terry pratchett.. choosing to die ?

[anneasquith]

terry pratchett , choosing to die,,,, 9pm bbc 2 monday, may be interesting !!!!!

[ummmm]

<I believe that where there is life there is hope>

Not when you are terminally ill there isn't.

I watched my Dad die pain. Pain that you wouldn't let an animal suffer. Why do we let humans suffer so much?

[shaneystar2]

Sorry zeuhl but as 23 year old with no previous experience of seeing a death , watching someone die after a long illness is no joy ride ,although of course you know what's going to happen ,you just don't expect it to be so harrowing and that image remains with you .It#s certainly remained with me .
I have no objection to people wanting to end it with dignity .I just don't want to watch it and I won't :)
But ,why they need to show on television is beyond me .

[Zeuhl]

<<This programme won't make me change my mind, its why i won't be watching>>

Well there's nothing like being open-minded is there LOL

Does that mean you believe you can be <made> to change your mind?

Personally i don't think that's possible; you access information (such as this programme) and you either change your mind or you don't.
It will still be your choice - you'll just be better informed as a result.
.

[ummmm]

Shaney - the images remain with me as well. I often have flash backs.

[shaneystar2]

I'd rather be less informed thank you .
Death like birth is a private thing imo.I can never understand why people wave cameras about when us women give birth either .
Who the hell wants to see someone dying in agony or swearing their heads off and saying never again :)

[jackthehat]

I hope that it opens the eyes of those (wherever they may be) who make decisions about what is or isnt, or should or shouldn't be permissible on the slow road to the end of life.

If any of you could have held a cup for your loved one to take a final drink from, surrounded by all their family and friends in a warm, safe, familiar and loving environment, wouldn't you rather that had happened, instead of a sterile room, talking in pained, hushed tones, with beeping machines and the sounds of strangers going about their businesss ?

I hope that this programme shows what death can be like for that section of the population who have been given an almost definite date for their demise.....and I hope that those of us who will be alive to help realise that it is the final loving and human thing we can do for those we cherish.

[shaneystar2]

My Dad died at home JTH surrounded by his family .But we didn't feel the need to take pictures :)

[anneasquith]

a very emotive subject , and i agree may well bring back dreadful memories for some, i personally will watch, because id like to hear the views of the " patients " and their relatives,

[Zeuhl]

<<But ,why they need to show on television is beyond me>>

because there are many people who want to see something of the Dignitas experience in order to be more informed, knowledgeable, whatever you care to call it.

[jackthehat]

With due respect, shaney, that's a silly thing to say.

This death hasn't been filmed for entertainment.........this death has been filmed to show that it is possible to have a 'good death' devoid of the sort of pain and suffering you witnessed. Are you glad your Dad lingered or would you have preferred him to have been released from his pain earlier?
I know that you are a good and sensible person so, of course, you would have wanted him not to have suffered............and *that* is what this programme hopes to be able to make us think and talk about.
Not that we have to grimly hang on right to the last possible moment......but that we can meet death at a time when we feel that we are ready.

[I.Don No]

May I just take you all back to the Dimbleby Lecture of 2010 given by Sir Terry Pratchet, aided by Tony Robinson?

Here is a short extract:

'Let us consider me as a test case. As I have said, I would like to die peacefully with Thomas Tallis on my ipod before the disease takes me over and I hope that will not be for some time to come, because if I knew that I could die at any time I wanted, then suddenly every day would be as precious as a million pounds. If I knew that I could die I would live. My life, my death, my choice.'

My sentiments exactly, but I think it is a pity that at the moment people in this situation have to travel far from their home to have a 'good death'.

To allow his death to be filmed this man showed great courage.

[emmie]

some agree with it, some don't, i shall leave it at that.

[ummmm]

That's the thing though Jack. How differently people feel when it comes to death. My sister held dads hand and willed him to let go. I held the other hand and willed him to not let go :-(

[shaneystar2]

You may be right JTH but I still couldn't bring myself to watch something like this .
I'm still of the firm belief that it goes on never the less and you don't have to go to Switzerland.
When my poor old Dad passed away the doctor had only been in an hour earlier and given him an injection .I firmly believe that this good doctor helped him on his way .

I don't think that people should be allowed to suffer . There should be some way of a peaceful death especially for people with incurable illnesses .
I have never let a hound suffer so why let people suffer ....but I don't want to watch it on television :)

[jackthehat]

I understand absolutely...........and, I may be treading on your toes but please forgive me because I feel very strongly about this matter, at that point you wanted your Dad to stay with *you*......very naturally, of course......but your Dads passing wasn't about you, it was about him and I'm sure he was greatly comforted to have you all around him.

Would he have gone slightly sooner if me and Mr Pratchett had had our way ? Possibly. Or he may have stayed as long as he did......but with the reassurance that once he'd had enough, he also had that option.
I know it's an emotional subject for you and, in all honesty, I'd prefer to leave this discussion between you and I until such a time as we could do it personally. :o)

[emmie]

i wasn't going to add anything,
but terminally ill people, those given a death sentence have pulled through, doctors don't always get it right, and some people have a will stronger to live than to die.
and just because i don't wish to watch some poor soul pass away on tv that makes me uninformed.
zeuhl I am open minded, about many things, its a stupid comment, one i would take great offence to if you had said it to my face.

[ummmm]

Ok cool....I will just say though that I felt incredibly guilty.

Give me a shout when Blackpool prom is finished :-) x

[shaneystar2]

JTH ..thank you .
Things have come a long way since 1973 .
I'm all for alleviating suffering of any kind but still think that death ,that final thing; shoud be conducted privately ,not in the eyes of the media .

[woofgang]

Well I am not going to watch the program and I don't want my death televised but each to his or her own.