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[Firewalker50]

I can see no point in prolonging suffering and pain when a person is terminally ill or has no quality of life and has expressed a wish to be allowed to go (locked in syndrome as only one example).

It may be a bit difficult if someone has had a car crash and is comatose or brain damaged and physically disabled but still alive.

I could not imagine being alive and lying in a bed unable to communicate or move for the rest of my life.

My mum and dad have living wills (well Dad is dead now).  We used his will in hospital to ensure he had as quick and dignified an end as possible and they did not continually try to keep him alive when he would have faced an horrendously slow death from the extent of his cancer and surgery.

My friend wanted to go to Switzerland but finance and circumstances did not allow it.  He was well looked after in a local hospice towards the end and his pain and journey was eased.

I share the belief that life is not just to be alive - but it is to have a quality of life. 
And also the point made by Taz - that it is about the person suffering and not the people they will leave behind.

Trying to write the rules would be a nightmare!! 

Fx

[CLKD]

It should also be realised that those left to mourn need to know that their loved one had a 'good death' with as little pain and still keeping dignity.  It isn't only the dying to consider.

Someone I know went to Dignitas about 10 years ago, his sister took him ...........

[Taz2]

Do you know if it was a good experience CLKD? This only works of course if there is enough money to make the trip over there and they are well enough to administer the fatal medicine.

Taz x

[Limpy]

People need to be well enough to administer the fatal dose, but many seriously ill people just can't physically do this. It really highlights the cases which have just gone to the High Court today, where severely disabled people want the right to have their lives ended by a doctor, without the doctor being accused of murder.

There was the recent case of Tony Nicklinson, where the court rejected his request. It was horrible to hear his screams / moans when the verdict was delivered. He died not long after, I suspect he starved himself. There didn't seem to be a lot of care, consideration or respect for him.

[Joyce]

So expensive to have to resort to having to use Dignitas. However, I can understand why people would choose such a way to end things. I sincerely hope I never have need of it myself or any of my family.  So much better to just fall asleep and not wake up.

[Taz2]

Not yet though!!

Taz x

[CLKD]

Not today - too much to do  .  From seeing his sister speaking on TV it was reasonably 'good' but it left her with a nasty taste because it meant their last months were spent planning ..........

[kes]

I belong to a UK pressure group called "Dignity in Dying" which campaigns for change in the law regarding euthanasia.    I would recommend the drama "A Short Stay in Switzerland" starring Julie Walters - a moving true story about a woman doctor's decision to go to the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland to end her life due to a degenerative neurological disease.

[Joyce]

I remember watching that, an excellent drama. Also watched docu when Terry Pratchett visited Dignitas with someone who wished to be there. That was very hard to watch.