Terry Pratchett: Choosing To Die

[garinda]

Originally Posted by jaysay

To be quite honest heth I didn't watch the program because the subject doesn't interest me, to my way of thinking for somebody like myself, why would I have spent the last 30 years battling to combate poor health only to throw the towel in and end it all, I'll just let nature take its course

We are slightly different.

Though like you, I'll fight.

Life's precious.

'If' the quality of that life, for me, is unbearble, unable to speak, unable to walk, no independence, then I'm off over
th' Alps.

I'll say goodbye to Accy Web, from my room with a view.

The last post.


I'll probably be able to hear the cheers from some in Switzerland.

[BERNADETTE]

I didn't watch the programme, will try and catch it later. But after watching Ianto and his Mum suffering with cancer I can honestly say that if it had been within my power to end their suffering I would have grabbed it with both hands. To watch someone you love going through pain and knowing there was is cure is unbelievable painful. Quality of life should be paramount IMHO

[garinda]

Death is a fact of life.

It will happen to us all.

That's an inevitable certainty.

Death's only hard to cope with for those still living.

The dead don't really care.

[heth]

Totally agree Gary, it's the ones left behind that suffer but I think that these people would suffer more seeing their loved ones in pain rather than dying peacefully.

To me that would be some comfort.

It was thier choice.

If I developed a illness that I know would leave me pain or not feeling my own mind I would also be right over to them there alps.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by BERNADETTE

I didn't watch the programme, will try and catch it later. But after watching Ianto and his Mum suffering with cancer I can honestly say that if it had been within my power to end their suffering I would have grabbed it with both hands. To watch someone you love going through pain and knowing there was is cure is unbelievable painful. Quality of life should be paramount IMHO

I know you would.

You two had great love, and I was lucky enough to have met your other half, and witnessed it.

I'm sat here crying now.

Not because death is maudlin, but because of what sacrifices people will make, because of an emotion we call love.

(I miss him too. We had some fantastic late night chats on here...as well as some amazing ding-dong disagreements.)

R.I.P. my old mucker Ianto.

[garinda]

As has been already posted, we allow out four legged friends the dignity of not suffering a painful death.

We dont allow humans the same right...if they so wish.

At least not legally, in this country.

[Margaret Pilkington]

Originally Posted by heth

I have just remembered from last nights programme aswell that the manager of the clinic informed us that there is approx 21% of their clients dont have a illness but want to die as they are "weary of life".

This bit did upset me, and part of me doesnt agree with it.

Those who are weary of life have just as much reason to make the choice of dying.
In my opinion, for what it is worth, lots of old people die socially long before physical death overtakes them.
What I mean by that is, that their peers die and they are left with very few friends.
Families(and I know generalisations can be far off the mark) are busy with their own lives and have no time to devote to elderly parents...so these elderly people feel like they have 'lived too long'...no-one visits them except perhaps paid carers and the chap who brings their dinner......they can't do the things that they once could, there is no enjoyment, no quality in life......when that happens they may choose to take the option of dying.


Yes G, there should be places in this country where people can end their lives in peace and in the care of professionals dedicated to looking after them, with their family around them to say goodbye.
It might be unpalatable but it is what is needed....and if I were still working in the nursing profession I would happily look after these people.

[garinda]

I once watched a programme about human longevity.

All the people were at least centenarians.

One lady was a 110.

She was smart, looked as fit as a flea, and still went out everyday by herself to her favourite restaurant in Brighton.

She said she'd 'lived too long', and everyone she had loved had gone.

It was really shocking, and hard to hear.

Most would have labelled her as being lucky.

I suppose life's quality isn't always down to the purely physical.

[DaveinGermany]

Didn't see this one but a couple of weeks back Terry Pratchett had Tony Robinson read out something he'd prepared to an audience of the famous & learned reinforcing his views on the subject & that it should receive a much wider airing.

I myself agree with him, but the nay sayers are those who fear abuse of the principal or those who've never been faced with such a heart rending situation head on. At 46, I feel myself to be in rude health & sound of mind & as such am aware of the frailties of Man. I've been placed in positions were severe maiming, death & possibly living death (kept alive by machines) were a possibility.

We've sat & talked (Marion & myself) about these unpleasant conditions & are both well aware of our preferences should anything like this ever occur to us. That being the case I believe we would both have no trepidation in executing (literally) the required actions as a mark of respect & selfless understanding & the ultimate & final act of love for someone so precious.

Hopefully it will never come to pass & we will never be placed into such a position. But if it does & the fates decree it so I have every faith that our wishes will be met by the other as a final act of love, dignity & respect.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by garinda

If I begin reading a book that's no good, I don't waste time reading to the end.

Somewhat ironically, I've started, but never finished a Terry Pratchett book.

(Cue music for the Twilight Zone.)

[heth]

I know what you all mean about people saying that they have lived too long.

In a strange way it just upset me more than people going to die because they have a illness.
It upsets me because there should be (in a ideal world, I know) more in place for these people not to feel "weary of life".

They should be able to turn to some-one before going down the assisted suicide route.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by heth

I know what you all mean about people saying that they have lived too long.

In a strange way it just upset me more than people going to die because they have a illness.
It upsets me because there should be (in a ideal world, I know) more in place for these people not to feel "weary of life".

They should be able to turn to some-one before going down the assisted suicide route.

Hopefully we'll all live happily, and healthily, until our mid nineties, and die in our own bed.













Whilst in the throes of wild, passionate, love-making.

[heth]

Here, here G!!!



Wouldnt like to clean the mess afterwards though!!!

heeheehee

ewwwwwwww!!!

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by garinda

We are slightly different.

Though like you, I'll fight.

Life's precious.

'If' the quality of that life, for me, is unbearble, unable to speak, unable to walk, no independence, then I'm off over
Th' Alps.

I'll say goodbye to Accy Web, from my room with a view.

The last post.


I'll probably be able to hear the cheers from some in Switzerland.

As you say we are slightly different G, but in many ways health-wise we are very much alike. As time goes on I am beginning to feel more depressed , only last week I was diagnosed with severe arthritis in my neck, which on top of everything else is giving me some real problems. Believe me if I was ever in that mind to throw my hand in I wouldn't need to fly of on holiday to say hello the willy tell and his merry bunch, I've enough materials at home, that will do the trick. But I'm 65 in about 5 weeks my daughter is getting wed again in august and my other daughter and grand kids fly in from china in a fortnight and of course I see Joan every weekend and I live in hope that next season the Mancs won't win a thing Rovers will win a cup ( I know wishful thinking) Stanley will gain automatic promotion and Burnley get Relegated so there is so much to look forward to, even just writing this post has put all though of being depressed right out of my mind

[Margaret Pilkington]

Originally Posted by heth

I know what you all mean about people saying that they have lived too long.

In a strange way it just upset me more than people going to die because they have a illness.
It upsets me because there should be (in a ideal world, I know) more in place for these people not to feel "weary of life".

They should be able to turn to some-one before going down the assisted suicide route.

When you are weary of life, there really is nowhere to go.
And as Gary rightly said, the dead person doesn't care, they aren't here anymore........when we feel sorry, sad, upset, it is ourselves we are considering, not the departed.