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Brittany Maynard, 29-year-old right-to-die advocate with brain cancer, ends her life

Re: Brittany Maynard, 29-year-old right-to-die advocate with brain cancer, ends her l

Fishstyx said:
Let me start this off with this, I support these laws. I'm 100% ok with someone having this option. And I do have problem with anyone being made a "poster child" for this issue.

Frankly and in my opinion, don't necessarily think this is an issue that should be an "activist" issue. You can see this getting bastardized already with catch phrase being used..."die with dignity." WTF does that even mean? So someone who does not utilize this route is "undignified" or has lost their dignity? Whether its their faith, wanting to hold every second they have left to be with their family, etc?

Call it what it is and leave it at that. Its medically assisted suicide. If you have to rebrand it to sell it, you haven't worked hard enough to convince people on it's merits.
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If Democrats can turn Paul Wellstone's funeral into a DNC political rally, then EVERYTHING is a "cause". It needs placards with fancy slogans and everything.

I agree that "die with dignity" is insulting.
 
Re: Brittany Maynard, 29-year-old right-to-die advocate with brain cancer, ends her l

Fishstyx said:
Let me start this off with this, I support these laws. I'm 100% ok with someone having this option. And I do have problem with anyone being made a "poster child" for this issue.

Frankly and in my opinion, don't necessarily think this is an issue that should be an "activist" issue. You can see this getting bastardized already with catch phrase being used..."die with dignity." WTF does that even mean? So someone who does not utilize this route is "undignified" or has lost their dignity? Whether its their faith, wanting to hold every second they have left to be with their family, etc?

Call it what it is and leave it at that. Its medically assisted suicide. If you have to rebrand it to sell it, you haven't worked hard enough to convince people on it's merits.
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Medically Assisted Suicide is all anyone has ever called it. All dying with dignity means is to die in a matter of ones own choosing if you have the capacity to do so. No one is arguing that every terminal patient should be put out of their misery before they die naturally. All anyone is saying is that if you are faced with an agonizing death the last few weeks of your life, you should have the option in consultation with your physician, to end your life prior to those last few agonizing weeks if you choose to do so.

The reason why this woman was the poster child for the "cause" is she was forced to move across the country to have the right to do this. The vast majority of states do not allow physician assisted suicide. In the vast majority of states you are legally mandated to suffer all the way to the end no matter how bad it gets.

In the vast majority of states we force cancer patients to endure a death we would not even allow our dog to endure. If someone wants to endure such a death then it is their life and they should be able to do so, but if you don't then the state should not be mandating that you do.
 
Re: Brittany Maynard, 29-year-old right-to-die advocate with brain cancer, ends her l

ttwtt78640 said:
A bullet or noose would likely have been cheaper. If sane adults cannot get heroin then why should they be able to get other lethal drug cocktails?
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A bullet or a noose? You're disgusting.

Have you ever had to watch a friend or family member die a slow painful death from a terminal disease? My mother passed away nearly two years ago from cancer. To this day when I close my eyes and am not focused on anything I still hear her gasping for air, moaning in pain if the nurses went too long without giving her any pain medicine and bed ridden for days on end. I'm not sure if she would have taken the option if it was presented to her, because her cancer was so fast and sudden, but refusing to give someone the option is absolute madness. And to talk about using a bullet or a noose on a person in this state is one of the most revolting things I've ever heard on these forums. Comparing drug addicts to people who simply want to skip weeks of agonizing pain before death can't be described as anything but insanity.
 
Re: Brittany Maynard, 29-year-old right-to-die advocate with brain cancer, ends her l

I can only hope that she repented of sin and came to know the Lord before her passing.
 
Re: Brittany Maynard, 29-year-old right-to-die advocate with brain cancer, ends her l

Kreton said:
Simply put, anyone who wants to die should be able to.
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I wouldn't go that far necessarily. I support medical assisted suicide but I think we should do our best to push otherwise healthy people away from such an extreme course of action. If you find someone with their wrists slit and a suicide note do you resuscitate them or would that be disrespecting their wishes because they wanted to die? I think we obviously resuscitate them and do what we can to prevent a recurrence. As much as I support the sovereignty that you have over your own body I think it's also important to remember that life is precious and we have an interest in preventing it's needless extinguishment.
 
