Discussion: Assisted Suicide

My husband and I both have living wills. They are on file at the hospital. He is in perfect health, and I am in pretty good health, but I have had numerous laparoscopic surgeries and other procedures where I have "been put under" and I have wanted everyone to know my wishes. I would want to die as naturally as possible. I have seen people die with Alzheimer's (I have a degree in Psychology and worked in mental wards) and it is a horrible death. However, I believe life is sacred and that God chooses when to take our lives. It is a fine line to walk.

I think that if someone is in a tremendous amount of pain and wants to die they should be able to choose to die however they want to in order to end their pain. I do not believe others should help them though. I think helping them crosses boundaries. IF they want to end their lives FINE but they need to be courageous (or stupid) enough to do it on their own without help. Let a doctor provide whatever pills they need for it or whatever but they must do the actual ingesting or injecting or whatever themself!!!

I have mixed feelings about this

I don't believe in assisted suicide. I believe that "where there is life, there is hope". I have seen far too many miracles in my life to give up on someone so easily. I do believe in living wills, though...and that is isn't right if the only thing keeping someone alive is a machine.

I don't see how the right to die would be anybody elses right . I have worked in Hospital and I know that bodies are kept alive for the patient families. Not in the best interest of the dieing patient. Want to know why these rooms are kept so coo ???? It is a groos pratice and it needs to stop !!
No one has the right to force those suffering in pain to live when there is no hope.

Why is it so humnae to put an animal to sleep and not a human ?? I see nothing wrong with assisted suicide done right Nothing

Sometimes a person needs help to get out of a life they no longer feel is worth living. It would be beneficial for that help to come form a trained health care provider.

i have a friend that was in a coma for 4 years, and came out of it! I'm so happy her family didnt 'pull the plug'...!

I think assisted suicide and pulling the plug on some who is in a coma, just wrong.

I agree with Kimber. As a paramedic, I saw way too much suffering. When hope is gone and pain is not, I can't blame someone who wants to end the suffering.

I would hope that I would not have to make that decision for myself or anyone I love; that said, I do not want to be a mechanically driven lump of human flesh kept "alive" just so people can feel less guilty about my life being over. I also have had pain in my life and if I knew there was no end to it and no chance of ever getting away from it, I would like the decision to be mine as to when I have had enough. I do not want to be a burden to myself or anyone else. I understand that suicide just to kill yourself is not right but if you have resolved yourself to be at peace with your decision, then you should have the right to end your life. Did you know that in SC if you attempt suicide and fail, you can be charged with attempted murder and automatically have to undergo psychological screening to see if you go to jail or to a mental hospital?

If all the hopes of living an unaided life is gone, "pull the plug.." is better as a mercy killing.

a living will,is a must in my book if I was ever in a coma that I would not wake up from there is no point in being here. As for assisted suicide that is just plain out NUTS!!!

My brother-in-law was in a coma, and his mother pulled the plug, which caused him to be starved to death, which was an ugly thing to witness. It caused a family feud. Hubby and his mother do not speak fifteen years later. They gave the mother the authority because the brother was not married. It's something she has to live with. If it were me, I would not want it on my conscience, and also lose another child in the meanwhile. I believe we should allow nature to take it's course.

I think that if a person is in pain, and that they want to go, then it's their choice. Why continue propagating pain?

I agree with what Vivian said. Completely. We use to have a dog named Cricket that was a member of our family for about 14 years. She ended up getting cancer and tumors really bad and was clearly in a position that was pure suffering. It was really sad to see how hard it was on her just to live. We made the decision to have her put to sleep when things got really bad and it is interesting to know that this trip to the vet was the only time she didn't try to bite the vet. She was at peace with it and I think she knew she could finally move on.

If you take out all the moral dilemas that are associated with God and religion...it isn't hard to see that essentially - all we are doing is saying "Our dog is suffering and it is unfair to make her live through it. It is time to let her go in dignity. But YOU, our human breathen have no choice but to suffer. We refuse to end it for you and will even question your dignity if you do choose to move on."

It is almost disgusting that we refuse to allow them the dignity and compassion to move on and escape the world of pain they are in. I think assisted suicide gives them control over the things that are killing them. It allows them to be the decision maker in how it is going to kill them.

I truly think that our unwillingness to allow people to do this is for purely selfish reasons - because we never want to actually say good-bye and loose hope in those we love. And in this selfish stance - we refuse to allow those very people we love to escape the contstant pain they are in.

As for the coma thing though....what about someone who is in a coma for 40 years? 60? Are they being kept alive because the person in the coma wishes to live or because the family simply refuses to say Good-bye?

