Religion and politics can be left out agreed. I'm a Quality of Lifer first and foremost and my decisions would be based there. oOo, I believe the question boils down to if it was YOU and not a loved one.

Moral of the story here is talk about and complete an advance directive for health care, whether it's a Living Will, a Do Not Resuscitate/Intubate (DNR/DNI) form or a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care (DPAHC). I have a DPAHC on file, which allows me to choose up to 3 persons to make medical decisions only for me in the event that I could not communicate with my physicians. Its most important to choose proxies that will carry out YOUR wishes NOT THEIRS, with respect to your cultural, religious and QOL issues, which are different for everybody. It's free and does not require an attorney and you can ask your doctor or nurse for the forms. File one at your medical provider's office, keep the original and give one to all agents and people you want to have it.

One caveat is that parents usually do not make the best proxies. It's unnatural and unexpected to lose a child before one passes and sometimes they will do everything to keep you alive forever, which can be years with modern day heroics. Remember Terry Schaivo who spent 15 years in a persistent vegetative state? You can read about that here and most would never want that. Tens of thousands of DPAHCs were completed following that event and I was interviewed on NPR to talk about advance directives.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terri_Schiavo_case

Anyway, whichever decisions are for you, it's important to secure your rights and wishes.

I think it's very sad. I don't think she's going to hell. I think that's crazy talk but to each his own. How can you bite your tongue AFTER you speak? LOL. It's all good.

erniecoolca, that was a very important post. And I remember the Terri Schiavo. It became a political issue. George Bush got involved. It showed how much George Bush loved people. As long as they weren't Iraqi's lol

In memoriam.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1_LHJIH-xw

I said to where...that is what is important...eternity is a helll of a long time....
B = basic
I = instructions
B = Before
L = Leaving
E = Earth

To be, or not to be...

Reading all of these comments points out that there are many different viewpoints on this subject.

Which to me, means that it should be a personal decision. Letting the government decides means that a sizable portion of the population will have a decision dictated to them that is against their will.

Each and every one of us has a point to where we would no longer wish to continue to suffer. I know I felt that way EVERY day while on triple therapy. I wanted the suffering to end, and every day I had to decide whether to continue treatment or not. If I had an illness that made me feel like that, and If I knew I that I would continue to get worse with no chance of getting better, I would no doubt make a decision not to be.

RIP Ms. Maynard, may you be at peace.

God Bless The Child / Billie Holiday

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_1LfT1MvzI

thing that puzzles me is that we all can't be right....Oh yeah in California ya can.....

In California adults in their sound mind can make their own decisions about their health care, which is everybody's right. We do not have Right to Die Legislation here though.

I hope i do not offend anyone but, worse than Maynard making her own decisions for herself - for me - was the Vatican labeling it "reprehensible." I think people should have the right to end their own suffering - physical or emotional. It's THEIR life!

There are so many truly reprehensible things in this world. Why add pain to her family with their judgement? I find it unkind and not at all loving.

Because often the Vatican gets it wrong e.g., mismanagement of their child sexual abuse epidemic. Truth is truth. Offense happens. Bfd right?

Might as well chain the bible to the monastery walls all over again.

Some folks refuse to read it for themselves.

"censere" Latin

Personally I couldn't care less about religious institutions. I don't subscribe to them and thankfully we strive to keep churches and state separate in Canada.
I do care about the law deeming it criminal. A recent poll in Canada resulted in 85% of Canadians wanting medically assisted dying as an option for terminally ill patients to choose. Their choice only, no one else's and they must be assessed as sound of mind by attending physicians.
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2014/10/08/euthanasia-canada_n_5953940.html

I wish the U.S. would strive to keep church and state separate.

I think informed adults should have the right to choose. I have been a resentful partner to families choosing for their loved one to live, when the body is screaming "let me go."
I do not think it is a shame or a sin to choose to end- not only one's own suffering, but to choose to lighten the burden to family.
I pass no judgement on that.
I do not know what I would choose for myself, because I'm not there yet.
In my family's culture, the right & noble & dignified thing to do, is to separate from the clan, wander off & die alone as to not endanger the family. Is that selfish or humblet?
Is keeping someone alive at all costs a sin, a wasteful, selfish, unnatural act?

Hey, I know...

Lets call Christianity a culture and Islam a religion in our schools!

But nooooo, our country wants to romanticize a religion that cuts the heads off of those that dont want to be converted.

Sounds damn familiar...does it not? Same humanity, different god.


Freakin lovely.