A Dignified Death

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The link here is to the Boston Sunday Globe article "Dying Wishes" which is about a little discussed topic of death with dignity.  In addition to explaining what Death with Dignity means it offers the reader the ability to vote yea or nay to this procedure if it were put to a vote. Very few want to discuss this but I believe in speaking truth and looking reality in the face.

I vote a resounding yes to death with dignity or assisted suicide for TERMINALLY ILL patients.  Both from tortured personal experience and the experience of many friends and relatives it is UNBELIEVABLE how horrendous it is for the patient to endure debilitating and freedom depriving terminal illness and how easy it is for others to deny themselves that freedom of choice.  Moreover, by doing so they deny it to everyone else as well.  It is an understatement to say a terminal illness is a horror of the greatest magnitude to endure and that it should be up to the person suffering it to make the ultimate decision for him or herself either by a health care proxy or, if possible, by oneself to either endure the suffering or end it.  One's body is one's own.  The suffering major religions require a human being to endure is  unconscionable.  I would even aver that religion is in the business of suffering and it is in its own vested and monetary interest to encourage one to endure unspeakable pain because then one goes to it for relief. I do not believe anyone can make that life or death decision for me but me.

I never want to give my hard earned bucks to a disgusting nursing home. The nursing home business is a multi-million buck scam as is the cancer pharmaceuticals business.  The drug companies do not want cures for cancer by funding stem cell research, DNA research or environmental contributors to the cancer albatross around everyone's neck to once and for all end that multifaceted malodorous malady.  Slashing, burning or poisoning is the still, after decades, the treatment de jour for cancer.  The so called "war on cancer" is over thirty years old and there is, as in other wars our nation fights, no end in site. The so called "walk for the cure" of Komens does not want a cure they want people to give money to Komens for Komens.  It's a big business and it translates in to BILLIONS for the cancer industry while it sucks dry those who are unlucky enough to get the disease or have a close family member that does. Even if they can buy some time if treatment is available they are often not rich enough to treat it effectively and insurance companies, naturally, will not pay for much of it and most especially will not pay for experimental treatment.

If our culture euthanizes beloved pets because it is the humane thing to do is it no less so for a human being?  I will vote yes for a death with dignity bill if it appears on the Massachusetts ballot in November!  You can accept this difficult decision or reject it as you choose but leave that choice up to me.

http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/articles/2012/04/29/death_with_dignity_act/