Re: Brittany Maynard, 29-year-old right-to-die advocate with brain cancer, ends her l

Sherman123 said:
I wouldn't go that far necessarily. I support medical assisted suicide but I think we should do our best to push otherwise healthy people away from such an extreme course of action. If you find someone with their wrists slit and a suicide note do you resuscitate them or would that be disrespecting their wishes because they wanted to die? I think we obviously resuscitate them and do what we can to prevent a recurrence. As much as I support the sovereignty that you have over your own body I think it's also important to remember that life is precious and we have an interest in preventing it's needless extinguishment.
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I think that we should be doing everything possible to help people who want want to die to want to live. But at the same time, it's their choice. If they don't want to live, and don't want help, they are living in misery at some point they will do it or do something worse to others. We shouldn't force people to live.
 
Re: Brittany Maynard, 29-year-old right-to-die advocate with brain cancer, ends her l

SouthernDemocrat said:
What is disgusting is the whole right wing myth of "death panels" arose from a stipulation in health reform that would have reimbursed doctors for the time they spent with patients discussing end of life decisions.

Just the same, telling someone with late stage 4 cancer that they must die "naturally" regardless of how horrible of a death that will be, is a perfect example of socially conservative authoritarianism.
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If you are under the care of a physician or in hospice, no one dies a natural death. You are drug induced until the end.
Some folks want to die with a bit more clarity.
 
Re: Brittany Maynard, 29-year-old right-to-die advocate with brain cancer, ends her l

SouthernDemocrat said:
What is disgusting is the whole right wing myth of "death panels" arose from a stipulation in health reform that would have reimbursed doctors for the time they spent with patients discussing end of life decisions.

Just the same, telling someone with late stage 4 cancer that they must die "naturally" regardless of how horrible of a death that will be, is a perfect example of socially conservative authoritarianism.
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It's true, Leftists politicize everything.

I'mnot totally against the idea of assisted suicide just who's in charge of when and how.
 
Re: Brittany Maynard, 29-year-old right-to-die advocate with brain cancer, ends her l

I don't believe in the prescription system as it stands. I think if you want to buy drugs that will take your own life, that's your business.

THAT said, there is a grave moral difference between you, at home, administering this medication to yourself, and someone else killing you.

The latter is a line that should not be crossed.
 
Re: Brittany Maynard, 29-year-old right-to-die advocate with brain cancer, ends her l

WCH said:
It's true, Leftists politicize everything.

I'mnot totally against the idea of assisted suicide just who's in charge of when and how.
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"Leftists politicize everything! Now let me tell you how the government is going to start forcing euthanasia on people because Obamacare rarrrgh!"
 
Re: Brittany Maynard, 29-year-old right-to-die advocate with brain cancer, ends her l

JayDubya said:
I don't believe in the prescription system as it stands. I think if you want to buy drugs that will take your own life, that's your business.

THAT said, there is a grave moral difference between you, at home, administering this medication to yourself, and someone else killing you.

The latter is a line that should not be crossed.
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You think patients should be forced to self-prescribe and self-administer? Gee, what could possibly go wrong.
 
Re: Brittany Maynard, 29-year-old right-to-die advocate with brain cancer, ends her l

Deuce said:
You think patients should be forced to self-prescribe and self-administer? Gee, what could possibly go wrong.
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For THIS? Yes, self-administration is a necessity. This isn't an antibiotic or something along those lines - if anyone else administers it, they have killed you in aggression, in violation of your unalienable rights. That would be, and should be, murder.

Also, I am not saying doctors should not be prescribing medication... as in, "you should take x, here are your instructions"... but medication is still a product produced for consumers, and no, I don't think it should only be allowed to purchase or possess in such a limited fashion. I have no rational interest in buying medicine I don't need that doesn't have physician instructions attache, but it's the principle of the thing.

As such, I cannot object to someone purchasing a product with the intent to kill themselves, then doing so. Unless you are attacking someone else, you and only you have the right to kill yourself.
 
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Re: Brittany Maynard, 29-year-old right-to-die advocate with brain cancer, ends her l

JayDubya said:
For THIS? Yes, self-administration is a necessity. This isn't an antibiotic or something along those lines - if anyone else administers it, they have killed you in aggression, in violation of your unalienable rights. That would be, and should be, murder.

