Posts by TracyMac
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Rosemary gives us this scenario:
The admitting doctor decides that a sixty year old tetraplegic has little quality of life and that dying of pnuemonia is 'par for the course'.
The doctor chooses not to order any treatment..... "nurse for comfort". ...Another doctor comes on duty and, after further examination and discussion, performs an emergency tracheostomy and personally 'negotiates' for a bed in ICU...to give the man a chance of life. ...
Imagine doctor no.1 standing at the foot of your sickbed clutching the consent form for the 'blue juice'.
In the original post, we have a handwaving assertion that countries with euthanasia laws aren't perfect, without any references to back that up.
1. The scenario outlined above happens today. I personally know it does. I'm sure it also happens without discussion and the explicit consent of the affected people. Other than some doctors continuing to play god, you can't legally have an open discussion. Therefore consent is not explicit, even when there is consent, This allows god-doctors to get away with so-called grey areas.
2. In countries that permit euthanasia (that I'm aware of; certainly the Netherlands and Switzerland), the scenario of the doctor waving the form at the bottom of the hospital bed in an acute situation simply can't happen. I strongly believe, as in those countries, that safeguards of a vigorous and drawn-out process be built in. Yes, multiple counselling sessions, forms, etc etc.
3. In Switzerland and the Netherlands, every euthanasia death is accompanied by a police and/or coroner investigation. Your god-doctor can't wave his form signed under duress there. This safeguard should be implemented as well. No euthanasia law should be signed without providing this process.
4. I'm sure there are possible ways to subvert the process in countries with euthanasia laws. But without concrete examples, it's hard to say. I can envisage an intellectually-disabled person being abused into signing a form... Except in the countries I know of, if you're not legally capable of signing a contract, you can't sign that form either.
5. But I'm sure some people can come up with methods to circumvent legal processes. Is this any different and will it be more prevalent than in places that 'allow' silent withdrawal of life-saving care? I honestly doubt it.
I want the option. Yes, we have pain and suffering in our lives, but we should also be capable of deciding when enough is enough, for ourselves (no, not for someone else's convenience).
Yes, I have sat by the bedside of someone whose insides were being eaten by the cancer, and who begged God (yes, a devout Catholic) and us for an end in the few lucid moments between the morphine doses. I have also sat beside the bed of the person getting the same kind of care, and who peacefully went through her dying of several months.
Would the first woman have taken the euthanasia option if it had been offered? Probably not, actually. But I would have wanted both to have had the option - no, not explicitly counselled for, but the background knowledge it would be legal.
I have also read about plenty of instances of people in the UK who managed to obtain euthanasia supplies, and who in the end didn't use them, because they found their approach to death easier than they anticipated. No-one sane who supports euthanasia supports any reduction of the quality and scope of palliative care. Personally, I wish it were improved - there seems to be an element of 'postcode lottery' at times.
To continue with the theme of us discussing our fears, I think it's important to have articles like these that reveal the fears of those who have significant and often on-going medical interventions, and who are the people who will be most vulnerable to mendacious carers and god-doctors.
It alerts us as to just what we need to see in the way of safeguards to any law that might be proposed. If the safeguards look more like Swiss cheese, such a law should be rejected out of hand.
We need to affirm the right to always choose for ourselves, and for that choice to be clearly recognised. A big component of my support for this kind of law is that big reduction in the unspoken grey areas we operate under now.
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All this makes me wonder just what the purpose of the UN is these days. It was set up to prevent another WW happening, including peace-keeping efforts. Other than passing a resolution condemning ISIS, it seems the security council does nothing. No, it's all Team America, World Police. Infuriating.
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Interesting stuff.
Even though my inner grammar nazi is screaming at verb + gerund without the preposition. "Consenting [to] a request" is not the same as "consenting adults" (adjective + noun)!
I'm all good with informal communication (obviously), but I loathe jargon in formal communication where it's not needed. Especially when a mere two letters are being "saved".
/off-topic
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Speaker: Public art is no place for committees, in reply to Steve Curtis,
Er, I haven't visited the place, but if it's a busy public walkway, why shouldn't the art be there. Shall we remove all the public art from the alleyways around the High St precinct?
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Love Stella's writing - Saz Martín is very relatable, even when she's being a complete numpty - but gutted I missed the Guardian piece! I've only been reading the paper nearly daily for a decade... Will rectify that.
As for coming out in the mid-80s, and the more earnest elements of The Sisterhood, oh yes. It went both ways - I got told more than once I was too "male-identified". I spent many years audaciously taking my bi gfs to the lesbian ball before deciding life is too short for that shit.
Glad to hear Stella is dealing to the health issues as to everything else. Great stuff.
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Damn it, I missed your original post. Warm thoughts your way, and the hope that the shithouse days are seriously limited.
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Good summary. And yeah, I'm with Craig on the whole filming and disseminating someone engaged in sexual activity without their consent really sucks aspect.
The law shouldn't need to be invoked.
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Love the Aretha. One of my favourite tracks of hers, and that's a great remix.
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Southerly: This Week in Parliament (in…, in reply to BenWilson,
Now, now, I'm sure the Minister, for it is he, is the kind of progressive chap who would give all due acknowledgement to the Ladies' Rugby Auxiliary, even if they're not currently winning.
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Southerly: This Week in Parliament (in…, in reply to Paul Campbell,
I thought we had a Minister of Sport? Surely that's the same thing? You're not implying there are other sports? *clutches Best Bets*