Controversy - Dr. Kevorkian

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-02-2005
Controversy - Dr. Kevorkian
4
Mon, 12-18-2006 - 5:27pm

With my mom asking me to help her die if she ever gets as bad as my grandma is, the idea of assisted suicide has been on my mind. Don't read if you'll be triggered.


Dr. Kevorkian will be paroled next year. He has a terminal illness himself but does not advocate for his own death. Things sure change when it's your life we're talking about. Even Dr. Death has a self preservation drive.


http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061214/METRO/612140443/1003
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061213/METRO/612130479/1003


Note: by posting this article I am not advocating for either side of the assissted suicide debate.

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co-cl of the Self-Injury board


co-cl of the Suicidal Thoughts and Feelings board


cl of the Borderline Personality Disorder board




Edited 12/18/2006 5:29 pm ET by cl-schitz

Amanda

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-31-2006
Tue, 12-19-2006 - 1:02pm

My thoughts are why do they try to stop a person from taking their own life or aiding someone in taking their own life. We should be allowed to do as we want. If I want to die that is my right. Just like what color of hair coloring I use or what car I buy. Its a right. If someone is ill and they want to die why let them suffer. It is cruel to let someone suffer.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-09-2005
Tue, 12-26-2006 - 4:45pm

TRIGGERS....TRIGGERS...TRIGGERS...

I also believe a painless death is a right, especially for terminally ill people.

And I think if society didn't forbid assisted euthanasia and treat it as taboo, people would suffer less and families of suicides would suffer less becuase they would know ahead of time and could say goodbye. Every one wants the chance to say goodbye.

It's easy for anyone to say keep living when THEY are not in pain! Yeah, easy for you to say- wait until you feel this much pain and you know it will go on for years! The civilized thing is to let that person choose whether they want to endure it or not.

My god, we put animals to sleep when they're suffering, we don't leave it up to God and let them suffer to the bitter end. In that one way, we treat cats and dogs better than we treat ourselves.

No one knows or can possibly imagine what chronic pain is like unless they've experienced it themselves for years. As someone who is chronically sick and in pain, but not lucky enough for my health issues to be deadly, I know no one understands how hard it is to get through every day unless they have gone through it for years too.

When you're in severe chronic pain you can't work, you can't appreciate your loved ones, becuase the pain takes all your attention and all your energy. All you can do is suffer- what's the point! In fact it destroys all your relationships becuase you can't be the happy, sweet person you used to be- and they don't understand that you're always grouchy and moody becuase it hurts so bad, not becuase of them.

And I think if euthanasia was legal and accepted socially, less people would want to do it because that would eliminate the rebels and people who are just doing it to hurt someone else or shock people, get attention, etc. for the wrong reasons.

So yes I think it would be a right in a civilized and humane society.

Quality of life matters much more than just how many years you last on earth. Everyone should be able to choose when they've had enough.




Edited 12/26/2006 4:55 pm ET by bluerains
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-02-2005
Wed, 12-27-2006 - 8:55am

Thanks for your reply Blue. It's good to hear from you. I hope that my post hasn't triggered YOU! I know you know what to do when you feel suicidal - talk here, call a crisis line, go to the hospital. I know you are in pain. I too have chronic problems such as bipolar and fibromyalgia, but there are a few glimpses of hope and we have to hold on to those special moments. Believe me if you died your friends and familiy would think it such a loss, even if they did get the chance to say goodbye. You are a wonderful person. Don't forget that.


Hugs,

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Amanda

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-09-2005
Wed, 12-27-2006 - 5:01pm

Hi Amanda,

Don't worry your post did not trigger me at all. I just feel strongly about the subject.

Thank you for the nice things you said about me.