Also, I am not saying doctors should not be prescribing medication... as in, "you should take x, here are your instructions"... but medication is still a product produced for consumers, and no, I don't think it should only be allowed to purchase or possess in such a limited fashion. I have no rational interest in buying medicine I don't need that doesn't have physician instructions attache, but it's the principle of the thing.

As such, I cannot object to someone purchasing a product with the intent to kill themselves, then doing so. Unless you are attacking someone else, you and only you have the right to kill yourself.
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It's not "killing in aggression," it's a voluntary medical procedure to end your own suffering.
 
Re: Brittany Maynard, 29-year-old right-to-die advocate with brain cancer, ends her l

Kreton said:
I think that we should be doing everything possible to help people who want want to die to want to live. But at the same time, it's their choice. If they don't want to live, and don't want help, they are living in misery at some point they will do it or do something worse to others. We shouldn't force people to live.
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What kinds of things would you exclude from "everything possible". That happens to be a very scary term to me.
 
Re: Brittany Maynard, 29-year-old right-to-die advocate with brain cancer, ends her l

Deuce said:
It's not "killing in aggression," it's a voluntary medical procedure to end your own suffering.
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Be specific.

Buying yourself a lethal medication and consuming it yourself is not aggression because you cannot aggress against yourself.

A healthcare professional administering such a medication is deliberately and aggressively killing you, in violation of your human rights.
 
Re: Brittany Maynard, 29-year-old right-to-die advocate with brain cancer, ends her l

WCH said:
Physician assisted suicide? Kind of goes against the Physician's Oath

The Declaration of Geneva, as currently published by the WMA [6] reads:
At the time of being admitted as a member of the medical profession:
I solemnly pledge to consecrate my life to the service of humanity;
I will give to my teachers the respect and gratitude that is their due;
I will practice my profession with conscience and dignity;
The health of my patient will be my first consideration;
I will respect the secrets that are confided in me, even after the patient has died;
I will maintain by all the means in my power, the honour and the noble traditions of the medical profession;
My colleagues will be my sisters and brothers;
I will not permit considerations of age, disease or disability, creed, ethnic origin, gender, nationality, political affiliation, race, sexual orientation, social standing or any other factor to intervene between my duty and my patient;
I will maintain the utmost respect for human life;
I will not use my medical knowledge to violate human rights and civil liberties, even under threat;
I make these promises solemnly, freely and upon my honour.
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Hmm - after reading the Oath I don't see how it conflicts at all.

Apparently some people just don't see choosing when you die - natural outcome of a terminal disease VS personal choice to forgo that particular end - as a right or a means of maintaining good mental health or dignity.

Suffering is the only thing that's healthy?
Suffering is the only form of dignity?

What about other people wanting someone to suffer and agonize to the end? Where's the dignity in craving that?

If it's legal for doctors to devise medicines and means of killing convicted murderers, commit abortions, then I don't see how assisting someone who's life is coming to an end with a means of having a more dignified and less horrific end is all that bad.
 
Re: Brittany Maynard, 29-year-old right-to-die advocate with brain cancer, ends her l

WCH said:
Physician assisted suicide? Kind of goes against the Physician's Oath

The Declaration of Geneva, as currently published by the WMA [6] reads:
At the time of being admitted as a member of the medical profession:
I solemnly pledge to consecrate my life to the service of humanity;
I will give to my teachers the respect and gratitude that is their due;
I will practice my profession with conscience and dignity;
The health of my patient will be my first consideration;
I will respect the secrets that are confided in me, even after the patient has died;
I will maintain by all the means in my power, the honour and the noble traditions of the medical profession;
My colleagues will be my sisters and brothers;
I will not permit considerations of age, disease or disability, creed, ethnic origin, gender, nationality, political affiliation, race, sexual orientation, social standing or any other factor to intervene between my duty and my patient;
I will maintain the utmost respect for human life;
I will not use my medical knowledge to violate human rights and civil liberties, even under threat;
I make these promises solemnly, freely and upon my honour.
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If it becomes a 'human right' for a sane, adult patient to end their own life whenever they see fit (as I think it should), then a doctor would be going against their oath if they did not assist in a sane adult's suicide.
 
