Woman kills herself. . . . .

[Carsman]

. . . well kind of.

A terminally ill woman Brittany Maynard, only "29", (with inoperable brain cancer) moved to Oregon, so she could legally end her life with dignity.
She ended her life over the weekend.

Hope to high heavens I don't ever have to make that decision.




Would you consider and or be able end it all if faced with a terminal illness?

[ramseycat]

I read about that this morning. I respect her right to make the decision to end her life on her own terms. My son asked me if I would have helped my brother end his life if he had wanted to. I said no, I couldn't do it. I can totally understand why he round want to but I am not strong enough to help him or anyone do it.

[QueenBee]

I have been following her story. Part of me says that yes I would do it, but I am not sure if I would be brave enough. I know I do not have family who would fight my decision (think Teri Schaivo), so that would not be an issue.

[Duchess]

I've been aware of this story for a couple weeks and I saw Brittany interviewed, her Mom & husband as well. It's a very sad story but uplifting in a bizarre way. It really means something to those in that kind of situation to have some control, to know they don't have to suffer. Right now I'd say I couldn't do it but I've never experienced excruciating pain either. I do know for sure that I'd never want anyone to have to care for my most basic needs and that's what it comes down to, pain and taking care of myself. If I'm in a place where that is my reality then I would probably welcome death.

[Duchess]

This is Brittany -

[sally]

I wouldn't want any life support if I went into cardiac arrest or a coma or anything, but I think I'd want to fight it until it just took me naturally. I don't think I'd want to rush death, I'd want to be with my children as long as possible. But there's really no way to say since I don't know what it's like to be terminally ill with debilitating and excruciating pain.

[blueberryhill]

She stood her ground and did it her way. Kudos for her and prayers for the family. What a brave decision she made in the name of Death with Dignity.
Our quality of life should take precedence over everything else; our society usually does not adequately deal with the extreme pain of some cancers.. We tend to treat our pets more humanely than our terminally ill citizens. May she rest in peace.
I have already talked to my family about establishing residency (6 months in Oregon) in the event I reach this point. It should be choice of the person who is suffering and as such, family members will agree with this decision. No one has right to deny someone the right to die with dignity.
This girl was having unbearable pain and was unable to function without medical assistance.
We need to discuss death more in our society and options available when unable to function without medical intervention.

[Midwest Spy]

Her mother was just crushed.

As much as any parent would be losing a child, at any age.

I'm happy that she was able to choose the time and place, but, just 29, very sad.

[Maggot]

Death is not the end so it doesn't bother me. Tears are for the ones left living. Ruining a family financially, medical "experts" are the new vampires.



Hey!!! My avatar is gone! SOB! My head is gone! Anyone seen my head?

[HairOfTheDog]

She stood her ground and did it her way. Kudos for her and prayers for the family. What a brave decision she made in the name of Death with Dignity.
Our quality of life should take precedence over everything else; our society usually does not adequately deal with the extreme pain of some cancers.. We tend to treat our pets more humanely than our terminally ill citizens. May she rest in peace.
I have already talked to my family about establishing residency (6 months in Oregon) in the event I reach this point. It should be choice of the person who is suffering and as such, family members will agree with this decision. No one has right to deny someone the right to die with dignity.
This girl was having unbearable pain and was unable to function without medical assistance.
We need to discuss death more in our society and options available when unable to function without medical intervention.

Really well said. I see the right to choose death in much the same way.

In response to Cars' question -- yeah, I could pull the plug on myself rather than waiting for nature or disease (or
God, in some people's opinions) to shut my body down permanently. I think it should be my right to do so without anybody legally interfering.

[Maggot]

Ever since I was 10 and had a real bad earache and had my dream, that was the day I realized that death was not the end. Picture a zillion people talking and in the middle a hole that sucked the sound into a coherent sentence that said "You are one" as I left my body and listened into my parents conversation from the third floor of my house to the pool where my brothers and sister was raising hell. They were arguing about the electric bill as they sat drinking cold beer from the big jelly jars that welshes put out that year. It wasn't until a few days later when at the dinner table I told my parents what they were talking about and they both got spooked and yelled at me for listening. I never left my bed that day and can still remember the sound of a zillion voices.


Can anyone see my tank guy?

[Duchess]

Yes, I see him.

[Maggot]

............AH-Ha!!! Another reason for going the extra mile and not caring about tomorrow.

F R E E D O M !!!

[aussiefriend]

I always thought that Tank Guy was Maggot IRL. That's why LC had to go into the archives to get it for him.

Re Brittany, I worked in Palliative Care and they dope them up and it sort of already happens, this was more a statement of something else.

[Maggot]

I always thought that Tank Guy was Maggot IRL. That's why LC had to go into the archives to get it for him.

Re Brittany, I worked in Palliative Care and they dope them up and it sort of already happens, this was more a statement of something else.

It's actually from an old film from Life magazine that was never published. I thought it was contemporary for even todays world.

You made me lookup Palliative Care. It does not sound like a great occupation. I don't think I could do it. But being the compassionate idiot that I am I might even call it a brave vocation for someone with a split personality. A person that can forget things on the long ride home.

[aussiefriend]

It's an honor at times Maggot to help people when they are that vulnerable, and God is close to them and you are helping their families too, they are on the end of what has probably been a very hard journey.

I would love to work with you in the psych ward big M, but you would have to ditch all your right wing Obama talk, they are all a bunch of raving lefties in there. ha.

[Duchess]

I would love to work with you in the psych ward big M

You & Maggot...together...on a psych ward.

I want to watch.

[username]

I think ending your own life (under certain circumstances) ought to be an option. It seems to be working ok in the couple of states that allow it.

The only thing I think she did wrong was announcing the day she planned to end her life 3 or 4 weeks ago. Why would you do that? It's a decision that should be based (I think) entirely on how you're feeling on that day and when you can honestly tell yourself "enough". Two weeks ago, she posted a video where she seemed to be changing her mind about the date; I wonder if she just stuck with it because she'd already put it out there. Clearly NOT a good reason to go through with it.

[Duchess]

Two weeks ago, she posted a video where she seemed to be changing her mind about the date

I think I may have seen that one. I recall her saying in one of the interviews that she had been having good days and I know she went to the Grand Canyon and made memories with her family but I read later that her seizures were becoming more & more intense throughout the day/s and she was confined to a wheelchair at that point. Things weren't going to get better, they would just continue to get worse. I saw her Mom say she had told Brittany early on that it would be her honor to care for her, to feed her and diaper her. Brittany was her Mom's only child :(

If only bad things were reserved for bad people.

[Maggot]

I would love to work with you in the psych ward big M

You & Maggot...together...on a psych ward.

I want to watch.

I could be in charge of handing out the drugs!