Doctor Assisted Suicide

Had someone asked me a few years ago what my stance was on doctor assisted suicide, I probably would've jumped down their throat and told them that they had no right to decide who lived and who died.

I've been around death since the age of 12, when my first friend committed suicide. Since then, I've lost three other friends to suicide--and you'd think I would be the biggest supporter against any form of suicide.

But lately, I think my views on doctor assisted suicide have changed more and more.

My grandmother, my dad's mom, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's a couple of years ago. Above are pictures that were taken nine months ago.

Nine months ago, you could tell that grandma was struggling. She was sleeping more, tripping over some words, clearly having memory issues--but you could still see the life in her eyes--the evidence is right there.

In the time it takes to make a life, one has been taken away.

Grandma is still alive, but 'alive' can have different definitions, can't it? Some days she's forgotten how to walk, which has resulted in three ER trips, a recent hip fracture (and thus partial hip replacement surgery), she can't feed herself anymore, she's angry (which isn't a known grandma quality) more and more and there isn't anything we can do about it.

My grandmother has always been the one reminding me that she's been praying for me when I'm sick. That even though it seems hopeless, she has hope. And now, she's suffering. I don't know anyone who has been wholly Christian, wholly wonderful, and she is constantly confused, in pain, lonely and just doesn't understand.

So before I go any further, let me define doctor assisted suicide.

"Assisted suicide is the common term for actions by which an individual helps another person voluntarily bring about his or her own death. "Assistance" may mean providing one with the means (drugs or equipment) to end one's own life, but may extend to other actions. It differs to euthanasia where another person ends the life."

There's the argument that there's no place for doctor assisted suicide in society. That it's just downright wrong.

But I ask you this: Have you sat by someone's bedside, when they're begging you to kill them because they're in constant pain and confusion and don't want to be a burden? There is no cure for Alzheimer's. You cannot make some bullshit argument to me that there are "medical advancements" when I see people suffering every day. 

A British man, who had been paralyzed, went before his government and asked for them to approve doctor assisted suicide for him. He had talked this over with his family. He was in constant agony. They all understood he choice and where he was and yet his government said no.

I'm not saying that I agree with doctor assisted suicide in all situations. The cliche phrase of "this is a permanent solution to a temporary problem," that is so often associated with suicide is something that, in my eyes, does not apply to this. 

Do you have a cure for paralysis? 

Can you make my grandma remember me? Can you make her walk? Help her remember how to eat? 

Odds are, the answer to all of those questions are "no," but can you end her pain?

Would my grandma agree to this if she were coherent enough to understand what were going on? I don't know. It's not legal in Iowa or in Illinois, so it won't happen. She will continue to suffer and deteriorate before our eyes and there isn't a damn thing we can do about it except for pray that her suffering ends soon. 

And while doctor assisted suicide goes against my Christian beliefs--someone explain to me how it's fair to sit back and watch my grandmother, who has done no wrong in her life, has to sit back and suffer for God knows how long, while those on death row are guaranteed a lethal injection because of something terrible they've done?

They can rot in a cell. End the suffering of those who have done nothing bad. 


Please, if you disagree with me, comment. Email me. I want to hear what your opinion is on this topic.

“Bottom line is, even if you see 'em coming, you're not ready for the big moments. No one asks for their life to change, not really. But it does. So what are we, helpless? Puppets? No. The big moments are gonna come. You can't help that. It's what you do afterwards that counts. That's when you find out who you are.”
― Joss Whedon