I watched my mother-in-law die from cancer. She was a melancholy person before she knew she had cancer and had wanted to take her own life before she found out that she was terminal, but once the pain began, she said that she had no idea how much she was going to suffer before she was going to die and greatly regretted having allowed herself to reach such a situation; there were things she could have done to prevent her condition from reaching a malignant stage.

In the end, she had to take pain medications and suffer day after day until she died. It was a very grim scenario to behold. She was more than ready to die and would have gladly accepted any help that could have been offered her, but of course, none was available. It all goes back to the question: if an animal who is suffering can be put out of its misery, why can't a human when there is no chance of survival? This was a case in which there was no question that the illness was terminal and the person was suffering; it was a case in which assistance could have been justified.

I'm not one for advocating assisted suicide in general, but I realize that there are exceptions to every rule, as this one was.

I don't believe in helping anyone with suicide.

Myself, I think it is each individual's right to make their own decision. But like you said, this is a very personal thing and a man was sent to prison here in MI for doing the assisted suicide! It is surely a moral issue to some too. But when there is nothing left but suffering...well, I just don't know!
Have a safe and happy holiday!

I don't believe in assisted suicide, but when a person reaches the point that they have to have a machine to keep them breathing, I think you can pull the plug with out guilt. God says that we shall not take a life .But God might be calling that person home and we would be hindering with His work.

Here is my two cents worth..for what it's worth. I think the terminology "assisted suicide" should be done away with. A "suicide" is the act of terminating one's life, performed by the person, not us; and who should make that decision? If we assist with this termination, then that should mean the other person is agreeing to die. How can they agree if they are in a coma or not in their "right" mind?
I am all for living wills, just for this purpose. It should not have to be the family's decision to make. Unfortunately it is, which makes the situation more tragic than it already is.

This is a hard one for me... you see I was in a terminal condition, no longer than 6 months to live, in a hospital hooked up to machines.
Some days in such pain I begged them to let me die.
That was in 1985...
In 1992 my mother had a massive heart attack, there was (according to the doctors, no viable heart muscle left - a machine was pumping her blood). She had been 'clinically' dead when she reached the hospital. However, for my dad's sake they hooked her up to machines so it would 'appear' she was alive until we kids got there.
But then someone had to make the decision to shut the machines back off.
Not an easy decision, and not one my dad was willing to make.
I, being the oldest child, made the decision and did the deed. I will never forget the look in my father's eyes when I pulled the plug. It haunts me still.
2003... my dad, old, tired, wanting to go 'home' to mom... my sister could not let him go. He refused to eat, would slip into a coma, she would then have them feed him through IV's until he again came out of it... we did this for about 2 months. He wouldn't even speak to us towards the end... he was so ready to go and couldn't.
The suffering my dad went through was needless. He should have been allowed to go when and how he wanted.
And all that is why this one is a hard one for me... what if things had been done different in each case????

I agree with the two posters above. Why is it humane to help ease an animals suffering but a human is supposed to "tough it out?" I think everyone should be able to choose if they want assisted suicide or not.

I support it. If someone has lived a full life and is in pain with a terrible quality to their remaining life, then they should be free to choose to die.

In assisted suicide they actually start the medicine to do it. I say if they are terminal then they should have the right to make a decission. I as well have a living will and I have made it very clear to Eric I don't want on any life support. I watched my grandmother after we took her off the respirator she ended up laying there for 5 days. I had seen many people die I was a EMT and a CNA for years but I am telling you when its one of your own its a lot harder. I didn't want to loose her but I didn't want her to suffer either. Her suffering was a lot more inhumane then her going to a better place.

In assisted suicide the people want to die, that is the way it is called assisted (help with) suicide (taking you own life)

I believe that a person should have dominion over their own body, if they feel suicide is the answer then that is their choice.

I saw my sister suffer like a dog with cancer, that was akin to torture plain and simple, and I could not wish that on anyone. She did not want to die so she died naturally but had she of said, I have have enough, let me go, I would have been for it, for it was her choice not mine.

I believe we have an appointed time to die. I really dont know how to say what I feel, about all this. But have heard that people in a coma, can actually hear us, even when we cannot hear them and they cannot respond to us. I think pulling the plug on them which is our choice. Could be considered murder as well as the person making the choice to have assisted suscide being murder too. How are we to judge. Who knows. I certainly dont.
I guess we just have to search our conscience and pray about all these decisions.

Fascinating topic, Sarah. I have mixed feelings on this issue. My logical and spiritual feelings are in conflict.

