How Many More?

[jackthehat]

What a horrible thing to have to do to yourself.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-25741005

When will the law catch up with people suffering in this way and allow them a diginifed exit?

RIP Debbie Purdy

[gness]

She said how agonising taking so long to die was.......to end the life she found unbearable....her life.....

So sad.....x

[naomi24]

If we forced animals to suffer as we force human beings to suffer, we'd be prosecuted. The law has to change - and the sooner the better.

[grumpy01]

Listened to a man speaking about this on Radio5 Live drive.He said his view had changed and that adults of a sound mind and who could communicate properly should be allowed the option.The people concerned do not want to die but they do not want the life they have, which is intolerable due to pain etc,to continue any longer.I think a proper debate is the only sensible course of action.

[DTCwordfan]

that's why things need to be bolted down legally, divebuddy, and not mask under this primeval 'thou shalt not' overriding law that we have.

[Mamyalynne]

Finally made the journey she had struggled to make for so long - RIP Debbie.

[gness]

It isn't always only pain though, is it?

It's not being able to take yourself to the toilet....having someone else help and clean you.....not being able to wash or bathe......having to be shaved....your teeth cleaned.....

DB....I have had to do that for someone I loved.....the pain..and there is pain...he coped with....that he didn't.

It's having no choices in how you live....

Of course we should have assisted suicide.

[anneasquith]

is there a more undignified way to die than starving oneself to death over a 12 month period ? RIP.

[gness]

I'm sure there will be safeguards, DB.....and "old age" won't be accepted... on it's own...as a reason for assisted suicide....

But so many who want to die are younger people with the most awful of illnesses....

You say you would help your wife to die.....but how do we do that peacefully and painlessly.......we really need the help Debbie was denied.

[jackthehat]

As I have said before, I do not believe it is beyond the wit of the law to frame legislation which will ensure that those who wish to die are allowed to do so.......whilst protecting those who don't.

[carrust]

I've recently done some work for a guy with MS. The only thing he could do for himself was use a specially adapted TV remote and drink with a straw. It made my problems seem trivial. O had a phone call from his carer last week, one of the relief carers had nicked his laptop...
How low can some people go!

[Svejk]

I'm against it for many reasons(too many to go into). Not least, though, because wherever they introduce this it's used as a foot in the door for further legislation. So I don't buy the 'safeguards' argument.

[woofgang]

Its not true that all pain is controlled adequately.

[askyourgran]

It's sad that she has to bring an end to her life by starving herself, instead of being given humane assistance. MS is a terrible, slow disease I'm glad she is now released from it all.

[naomi24]

//Its not true that all pain is controlled adequately.//

Quite right - it isn't true.

[Svejk]

There was a programme, recently, talking to old doctors. It seems it was quite routine to give dying patients a morphine overdose. Since Harold Shipman they don't even carry it.

[youngmafbog]

Had to watch my father die of Prostrate cancer and my mother in law die of Alzheimers. Until you have seen these things at close hand you cannot appreciate the suffering. For my father it was the pain, in the end he refused the drugs apart from pain killers to die faster. The pain killers never worked properly. My mother in law had to suffer the indignation of sitting in filth, the house was wrecked along with my wife who had to look after her. No help from the State, my mother in law being a proud woman along with her husband had saved from their meager income, what a mistake that was. Eventually she had a heart attack thank goodness to end her suffering.

A very good friend of mine lives just down the road from Dignitas. My wife and I have promised each other we would go to visit my friend if at all possible if the worst happens. It should not have to be like that though.

[ludwig]

It's obvious to me. People should be able to have control over their own lives, and that includes when and how their life ends.