America has problems, but America is NOT THE PROBLEM!~
euthanasia.
Published on August 30, 2005 By Moderateman In Health & Medicine
After hearing for the umpteenth time about a friends mother or father suffering long protracted incurable illness, The thought came to me it's about time the United States got off its high religious horse and started doing something about this.

To allow a person with no hope of a cure, living in excruciating pain for months on end to continue to live is a gross crime.

Powerful pain killers lose their potency and no longer can do what they are supposed to do.

Some kind of panel needs to be set up, comprised of a medical doctor, a psychiatrist, someone from the legal profession and one or two lay people with common sense.

The doctor can certify that indeed the patient in incurable and in great pain with no hope of a cure.

The psychiatrist can testify that the person is in their right mind and knows what is happening {lucid} and totally capable of making their own decision to suicide.

The lawyer is there to make sure all legal forms are followed.

The two lay people are there to balance out things and to have a say.

I for one do not want to see anymore of my loved ones die an agonizing slow death, while I stand by unable to do anything.

If I do take steps with the laws in place now I will be prosecuted for manslaughter at the very least.

Wake-up American people it's time we take some of our own lives back and be allowed to die with dignity.

Comments
on Aug 30, 2005
This form should be recognised in most parts of the USA.


PART 1. My Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care
______ I appoint this person to make decisions about my medical care if there ever comes a time when I cannot make those decisions myself. I want the person I have appointed, my doctors, my family and others to be guided by the decisions I have made in the parts of the form that follow.
Name:
Home telephone:
Work telephone:
Address:

If the person above cannot or will not make decisions for me, I appoint this person:
Name:
Home telephone:
Work telephone:
Address:

______ I have not appointed anyone to make health care decisions for me in this or any other document.
PART 2. My Living Will
These are my wishes for my future medical care if there ever comes a time when I can't make these decisions for myself.
A. These are my wishes if I have a terminal condition.
Life-sustaining treatments
______ I do not want life-sustaining treatment (including CPR) started. If life-sustaining treatments are started, I want them stopped.
______ I want the life-sustaining treatments that my doctors think are best for me.
______ Other wishes

Artificial nutrition and hydration
______ I do not want artificial nutrition and hydration started if they would be the main treatments keeping me alive. If artificial nutrition and hydration are started, I want them stopped.
______ I want artificial nutrition and hydration even if they are the main treatments keeping me alive.
______ Other wishes

Comfort care
______ I want to be kept as comfortable and free of pain as possible, even if such care prolongs my dying or shortens my life.
______ Other wishes

B. These are my wishes if I am ever in a persistent vegetative state.
Life-sustaining treatments
______ I do not want life-sustaining treatment (including CPR) started. If life-sustaining treatments are started, I want them stopped.
______ I want the life-sustaining treatments that my doctors think are best for me.
______ Other wishes

Artificial nutrition and hydration
______ I do not want artificial nutrition and hydration started if they would be the main treatments keeping me alive. If artificial nutrition and hydration are started, I want them stopped.
______ I want artificial nutrition and hydration even if they are the main treatments keeping me alive.
______ Other wishes

Comfort care
______ I want to be kept as comfortable and free of pain as possible, even if such care prolongs my dying or shortens my life.
______ Other wishes

C. Other directions
You have the right to be involved in all decisions about your medical care, even those not dealing with terminal conditions or persistent vegetative states. If you have wishes not covered in other parts of this document, please indicate them below.








PART 3. Other Wishes
A. Organ donation
______ I do not wish to donate any of my organs or tissues.
______ I want to donate all of my organs and tissues.
______ I only want to donate these organs and tissues:

______ Other wishes

B. Autopsy
______ I do not want an autopsy.
______ I agree to an autopsy if my doctors wish it.
______ Other wishes

C. Other statements about your medical care
If you wish to say more about any of the choices you have made or if you have any other statements to make about your medical care, you may do so on a separate piece of paper. If you do so, put here the number of pages you are adding: _________
PART 4. Signatures
You and two witnesses must sign this document before it will be legal.
A. Your signature
By my signature below, I show that I understand the purpose and the effect of this document.
Signature: Date:
Address:
B. Your witnesses' signatures
I believe the person who has signed this advance directive to be of sound mind, that he/she signed or acknowledged this advance directive in my presence and that he/she appears not to be acting under pressure, duress, fraud or undue influence. I am not related to the person making this advance directive by blood, marriage or adoption nor, to the best of my knowledge, am I named in his/her will. I am not the person appointed in this advance directive. I am not a health care provider or an employee of a health care provider who is now, or has been in the past, responsible for the care of the person making this advance directive.
Witness #1
Signature: Date:
Address:
Witness #2
Signature: Date:
Address:


on Aug 30, 2005
That is all fine and good Mano, but what of the person who is incapacitated before they can fill one of them out?
on Aug 30, 2005
I have my wishes in place. I am talking about the shortsighted, the indigent or the sudden onset for the young that have no such thing in place mano.
on Aug 30, 2005
#2 by Dr. Guy
Tuesday, August 30, 2005


That is all fine and good Mano, but what of the person who is incapacitated before they can fill one of them out?


darn it doc yours loaded while I was still typing. heh.
on Aug 30, 2005
but what of the person who is incapacitated before they can fill one of them out?


they have a problem
on Aug 30, 2005

darn it doc yours loaded while I was still typing. heh.

Great minds think alike!

on Aug 30, 2005

I'm available to Notarize documents similar to the one listed above in the state of Illinois....!

 

I'm all for advance directives and living wills.  I'm also a firm believer in euthanasia.  If I ever were to be diagnised with an incurable, devastating illness that would rob me of my ability to function, I think that I would want to be able to make the decision to end my life with my dignity intact.  I'm not saying that I would - I don't think a person can say what they would do until they're in that situation - but it would be really nice to know that I had that option.

 

 

on Aug 30, 2005
5 by Manopeace
Tuesday, August 30, 2005


but what of the person who is incapacitated before they can fill one of them out?


they have a problem


that's the point to protect them from unnecessary suffering.
on Aug 30, 2005
#7 by dharmagrl
Tuesday, August 30, 2005


I think that I would want to be able to make the decision to end my life with my dignity intact. I'm not saying that I would - I don't think a person can say what they would do until they're in that situation - but it would be really nice to know that I had that option.


the crux of it is we should have a choice, whether we use the option or not that should be up to us D.

btw how's dat tummy feelin?
on Aug 30, 2005
the crux of it is we should have a choice, whether we use the option or not that should be up to us D.


Exactly. it's an individual choice to use it, but it should at least be an option.

btw how's dat tummy feelin?


It's good; I'm going to go post a pic of it now. It's healing really well.
on Aug 30, 2005
btw how's dat tummy feelin?


It's good; I'm going to go post a pic of it now. It's healing really well.


wonderful... happy mm
on Aug 31, 2005
It's definately best to have all those things sorted out ahead of time. But you're right for those who don't and are faced with little choice. Having this kind of law in place would be a good thing.
on Nov 20, 2005
I could not agree more. I do not see why a person is made, by law, to live with illness and pain when doctors have told them: "there is no cure. Go home. Get your affairs in order. Take your last vacation..." Why must a person in this state be forced to wait until he is 90 pounds and the pain killers do not help. Personally, it's my belief, that when a person with a fatal illness is ready to go, they should be allowed to go, with dignity, with their head held high, and with peace of mind.
on Nov 20, 2005
My question is, why bring doctors into it. If a person is in that terrible situation, then let them take care of the situation themselves. Anyone in that much pain already has the means to do it... why all the panels and why change doctors from "above all, do know harm" to Dr. Kavorkian wannabes?