Thursday 9 October 2014

Day 242: Death With Dignity - Everyone should have the choice to Die

 

images "Brittany Maynard intends to die shortly after her husband’s birthday at the end of October. On the day of her choosing, she is electing to take prescribed medication that will end her life.

Maynard, a 29-year-old California native, was diagnosed in April with glioblastoma multiforme — fatal stage 4 brain cancer — and given six months to live.

Maynard made a decision. She chose to move with her family from the San Francisco Bay area to Portland, Ore., because of Oregon’s “Death with Dignity” act, she explains in an article she wrote for CNN as well as in an online video she filmed to raise awareness about the law.

“I can’t even tell you the amount of relief that it provides me to know that I don’t have to die the way that it’s been described to me, that my brain tumor would take me on its own,’’ Maynard says. ‘‘I hope to enjoy however many days I have on this beautiful Earth and spend as much of it outside as I can surrounded by those I love. I hope to pass in peace.’’ – See more at http://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/2014/10/08/brittany-maynard-chooses-death-with-dignity-age/vDQvQBVSuCLCBNIVuifZyO/story.html"

This has caused quite the stir. The death with dignity act is legal in Washington, Montana, Vermont, New Mexico, and Oregon and basically states that terminally ill, mentally competent adults diagnosed with six months or less to live could obtain a fatal prescription that they would administer themselves.

The stir I am revering to is that people support this and others do not. Some of the groups include religious groups, because it’s a sin to kill yourself. Another group is “ pro-life” people who believe life is sacred.

I do not want to go too much into the religious groups here, but the main reason why they oppose this act is because to kill yourself Is a sin. Even if you have a slow and very painful death waiting for you God wants the disease to take its course and want you to live through the pain and die the natural death he intended, because he is a loving and merciful God.

The pro Life people who believe that Life is sacred and needs to be protected at all costs are also not in full understanding of the problem here. Can you imagine being terminally ill and only having few months to live? Doctors telling explain to you exactly how you are going to die and that there is nothing to do about it? You know the death will be slow and painful, who would not want a quick death rather?

I see this act as valid and something everybody in this particular situation should have the right to decide upon if it’s properly managed and overseen. IF I was ever in a situation like this where it’s a fact that I will die a horrible death I would definitely rather have a quick death than to drag it out. Wouldn’t you?

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