It's legal to die with dignity in Oregon
Again.
If my memory serves me correctly, the voters of Oregon voted on this subject in 1994.
1994 people.
We voted on that measure just a few weeks after my first child was born, (who is now eleven...)
And we approved it.
In 1994.
Through the past eleven years, this measure, which was voted into law was ripped to shreds and everyone who could tried to stop it from happening. (For the full timeline, go here.)
The Supreme Court voted today to uphold Oregon's Physician Assisted Suicide law making it legal (or actually making it "not-illegal") for doctors to prescribe drugs to terminally ill patients that would end their lives.
End their suffering.
I guess the thing that irritates although somewhat amuses me is that doctors have been prescribing lethal doses of medication to dying people since the invention of those drugs; in all states, all over the place, they just don't advertise it. It's done in hospitals, in nursing homes, and in hospice care, every single day.
My grandfather was given a large dose of Morphine before being transferred from a hospital to an extended care facility. When he arrived at the said extended care facility, he was given another large dose of Morphine and died very soon after. Was this an accident?
Nope.
My grandfather had pulled the doctor aside, had a private conversation with him about his lack of quality of life, and the doctor complied.
Is anyone in my family upset?
Nope.
It was my grandfathers wishes and it was his life.
And it was between him and his doctor; and his creator.
I'm grateful that my grandfather didn't sit in a nursing home without any hope of recovering from his illness, in misery, lonley, and suffering.
I'm glad that he was able to determine how and when his suffering would end, even if the Supreme Court says that he doesn't have any constituional right to do so.
Why is it that it's "okay" to do certain things as long as we don't "talk" about them or validate them in some way? As long as it's not brought into the public eye or discussed or made a part of our society, the people oppossed to such things are all right with them?
It's such fucking hypocrisy.
After eleven years, the people of Oregon can LEGALLY be prescribed medication to LEGALLY end their lives and do something that has been being done illegally, although known about, for decades.
Eleven years and MILLIONS of dollars later to basically maintain the status quo.
Great use of everyone's time and money.
If my memory serves me correctly, the voters of Oregon voted on this subject in 1994.
1994 people.
We voted on that measure just a few weeks after my first child was born, (who is now eleven...)
And we approved it.
In 1994.
Through the past eleven years, this measure, which was voted into law was ripped to shreds and everyone who could tried to stop it from happening. (For the full timeline, go here.)
The Supreme Court voted today to uphold Oregon's Physician Assisted Suicide law making it legal (or actually making it "not-illegal") for doctors to prescribe drugs to terminally ill patients that would end their lives.
End their suffering.
I guess the thing that irritates although somewhat amuses me is that doctors have been prescribing lethal doses of medication to dying people since the invention of those drugs; in all states, all over the place, they just don't advertise it. It's done in hospitals, in nursing homes, and in hospice care, every single day.
My grandfather was given a large dose of Morphine before being transferred from a hospital to an extended care facility. When he arrived at the said extended care facility, he was given another large dose of Morphine and died very soon after. Was this an accident?
Nope.
My grandfather had pulled the doctor aside, had a private conversation with him about his lack of quality of life, and the doctor complied.
Is anyone in my family upset?
Nope.
It was my grandfathers wishes and it was his life.
And it was between him and his doctor; and his creator.
I'm grateful that my grandfather didn't sit in a nursing home without any hope of recovering from his illness, in misery, lonley, and suffering.
I'm glad that he was able to determine how and when his suffering would end, even if the Supreme Court says that he doesn't have any constituional right to do so.
Why is it that it's "okay" to do certain things as long as we don't "talk" about them or validate them in some way? As long as it's not brought into the public eye or discussed or made a part of our society, the people oppossed to such things are all right with them?
It's such fucking hypocrisy.
After eleven years, the people of Oregon can LEGALLY be prescribed medication to LEGALLY end their lives and do something that has been being done illegally, although known about, for decades.
Eleven years and MILLIONS of dollars later to basically maintain the status quo.
Great use of everyone's time and money.
posted by Kathryn at
4:45 PM
14 Comments:
You do realize that you are talking about the same people who believe intelligent design should be taught as science, right. Why would this be any different? They won't stop until we are all a bunch of straight, bible toting, republicans.
I didn't know that happened today. I haven't seen the news yet today.