An intense topic. I do not believe in killing another human being unless it's unavoidable (for instance, if I was being attacked and while trying to save my own life ended the attackers). If someone wants to end their own life, that is their choice. I will not stop them - they have to deal with all spiritual and moral consequences and I will not judge them.

However, I would not aid them, and I would hope that they would think more of our relationship than to put me in the position to have to tell them no.

Here is a 10

I think each of us should decide what is right for us.

This is such a tough topic. I don't know how I feel about it. I certainly would never judge anyone who did this or assisted someone else.

I don't know if I could help someone else or if I could do it myself, though.

I do not believe that anyone should kill another human being especially themselves. if you or anyone that you know is seriously considering sucicide call 911 and or the 1-800-suicide line and they will recieve help to bear with their lives. depression can be life threating and debilating but it dose not have too.

I have been present at the deathbeds of three relatives and seen the peace with which they met their deaths. It was joyful. Their suffering ended in God's good time.

Dr. Kevorkian lived in my hometown, Royal Oak, Michigan. His actions were a source of shame, disgust and revulsion to most people. He helped his patients into eternal life using carbon monoxide and IV chemicals which resulted in horrible, panicked, painful deaths. He then left the bodies in hospital parking lots - the equivalent of roadkill.

We have been given our lives as a sacred gift. We do not have the right to make a choice to take our lives or those of others. In God'd words: "Thou shalt not kill." It's that simple.

I'm not exactly sure how I feel about it. I think having a living will and making your own decision is probably the best way to go-but, I haven't done it yet.

It's my life - I decide - I would never ask anyone to help me, but if I decided I wanted to go and was able to do it myself, I would do it.

I agree with you completely in your views on this!

I fully support the right to die, when and how I want.

I've watched people suffer and die. My father-in-law, with Parkinson's disease. My Aunt with Alzhiemers, my Aunt with heart disease, from which they brought her back over and over again, until she was begging them to not put her through that again.

Not only did they all suffer far beyond reason, but the whole family suffered, and then came the financial PUNCH, from the hospital stays due to their methods of extending the loved ones life as long as possable. The families were completely busted spiritually, and economically. They had babies to feed.

I promised my kids, after the last round with this cruel system, to the dieing and those left to deal with the aftermath, that I will die just as fast as I can, and they should never feel obligated to payoff any debts inccurred by me.

I have arranged things so nothing has to go through probate, the children already know not to tell any of the companies I may still owe money that I have died, and to never speak with them. I maintain a hety life insurance policy, with my children and hubby, and one sister as the beneficiaries. All properties and possesions, and monies, they are able to clean out, they've been instructed to do so.
Should I get a terminal illness, I will leave the hospital, or doctors office and never go back. I will live my life, as long as I'm reasonably comfortable, and then step out. End of story.

It was very difficult for me to take my suffering dog to the vet and have her euthanized. She couldn't talk and tell me what exactly was wrong. She couldn't walk any more but there was no way without incurring thousands of dollars of debt to find out if there was a cure. She had lived about 12 years and was a rescue.

But I can talk and tell my loved ones under what conditions to pull the plug. They know not to go to extreme measures to prolong my life. I trust they will make the correct choice. If I can control my demise, I will and if I need help to do so, I will find it.

This is a tough subject. A living will is very important if not the most important thing you can do to have your wishes respected. I personally would not want my life prolonged if it was determined that I was brain dead, and there was no chance of becoming a viable human being again. I would want my wished to be respected, other wise, any wish or any legal document is not worth the paper it is printed on if someone can step in and say no. As for Dr. K....it is my understanding that these people were in their right minds and their wished should have been fulfilled and respected. Why should anyone, any court, any authority have the right to tell any person they cannot end their life this way? In the very near future I see this being legal...and certainly there are circumstances that someone should step in, but who? Does anyone remember Karen Quinlan? The fact that she was allowed to strivel up and die the way she did was a tradedy in itself. No one will convince me that she would have wanted her life to continue the way it did. If there is one thing that we as human beings should have the right to decide apon...it is how we decide to end our life. I sincerely dislike 'suicide' being used to describe how these people died...maybe we should look at it another way...it is not taking ones life, it is giving it up to a highter authority. Get your living wills taken care of, do not leave these kinds of decisions up to your loved ones. Your decision, your time to die should be respected at all costs.

I am not completely sure how I feel about these things. I do feel that if a person is in extreme pain and with no hope of recovery it may be more humane to allow them to slip peaceably away with some dignity in tact. I do feel that if at all possible it should be approved by family, and the patient if patient is capable.

