Doctor/Medical Assisted Suicide

[Mevara]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

Man with locked-in syndrome, Tony Nicklinson, dies at home week after losing euthanasia court case


This could perhaps explain why assisted suicide is sometimes frowned upon for conditions such as locked-in syndrome.

I think those two are very different. Tony Nicklinson was asking for himself where Richard Marsh was unable to. Taking Richard Marsh off of life support machines is not assisted suicide.

[DrPhil]

That depends. Taking someone off life support can be called different things depending on the circumstances. Luckily, no one "made" Richard Marsh die and he was able to fight for his life (even if unbeknownst to anyone but himself). Marsh says he was fully conscious during much of the ordeal but no one knew that.

I was moreso saying that some people would not support assisted suicide (regardless of how the person requests it or whether a family member is able to request it) because of the rare instances like Marsh's where people fully recover from a condition.

[aggieAXO]

To me this is not about "making anyone die". From the article I gathered that he wanted to live no matter what-that is his choice. He recovered quickly compared to the guy in the other article who had been a prisoner in his own body for 5 years-maybe Mr. Marsh would have a different opinion if he had been unable to lead a normal life for years, maybe not? The point is we should have a choice-it is my life. I do have a clause in my will to give me 6 months if on a ventilator (my firend talked me into this I was going to give myslef a maximum of 3 months). But overall, if I cannot lead a normal life-meaning get up and got to work, live independently, then I don't want to be here anymore.

[aggieAXO]

Well I tried to correct my spelling but it won't let me edit-so please ignore the crappy spelling

[DrPhil]

I use "made" in reference to Richard Marsh because he was unable to express his desire to live. They could have very well turned off the ventilator which some interpret as a family-doctor-consent assisted suicide (some would consider it murder) for which Marsh was unable to consent.

Originally Posted by aggieAXO

From the article I gathered that he wanted to live no matter what-that is his choice. He recovered quickly compared to the guy in the other article who had been a prisoner in his own body for 5 years-maybe Mr. Marsh would have a different opinion if he had been unable to lead a normal life for years, maybe not? The point is we should have a choice-it is my life. I do have a clause in my will to give me 6 months if on a ventilator (my firend talked me into this I was going to give myslef a maximum of 3 months). But overall, if I cannot lead a normal life-meaning get up and got to work, live independently, then I don't want to be here anymore.

Correct and Marsh believes that people have a right to live or die if they so choose. He wanted to live but he was unable to express his choice either way.

My point is that:

1.) Some people who are opposed to assisted suicide are opposed because they believe in the potential for someone to recover as Marsh did.

2.) There are instances where taking someone off life support is "making them die." People can rationalize and word it however they choose but it is what it is in these instances. If they had turned off Marsh's ventilator before his body was able to recover on its own, that could have "made" him die.

[CutiePie2000]

I don't like the idea of people suffering needlessly, but I have to say, I don't think I'd have the cojones to "finish someone off" if they asked me to and I knew that they were suffering.

I think my trepidation comes from knowing that my Judeo-Christian guilt would haunt me...hard to say when dealing in hypotheticals.....(and I'm not super religious).

[aggieAXO]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

I use "made" in reference to Richard Marsh because he was unable to express his desire to live. They could have very well turned off the ventilator which some interpret as a family-doctor-consent assisted suicide (some would consider it murder) for which Marsh was unable to consent.



Correct and Marsh believes that people have a right to live or die if they so choose. He wanted to live but he was unable to express his choice either way.

My point is that:

1.) Some people who are opposed to assisted suicide are opposed because they believe in the potential for someone to recover as Marsh did.

2.) There are instances where taking someone off life support is "making them die." People can rationalize and word it however they choose but it is what it is in these instances. If they had turned off Marsh's ventilator before his body was able to recover on its own, that could have "made" him die.

That is why it is so important to make your wishes known before something happens. I have very specific instructions in my will b/c this is so improtant to me-the way I die. Everyone close to me knows my wishes. I don't want to sit on a ventilator for months to years. I don't want to be a vegetable or even semi lucid, If I cannot be a full functioning human I want to go. If I was in an accident and had to be on a ventilator I have instructions to take me off in 6 months (I initially had 3 months but my friend talked me into 6-if they take me off before then I am ok with that). I have 2 very close friends that are vets and they are listed in my will as medical POA. They know my wishes and will help my family if the need shoudld arise. Having medical knowledge helps a great deal. And I am not talking about "someone"-I am talking about me and what I want.