It is about time this got settled. It was the shrub (LOL...Thanks Kami...that is GWB fo anyone who doesn't know who shrub is:)that was trying to block assisted suicide to begin with.
zoe was right on it with her comment. I am glad it is settled now. I think we voted on it twice if I remember correctly.
Thanks for the news update WOo!
Shelly
Wow! Go Oregon!
SHelly - you're cracking me up.
Shrub = little bush. ;)
I'm glad they have this option for people but I have to tell you, that having to actually make that decision makes me sad.
Ok this is a total hot button for me so I will apologize in advance for the following rant. WHy do we want less for our community than we want for our pets. No one ever debates whether or not we should put down an animal who is terminally ill and no longer has a quality of life. My poor grandmother was terminally ill with lung cancer and the Doctors couldn't do anything to help end her misery. Finally she was so ill she could no longer eat for herself and at that point her DNR allowed them to not give her a feeding tube and so she starverd to death. My family is so greatful to this day that they finally had an option but would have rather allowed her to have a choice in the matter so she could have died with dignity and wothout as much suffering. So I say way to go Oregan I am happy you are finally allowing people to have a choice. I wish you could have done it sooner.
I soooo agree with this and you! It is amazing that after all those years the Supreme Court finally said, YES!..And that just squeaked by fro what I read...yes...alomst 40 years ago my mothers doctor who was a hunan man, gave her something that he said.."she will go to sleep and then she will just sleep her life away"...that was as close as he could express the fact that he was helping her to die...Thank God! Many many other people I have jnown...particularly some AIDS patients who's lives had reache a point where there was no quailty..requested the Morphine Drip, and got it. I was there and I know. Again...Everyone who loved and cared for each of these people was deeply gratefuland Thankful, too, and said so...
Where is the humanity of these Right Wing Religeous Fanatical People???? From what I can see, there is none, across the board.
Well said xx
Why is it that we will put our pets out of their misery, but not ourselves? I think if the patient (or the patient's family - if he is not able to decide) should have the absolute right to do this.
Well said, RSG.
First of All... Anyone got a puppy willing to go relieve itself on the Shrub?
Second of All... I want to thank Karin and Tammy for mentioning pets. This is a hot topic for me. I do not have kids, and at the moment I do not plan on having any (although that may change someday). I do, however, have furr-kids.
Furr-kids are just as important to me as people. They are the ONLY thing in this world who understand and exemplify the true meaning of the Agape-unconditional love that God had intended for us to know on a daily basis. Without furr-kids our lives would not be the same.
We put horses to sleep after getting splinters in their hoofs, we put dogs and cats to sleep if they break a bone, we put fishes to sleep by just filling their fishtanks with Waco, TX water.
Just two days ago, there was a story in California about an old man, blind, deaf, in a wheelchair, diabetes, heart problems, etc... who was claiming it would be Cruel and Unusual Punishment to have him executed for his crimes. Our government dollars used to their fullest potential, when his heart stopped they actually had doctors bring him back to life so that they could put him back on death row.
The Shrub is a huge advocate of death row and its results, yet we aren't allowed to end our own lives when we are terminally ill?
Sounds like Shrub Mafia thinking to me. If I get sick, I'm moving to Oregon.
I love how liberal Oregon is.....now if we could just get the federal govt. to follow suite. They are always sticking their noses into our business here. If we vote something into law (dr. assisted suicide, medical marijuana and hopefully one day soon legal unions for same sex couples) GWB and his cronies need to leave us alone and let us live our peaceful, liberal blue state lives. I'm just sayin.
Angie
Thanks for the great comments and input everyone. I can't believe I didn't get any flaming for this one...
I think I may have to move to Oregon. At least things seem more progressive up there. I remember when this first got passed way back when.
I would absolutely want to have this option for myself of a loved one if it w ere necessary. What's the point of suffering.
If a person is in intense pain with no hope in sight, I think it's their right to decide whether to go out with dignity or to suffer.
Great comparison to our pets. When my dog's back legs became paralized, she wasn't in any pain but her standard of life wouldn't have been the same because she couldn't walk. It broke my heart to have her put to sleep but to keep her alive would have been selfish. It's been more than three years and I still miss her dearly (she was 17.5 years old) but I made the right decision for you.
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