[Candy Annie Cane]

I think it should only be available like at Dignitas where it for people with a terminal illness but the person who is dying is the one who makes the decision. I don't think that family members should be able to decide when is the time for a person to die.

I do think there should be more dignity in dying when an illness is terminal. Watching my mum suffer at the end of her life still haunts me (even though I don't think she was overly aware as she was heavily sedated but no food for 2 weeks, no liquids for days etc)

[Cherry Christmas]

Originally Posted by AnnieK

I think it should only be available like at Dignitas where it for people with a terminal illness but the person who is dying is the one who makes the decision. I don't think that family members should be able to decide when is the time for a person to die.

I do think there should be more dignity in dying when an illness is terminal. Watching my mum suffer at the end of her life still haunts me (even though I don't think she was overly aware as she was heavily sedated but no food for 2 weeks, no liquids for days etc)

Agree with all of this, it would need to be heavily regulated so it could not be abused

[user104658]

Originally Posted by AnnieK

I do think there should be more dignity in dying when an illness is terminal. Watching my mum suffer at the end of her life still haunts me (even though I don't think she was overly aware as she was heavily sedated but no food for 2 weeks, no liquids for days etc)

I sadly had the same experience Annie and I just found the whole thing so utterly sad and pointless. I don't think she was suffering because she was medicated and sedated to the point that she wouldn't have been aware of anything, likely not even dreaming, effectively dead already but with weeks of watching her organs fail and her practically starting to decay there in the bed while she was still breathing. I have seemingly permanent images of the scene imprinted on my mind that are haunting. My sister who was by her bedside 24/7 has honestly not been the same since, and it was 9 years ago. There was NO point, NO benefit to her being left to die slowly like that, other than to cause trauma in her family, the last thing she would ever have wanted.

I don't mean to be graphic but I think it's important to be honest. It's not like Hollywood.

[Urban Cragou]

Originally Posted by Soldier Boy

I sadly had the same experience Annie and I just found the whole thing so utterly sad and pointless. I don't think she was suffering because she was medicated and sedated to the point that she wouldn't have been aware of anything, likely not even dreaming, effectively dead already but with weeks of watching her organs fail and her practically starting to decay there in the bed while she was still breathing. I have seemingly permanent images of the scene imprinted on my mind that are haunting. My sister who was by her bedside 24/7 has honestly not been the same since, and it was 9 years ago. There was NO point, NO benefit to her being left to die slowly like that, other than to cause trauma in her family, the last thing she would ever have wanted.

I don't mean to be graphic but I think it's important to be honest. It's not like Hollywood.

Ditto with the way my mum cried when hers died (it wasn't extreme or anything, just heart-breaking). My grandma was ill for the best part of 18 months before she died but there were times when she was actually much better, including the month or two before she died. And the saddest thing is that she wasn't even old (barely 64).

[user104658]

Originally Posted by Redway

Ditto with the way my mum cried when hers died (it wasn't extreme or anything, just heart-breaking). My grandma was ill for the best part of 18 months before she died but there were times when she was actually much better, including the month or two before she died. And the saddest thing is that she wasn't even old (barely 64).

Yes my own mum died at 60, though as above I'd say it was 59 and she didn't really see 60 - she was heavily sedated in hospital on her 60th birthday and not aware of what was going on around her. She died about 2 weeks after that.

It feels like an endless cycle at times - my mum died of multiple organ failure due to alcoholism and the fact that she drank on top of a load of prescription medication for depression, anxiety and pain (her liver went first, her whole body followed quickly).

Her own depression and alcoholism was sparked by caring for her OWN mother while she was dying. She was hit by a car and suffered a serious head injury, declined over about 3 months during which my mum cared for her in our home and she died there. She never got over that and it was the catalyst for her own death in the end.