[Vicky.]

Having a kind of personal dilemma about this at the moment and thought it might open up an interesting discussion. Do you think people of sound mind should have the option to die if they chose to?

My thinking is this. If their body was cooperating, they could kill themselves easily. So why is the option removed once your body gives up?

Basically, my uncle is dying. There is no cure that could help him realistically as is 95 years old. He is currently confined to a care home as he is bedridden...however his mind is completely there, like he doesn't have dementia or anything...yesterday he was talking about holidays we went on 20 years ago that my parents could barely remember. He is not in any pain currently however he has aggressive pancreatic cancer so the pain WILL come at some stage. The care home are ready for this and already have painkillers set up so they can sort if quickly. However, he is basically bedridden waiting for death to come. He has started refusing his medication in the hope that a stroke or heart attack gets him fast. my brother went to see him last week and he asked my brother to 'please just help me die'...

Do you think in this instance...it should be allowed? I don't mean family smothering them with a pillow or something but maybe an overdose of morphine so they go peacefully?

I know there is controversy surrounding this...but I genuinely cannot see how anyone could think that whats happening to people like my uncle is ok. Obviously when dementia and such is involved it becomes a very grey area as the mind is not totally there so they may not know what they are asking for.

Obviously my uncle is not in any fit state to fly to Switzerland to Dignitas. As his body has completely given up. So his only option is to lie in a bed in a carehome and count down the minutes until death. Hopefully it will be soon, stats say it should be but what if he is one who survives it for years? The thought is just horrendous tbh...

Basically I think our laws around assisted suicide are ****ed up. It should be decided on a case by case basis IMO, rather than a blanket ban.

I cannot go to see my uncle alone as if he asks me to help him, I know I will be really tempted to do it, to end his suffering. And I know I would be arrested for it and have to leave my children.