol! Ridiculous! I think the only people who are dead against it have little imagination and insight into people's suffering

I am spitting chips :( as I lost yet another long post mainly to you terrib because I did not take my own advice and Copy and Paste EVERY post in this forum.



I was saying how I wish I could make a miracle happen and you be out of pain and feeling well to enjoy the lovely life ahead as 9 different afflictions to cope with is a well lot to cope with. You seem a strong person and what a decent person you are and I am sure your friends proud to call you friend. I am not sure if you are a male type person or a female person?



You are so helpful to and thinking about other people so you deserve to have all the best life has to offer. How have you been after your last treatments? Things a bit better? What is the next on your agenda of help for you my friend? I have a few bits and pieces to contend with every day including a headache or a bad headache or a migraine or a completely debilitating migraine where I have to go to bed in a dark room with an ice pack and a heart keeps me on my toes with it's erratic beating :( but all in all not too bad . Everyone of us has something or other every day I would think. You my friend have a lot and it is not easy is it....

The Euthanasia issue is something we all think about I would believe whether we agree or disagree. I am not sure how to go to the site you spoke of but think it a good idea to take a look.

Thanks :)

You are an inspiration to us and always interested to hear how you are going.

Hugs

Phyl.

Phyl....Thank you for those lovely words. It is good to know that people you have never met can be so kind. I do appreciate it. It would be lovely to have a miracle but who knows one day maybe.

In answer to your question am I male or female, I am very much female. I live alone, have 3 grown up children and 5 grandchildren. They all live in Brisbane, over 100kms from me.

I had the operation on the right hand in May and it is still a little painful but am trying to get some muscle strength in it now. It is weak still. Time will fix that.

My next thing is major and very scary. the operation on my spine. It is for the degenerative scoliosis. From about the ribs down is roughly the stretch they will try and straighten. It looks like a snake at the moment. It will be a day long op with many complications so we can only hope it goes smoothly. That is when I will need the miracle. I have a long wait though as it is being done in the public system having no money to pay for it. So maybe a year or more.

With the food for pensioners, I am hoping to get the Salvation Army and the Elevation church into talks to see if they can get together and start a food warehouse where they sell food cheap to pensioners. It is my only hope now as I have been doing the food drop for a year and now it is time to get better organised and the storehouse is the way to go. It is obvious we are not going to get a decent pay in our pension ever, so something has to be done to help us all. I would love it if it could be done in every town.

Did you see the article in Take 5 magazine last week? Issue 30. It came out quite well. They certainly have a way for words when they write these articles. It even had me feeling teary about it.

I hope you don't get those awful migraines too often, they can be terrible.

Phyl...I meant to put the web address for you to check out Exit & I forgot. Here it is....

www.exitinternational.net

I respect your opinion Peter--but to have someone have to shoot themselves--(we have gun laws now and only the criminals have them) --thanks Mr john Howard---and many would not have the strength left to hang themselves--and what an awful thing for those that love them to contend with--why should they have to go to these lengths to have a dignified death.





A lot of sad stories on this thread.



PlanB - what you say here is a big worry for me too. I hate to think that someone would be driven to shoot, hang or find other violent methods to help themselves out of a terminal situation.



As we see by the answers on this little thread, a lot of us have seen how horrible death can be in this modern world. More than I expected and it is shocking really.

Those in Government are those who are usually in their fifties. or early sixties. I felt wonderful in my fifties and sixties. It's only as you age and seem to acquire those horrible diseases, that you think of how it will end.