Assisted Death

A friend of mine went in the hospital the other day unlikely to exit. He is 47, was diagnosed with brain cancer (glioblastoma) about a year and a half ago, had surgeries, chemo, was doing well until about two months or so ago. Recently he had I believe finally come to grips that the end is imminent and his frustration has mostly been on the shit existence he has been experiencing/has left for the final weeks/months. So now he is in the hospital and will likely be sitting there doped up on shit to take him out of consciousness, but not out of this world until eventually something happens naturally that takes him out such as major stroke, metastasis to major organ resulting in organ failure, etc..

About 3 months ago, my one dog developed an oral tumor on her gum line in her jaw. We had surgery and followed up with the chemo injection they have for dogs and she had been doing great. About two weeks ago it came back in the upper jaw. And is growing fast. Vet's advise was nothing else to do, keep an eye on it and when it appears that she is in discomfort that can't be managed that we put her down.

So in the coming weeks, I am going to be able to take the humane action on my dog when the time comes, yet my friend will sit there and suffer through to his passing. It is a fucked up world when you have to simply hope for your friend to pass quickly to eliminate his suffering and his family is helpless to help him (legally), but yet you are allowed to decisively stop the suffering of your pet.

Only a few states have taken action to get this right. The rest need to catch the fuck up. We will all likely deal with this at some point in our lives, whether it is a loved one or ourselves.

/endrant

 

Technology has overcome morality.

 

...and normal mortality, too.

(I know y'all like to pile on California, but damned if the Death with Dignity Act isn't a move forward. )

 

Sorry to hear this. Unfortunately I’ve had some experience with glioblastoma. My best friend and girlfriend was diagnosed with this @19 months ago, had one surgery to relieve pressure on her brain, and then passed not thirty days later. Like a light switch. Vibrant, full of energy, worked out all the time, no other health issues and then one day.

For me it’s a question of quality vs. quantity. I’ll take quality every time. On one hand we were all fortunate that she passed as quickly as she did so she found peace and we didn’t have to be subjected to watching such a high energy beautiful girl withering away. But what a mother fucker. Don’t have anything else to offer other then I’m sorry to hear about your friend. But for sure the assisted death for humans should be allowed as it is for our pets. I would never want anyone’s suffering to linger, human or otherwise.

 

Sorry to hear about both of your losses. I also agree we should be able to assist a human as we do a pet.

 

as shitty as it sounds, if it was me, i'd go out with a bang: heroin overdose.

sorry for your friend

 

Moms BF was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer several years ago.. from the day they told him.. he went down hill.. didn't want to die in a hospital.. he went home and when it started getting bad Mom called Hospice for him, they came out and "Made him comfortable".. total time from diagnosis to dead was 28days.
I believe the comfortable part was Morphine..

 

Not me, I'd steal a 911 turbo, fill the back seat up with whatever explosive shit I could find and beer and head for avoca airport to do a top speed run.

 

Too classy for me, I’d have to do it with a Heavy Chevy or Nova. Or a Vega LOL.

 

^^this^^

 

Anyone who has assisted with Hospice care understands this paradox.

For me, there is nothing that supersedes the rights of private property above the ability to make (informed, lucid, burden accounted for) decisions about the fate of my own self. Needless to say, we have as-best-prepared Advanced Directive documents as possible. Life has been pure gravy since an epiphany in 2003, and I sure hope to continue to feel that way right to the end.

Mike -- a lot of what you can do for your friend is to simply be present.

 

There is much to pile on about, but they don't get everything wrong.

 

Did it for Mom and for my Father in law...in our home. I absolutely agree.

 

Well, if you are still able to move, good plan

 

there is seriously something wrong when you can kill a child at the beginning of life but not yourself at the end.

I had a friend of 35 years die of colon cancer Saturday morning. He endured immense pain for month for no reason. That is wrong.

 

One huge difference is a dog is a dog. They cannot tell you what hurts what is to much etc. So you are responsible. SUCKS on yours as I bet he is like family even more than some people as he is a true working dog.

The other factor that complicates stuff is the issue with someone other than the person deciding based upon 'how much' vs in that persons interest.

Lastly at times a person can be suffering a LOT and want it to just end when there is a path to recovery. A 'doctor' like Dr Death can prey on them to push toward them choosing death when they are the most vulnerable.

Certainly a tough topic and I hope your friend has the best possible outcome to a horrible situation (and your pup)

 

The Netherlands have this 3D printable pod that assists nitrogen gas (I think) suicide that doubles as a biodegradable coffin. The thing is portable so you can set it up on a beach if you want.

Google Sarco.

 

If you didn't expect that, you're not firing on all cylinders today.

Bullshit. If the person is mentally competent, it's their decision. They can get as many opinions as they want. If one (or even none) is enough for them, it's nobody else's business. In right away, people weren't calling Kevorkian to diagnose them. They were calling him to end things after they had been diagnosed.

The difference in the way we treat pets is that there is no magic book that says they are special and get to go somewhere after they die, with that destination being determined in part by the manner of death. The irony is that they can't, as you rightly pointed out, tell a vet that they are ready to go (or not just yet), whereas people who can look a doctor straight in the eye and clearly express that wish are denied.