Someone is in pain & will die within a month begs you to end suffering

Since I don't want to go to prison for murder, I would take my loved one to Oregon where law permits physician assisted death under such circumstances. I wish all states had such compassionate laws.

BBB

yes, of course.

I agree that I do not wish to be tried for murder. But I might accidentally leave a bottle of pain pills close by his bedside.

Cycloptichorn

That would be torture... since the person is paralyzed!

I'd head to a state that allows physician assisted suicide, too. I would hope someone would do the same for me.

yes

take someone to another state, perhaps far away, when he/she is already in pain? perhaps this person wishes to die with some dignity in their home.

poisen? as in something that would cause more pain? or something that would bring blessed relief?

Oooh, paralyzed, missed that part. Well, I'd probably take 'em to a doctor who would do it for them. If that wasn't an option, I'd try and arrange something...

Cruel to leave them suffering, better to be put out of your misery.

Cycloptichorn

We treat our pets with more compassion than we treat humans. If we love them, we end their suffering.

Remember the film "They shoot horses don't they?"

BBB

I'll take care of you honey... then I'll be right there to hold your hand and speak loving and comforting words to you on your way out.... and I'll be right there when you crossover and are still warm.....

Hey! I aint even sick yet you bastid! Let go of my hand!

I have to tell you -- it doesn't quite work that way in Oregon. It would take much longer than a month to establish yourself as a resident and to go through all the evaluations and paperwork required for you to use the PPA law. You can't just go to a doctor and leave with a prescription.

But yes, I would most likely try to find a way to help the person die.

What Dyslexia said. Wouldn't think twice about going to prison. You do what you gotta do.

this is kinda close to me right now, me mum is 85, was diagnosed with Alzimers 12 years ago, now living with me dad suffering from senile dementia in a medically supported living environment. She is blind and in constant pain. When she was first diagnosed with alzimes she talked her doc into giving her a supply of pain meds (suicide strength) but is now incapable of following through. I feel her pain but am not in any position to "help her along."

This person can choose not to eat. That's what my grandmother chose to do. She went peacefully, by all accounts.

Anyone see the movie "My Brother's Keeper? It's the true story of two elderly brothers in a rural part of NY. They lived like farmers from the 19th century on a small dairy operation. One of the brother's gets terminal cancer and suddenly dies. The other brother is accused of suffocating him with a pillow to put him out of his misery. It's brought up in court that it's what any good farmer would do when dealing with an animal in pain that he knows will not live. The trial divides the town as to whether it's a case of murder or mercy. Good flick.

Most poisons cause a lot of pain. Pills are never a guarantee. I know plants and mushrooms that can kill a person somewhat quickly, but most are unpredictable and could make things worse. Henbane is the only plant I can think of that is relatively painless. The victim would have some intense hallucinations before succumbing to the poison. Could I use this knowledge to do someone in? Not sure. I do believe in doctor assisted suicide and wish it was approved nationally. I think I would have to be in the actual situation to make the decision. I've taken elderly, sick animals for a final visit to the vet, but people are a different case. I doubt I could do it if I loved the person.

Well, if the guy wanted to die so bad, why wouldn't he just kill himself? Why would he want to place so much guilt on a loved one? What an arse.

Sure....if I felt I would not be imprisoned.

Aye, there's the rub.

My friends and I discuss this and hope to work out a mutually beneficent arrangement.

Sadly, things seldom go as planned, but still...

I keep thinking, in response to questions like this: they shoot horses, don't they?

Why on earth should humans suffering intolerable pain be forced to endure such pain for god knows how long, because the law says so? We do not put that same expectation on suffering animals. We show mercy. Why do we insist humans tolerate the intolerable?

If I was a carer/loved one, coping with such a situation, I think my first step would be to make contact with others who have experienced a similar situation (probably starting with the internet) & who then chose to act. To gather information & also to gain support to develop the necessary courage, if I felt there was no other option but to do the same. Ending a life is an extremely serious & difficult thing to contemplate actually doing. Hard enough to lose a loved person, as a result of disease or accident - far harder to assist a desperately-longed for death by your own means. I can't imagine any other motivation for such an act than love & compassion.

Yep, after saying my goodbyes and I love yous for a couple of days before, I spent the last 24 hours of my dad's life by his hospital bed holding his hand, telling him repeatedly that it was okay for him to finally just let go, that he'd suffered enough and would no longer have to endure the torturous pain.

To this day I'm not sure if he died on his own or if the nurses kept increasing his meds in an attempt to keep him comfortably in a drug induced coma and hasten the end. When he finally did go quietly the next morning, it was a great sense of loss, relief and guilt that I couldn't do more to help him. Not sure what I would have done if it had lasted for weeks and months rather than just 24 hours.

I would help them end their suffering - probably do anything they asked me to do for them at that point actually - because I think when you're watching a loved one suffering, at least in my experience, your only thought is about how you can help them make it stop. You deal with the other **** later.

Drewdad - my grandmother died by refusing to eat too. I was only fifteen and she was in the hospital in Texas and I was in NJ, so I didn't get to see her at the end of her life, but I always pictured that taking so long and being so difficult. I'm glad to hear that maybe it wasn't.