I agree completely about living wills and making your family very aware of how you want your life to be handled should you not be able to talk or choose for yourself. I am not against pulling the plug or assisted suicide. When a person is ready to go, they should have that choice available to them. No one else should have the right to tell them they can't make that decision. As for the coma situation - if there is no brain activity left, then I believe the person has passed on and they are just keeping the shell alive. I am against that. But that's just my personal opinions. Thanks for an interesting topic to discuss. Peace

I certainly understand and respect a persons desire to NOT to suffer in pain and if they wish to end their life, then they have every right. BUT!!!! I don't think it right for them to wait until they can no longer do it themselves, pushing the job onto a family member. If they don't want to suffer in pain and die naturally, then they should take measures in their own hands and take care of it. Sure, their family member might be in agreement with them and be willing to help, but watching them suffer in pain from a terminal illness is hard enough on them, much less carrying out their wish to help their loved one die by injecting a lethal dose of medication in them. IMO...it's a cowards way out to ask that of another person. Also, since assisted suicide is illegal, the terminally ill person is asking their loved one to commit a felony and put everything on the line. Convicted...that persons life will be turned upside down. He'll not only have to live with knowing he killed his loved one, but also live with knowing he caused his and his families life to be torn apart.
People need to have a living will drawn up and make their wishes known.

Sharon. Smart and compassionate move. You are putting your family before yourself. The way it should be;-)

I think if someone had a truly terminal illness, and was suffering badly because of it, then I might be okay with it. If someone is a coma, as long as there is a chance they might come out of it, I saw keep them plugged in.

I believe there is only one that has the power to decide when someone should die. When we violate God's laws we will pay in the end. I do believe in not prolonging someones life by artificial means is they choose.

Ok, there have been people who've come through a coma after years...but most of those people(if not all) had brain activity. Remember Terry Schaivo? She's more the rule than the exception.
It's my body, its my life. If I'm facing a termianl illness that will leave me dead in all ways but breath, who are you to tell me no? Why should I and my family suffer because of someone else's religious mythology?

I guess the answer is there is no simple answer. I've convinced two suicidal friends to live, I watched my parents and parents-in-law waste away in pain. So, having witnessed these things I think the answer for me is I know enough about medicine, what it can do and what it can't do, to make a decision for myself if the time ever came that I was terminal and wanted to go. My husband and I both have "do not resuscitate" orders as well as "no heroic measures". When it's time to go, it's time to go. Having said that, though, I don't believe (for myself and my loved ones) that assisted suicide is viable. If I decided to take my own life, it would be because all other avenues had been investigated and there was no other answer. I could not ask my spouse or my children to bear the burden of taking someone else's life. There may be circumstances in which it makes sense and is the humane thing to do, but I think the law as it stands in most states is probably the best course.

I believe in the living will. If it is a coma situation or a situation where the person is never going to come back, or if they will come back a literal vegetable, then I don't think that it should be dragged out, it is very difficult on everyone, and the financial burden left behind can hurt loved ones for the rest of their life. As for the case of those who are suffering terribly with no chance of getting better, I am not sure. I can say that when my dog kept falling down and had trouble getting back up with out falling down again, and she was losing weight by the day, and not eating, I knew the best and most loving thing I could do for her was to put her to sleep. Most aweful horrilbe thing I ever had to do, but I made that decision out of love for her. Whose to say I would not want the same for a human that I love. I guess this is not something that I can really give my most educated decision on as I have not been in that situation. My husband and his siblings did have to make that decision for their mother, as she went in for surgery and never woke up. The doctors said if she did wake up she would be a vegetable. They had, had several talks with her about this, and knew that she would not want this, so they opted to take her off life support.

A few years back I had to help my mother, after a living will was signed and given to her doctor, assisted living facility and the local hospital, when in a family members wisdom she was taken to the hospital, resucitated and placed on many drugs to prolong her life, to sign a power of attorney. We had her Pastor there when the paperwork was signed, because I then had to become the person who would say, enough is enough. Thankfully I didn't have to make that decision because she passed away 2 days later, with a smile on her face. I have watched both of my parent die and it isn't easy. My family and friends all know that prolonging my suffering is not an option. My wonderful Mother-In-Law is going thru emphysema and she knows what is to come (she watched both her dad and sister die this way) and she doesn't want life saving measures to prolong her suffering. We put our dogs and cats down so that they don't have to suffer - why shouldn't the human race be given that same courtesy.

A living will is not sufficient in some states.
You have to have an additional medical directive that addresses the various medical procedures that could be used and spell out more parameters for enforcing a "DNR" order.