Re: Brittany Maynard, 29-year-old right-to-die advocate with brain cancer, ends her l

AliHajiSheik said:
What kinds of things would you exclude from "everything possible". That happens to be a very scary term to me.
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rereading that it is very poorly worded. The resources to help a person who is suicidal work through their problems (without the financial burden that is currently associated with it), voluntarily is what I meant.
 
Re: Brittany Maynard, 29-year-old right-to-die advocate with brain cancer, ends her l

JayDubya said:
Be specific.

Buying yourself a lethal medication and consuming it yourself is not aggression because you cannot aggress against yourself.

A healthcare professional administering such a medication is deliberately and aggressively killing you, in violation of your human rights.
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A healthcare professional helping a person who is going to otherwise kill themselves is not a bad thing. A healthcare profesional in a controlled environment is a much better option than doing it at home alone. The person is less likely to suffer, the problem of the mess their suicide could make, would make it so loved ones wouldn't come home to find the body, eliminate police involvement, and probably some other reasons.
 
Re: Brittany Maynard, 29-year-old right-to-die advocate with brain cancer, ends her l

U
WCH said:
Physician assisted suicide? Kind of goes against the Physician's Oath

The Declaration of Geneva, as currently published by the WMA [6] reads:
At the time of being admitted as a member of the medical profession:
I solemnly pledge to consecrate my life to the service of humanity;
I will give to my teachers the respect and gratitude that is their due;
I will practice my profession with conscience and dignity;
The health of my patient will be my first consideration;
I will respect the secrets that are confided in me, even after the patient has died;
I will maintain by all the means in my power, the honour and the noble traditions of the medical profession;
My colleagues will be my sisters and brothers;
I will not permit considerations of age, disease or disability, creed, ethnic origin, gender, nationality, political affiliation, race, sexual orientation, social standing or any other factor to intervene between my duty and my patient;
I will maintain the utmost respect for human life;
I will not use my medical knowledge to violate human rights and civil liberties, even under threat;
I make these promises solemnly, freely and upon my honour.
Click to expand...

Btw, this oath means little to me.

I have travelled extensively and lived in many places and have known/used MANY doctors.

If more then 10% of them had not - on numerous occasions - violated the above oath I would be shocked.
Not because most of them were bad doctors (they weren't, IMO). But because they were human.

Big oath's look great on paper and they work great in a black and white world. Unfortunately, the world is gray.
 
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Re: Brittany Maynard, 29-year-old right-to-die advocate with brain cancer, ends her l

Kreton said:
A healthcare professional helping a person who is going to otherwise kill themselves is not a bad thing. A healthcare profesional in a controlled environment is a much better option than doing it at home alone. The person is less likely to suffer, the problem of the mess their suicide could make, would make it so loved ones wouldn't come home to find the body, eliminate police involvement, and probably some other reasons.
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Agreed.

My current GP told me (when he worked in Emergency) of a guy who came in with a shotgun wound to his shoulder. The poor guy had tried to kill himself but messed up and now that arm was permanently useless...which just adds to the guy's suffering.

No one knows how to end a life better, quicker and less painfully then a doctor.

If a sane adult wants to commit suicide, their doctor will undoubtedly be reducing that person's suffering by assisting in their suicide.
 
Re: Brittany Maynard, 29-year-old right-to-die advocate with brain cancer, ends her l

ttwtt78640 said:
A bullet or noose would likely have been cheaper. If sane adults cannot get heroin then why should they be able to get other lethal drug cocktails?
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What a dick ass ignorant statement.
 
Re: Brittany Maynard, 29-year-old right-to-die advocate with brain cancer, ends her l

Kreton said:
rereading that it is very poorly worded. The resources to help a person who is suicidal work through their problems (without the financial burden that is currently associated with it), voluntarily is what I meant.
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No problem.
 
Re: Brittany Maynard, 29-year-old right-to-die advocate with brain cancer, ends her l

Kreton said:
A healthcare professional helping a person who is going to otherwise kill themselves is not a bad thing.
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Yes, murder is "a bad thing."

Actually, "a bad thing" is understating it far too much.
 
Re: Brittany Maynard, 29-year-old right-to-die advocate with brain cancer, ends her l

JayDubya said:
Yes, murder is "a bad thing."

Actually, "a bad thing" is understating it far too much.
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Yes, murder is a bad thing. But that isnt really relevant because I wouldn't consider that murder.
 
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