MataHari

the fact that it's legalised doesn't mean you have to have it done though...it just means there are rules for it.

Kim67

But it's setting the rules in place that are the problem. Do you have to be terminally ill? Do you have to be the only person present at your death? Do you have to be capable of doing it yourself? Can you appoint a power of attorney to make the decision on your behalf? Messy and hard to control.

MataHari

The rules are made to protect you. It seems to be working in Holland.

housewife

I think that you have to be in the situation to judge about this.
Don't get me wrong, I don't want that anybody will ever be in this situation.
But me and my family were relieved that we had the possibility to "help" our father to get rid of his struggle and pain he had to suffer.
There was no way a change anymore for him to survive.
With help of extra medication we " helped" him to finish his battle.
And it sound weird, but when the moment was there, me and my family were "glad" that the battle was over and that he did not have to suffer anymore.

Kim67

Protect who though? The patient - their family after the fact? Remember you can't choose your family and some of them don't always have your best interests at heart.

But if it's working in Holland, I believe you. They just haven't been able to set up a model in Australia that's protected everyone involved and as I said, having faced making these types of decisions myself, how you feel at the time and how you feel down the track are sometimes different. Things are always clearer in hindsight.

Kim67

I have been in the situation, so my comments are based on personal experience.

housewife

Sorry to hear that Kim, but that means that you do understand my opinion.

Kim67

I do, and if you read my first post, you'll see that I've felt the way you do too. A decision you don't wish upon anyone.

MataHari

As far as I know the patient is the one in control cause he is the one asking for it. Not their family. And it's not like you cannot change your mind at anytime...it's not like they say oh well you signed this paper so we are going to kill you even if you don't want to...
And again...it's not a must...you don't have to make an euthanasia will.
As far as the family is concerned...it's never easy to lose someone...but in the end it is selfish to want someone to stay alive just cause you cannot cope with them dying...

housewife

Perfect phrased MH.

Kim67

And it's easy to put something on paper in black and white - but in reality people and their emotions are much more complex than that. The problem with being in control of and able to change your mind is that you have to make the decision to end your life while you are still completely lucid. Quite often by the time someone is sick enough to want to die, they're past the point of being able to make the decision for themselves and their family ultimately have to.

MataHari

that's why it's important to do it beforehand and the Dutch law gives you that opportunity.

Kim67

That's fine, but do you really want to end your life before you've become too sick? I think most people would want to spend as much good time with their family as they possibly could.

MataHari

great...so if you think like that, it's obviously not for you...it's not mandatory. Simple as that. You then will have to rely on the good sense of your family and doctors to make that decision for you. Some people don't wish that on their family and make sure they have sorted this out beforehand. I really don't see the problem with that. It's all about having choices.

The Dean

........... and I just love the way an advert for articles about death and dying now pops up at the foot of the page..............

As the OP, and having read through the subsequent posts, I find it strange that so many people on The Bored have first-hand family experience of this - probably means it's more commonplace than most people realise.......