I think the folks in Oregon got it as close to right as possible.
There is a cahin of evaluations that are required before the method of termination is prescribed. There was a fear of a rash of abuses of the law, but I don;t believe I have heard of any wide-spread issues with it.

It is a deeply personal decision and one you need to make clear to your family - in writing! Emotion can make one question the wishes in a pinch. Better to help out and file a copy with your family, physician, nearby hospital if you have med records there, etc.

I think it is unfair to expect anyone to assist me or anyone else with a suicide. I also don't want an order in place telling anyone to pull the plug on me. I figure I can't always make a solid decision about mimor things in my life now. suppose I say pull the plug now and later change my mind, but am unable to tell anyone. It is just too final and too much of a committment I think.

"...However, I don't believe that assisted suicide is right. I don't see how it's up to us to choose who lives or dies or who has hope or doesn't have hope."

in the case of "assisted" suicides, the call is being made by the person in pain. working in collusion with a Kevorkian to end their lives.


remember this (someone might've covered these points already, i haven't had time to read the Comments): comatose people have been known to come out of it.
days later.
years, even (there was a recent case of this, actually).

makes calling it hard, eh?

yeah: a living will would be nice. in its lack, though, i think a next-of-kin should be the one to pull the plug.

"And that's all I have to say about that." -Forrest Gump

Being from Michigan I know alot about what Jack Kevorkian has done. I think what he did, is great. I have seen a few people die long, painful, nasty deaths from Cancer and other things. I think they should allow assisted suicides. It should be your choice, to live or die. If you are in full, right mind you should be able to tell the courts and your doctors that this is your choice, once you get to a point. I also think insurance should cover it.

I just want to comment about the coma problem. One of the modern day dilemmas is that there are a growing number of people who come out of the deepest coma. Apparently "brain dead" really isn't always "dead" afterall. It would be nice if we knew thet would never wake up, but if they have a chance do you want to "kill" them?

The "Living Will" is a document that allows others to pull the pluig. But what if you don't want that option? The other document sometimes known as the "Will to Live" is legal in some states. A prerson should carefully think under what conditions he or she would want extraordinary life support and for how long. Their life might actually depend on it.

I have to admit that I wasn't so comfortable with assisted suicide when it was made legal in Oregon. In reality, very few people opt for assisted suicide. And the laws around it are very strict to protect people and prevent abuse. Now that it has been legal for more than a decade, it isn't a big topic. It is a personal decision.

I debate this with myself often. I agree with animals being put to sleep so in my opinion I shouldn't feel any different about humans. At least they can say they want it. The animal might actually not want to die. We just assume we are doing them a favor.
I think if someone was lying on the ground dying from a catastrophy that there should be nothing wrong with helping them. If it came down to it I don't know if I could be the one helping. I also couldn't be there with an animal if they were going that way. But if someone is in so much pain and it is all they want, what right do we have to DENY it? Is that really fair? If they had a chance then maybe it isn't such a good idea. I think some sort of mediation would be necessary that included family, doctors and whoever else the person wanted to sit in on it.

My opinion is mixed on this subject. I think I'm leaning toward thinking it is okay in some situations. If it were me, that was so sick, and no chance of recovering, i think i would want it to be allowed.

I believe in the right of the individual to decide. Like you I've seen loved ones dying and in pain, I have no wish to suffer so nor to be a burden on my family. Despite my Church's teachings, I think suicide or assisted (if desired by a competent individual) suicide is ok

I think it depends on the situation. I think that each individual should have the right to decide when they pass on to the other side. Suicide, I have been taught through religion is wrong. But, I do feel badly for those that are in so much pain and wish to end it all.
I think that if someone wants to die, say in a hospital bed, the government shouldn't be able to tell them that they can't.
But, if they person wanting to commit suicide does so publicly and could hurt other citizens while doing so, that is definitely out of the question.
Either way, it's a difficult situation. And, I just can't decide which side I'm truly on.

This comment is to let you know that this content has reached at least five votes and over 8.0 average rating, and as such has been removed from Rating Resurrectionists! Congratulations!

This comment is to let you know that this content is no longer a perfect ten, and as such is no longer among Best of the Worst! Better luck next time, and check out this week's Leaderboard to see who's on top!

I believe that if a person wants to end their own life, it's their business.

BUT -- I will never, not ever, be in favor of physician-assisted suicide until, and unless, insurance companies are prevented from being a part of that decision. I have heard way too many stories where an HMO said it would not pay for life-sustaining treatment, but that they'd pay for the drugs to end the patient's life! That's just evil; no two ways about it.