I may need to pull it back a bit to basics. Is "assisted suicide" the same as "do not resussitate" or "taking someone off life support"? Where is the line drawn?
I draw the line at the point where the person has lost control of bodily function in a non-responsive state. The "someone else has to take over" point. If the person still has agency and actively seeks death...to me that is "assisted suicide." Is that the definition?
Background: My grandmother had terminal cancer. She was given a few months to live when I was about 4. She was given supportive services such as a visiting "nurse" who attended to keeping her sane and giving her companionship. Gladys helped all of us understand what grandma was going through and helped grandma by providing a link to the outside world. I'm not sure if she was given any other psych support. Long story short...my grandmother lived until I was about 12 or 13. Mom came home at one point and sat my brother and I down...asking us (yes, the 12 year old and the 9 year old) if we would understand if she had to decide to take grandma off life support. We did. I've always advocated living by a person's wishes for DNR or other end of life things. I'm conflicted on "assisted suicide" but willing to debate it and understand it.
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Date: 2010-06-24 04:19 am (UTC)I draw the line at the point where the person has lost control of bodily function in a non-responsive state. The "someone else has to take over" point. If the person still has agency and actively seeks death...to me that is "assisted suicide." Is that the definition?
Background: My grandmother had terminal cancer. She was given a few months to live when I was about 4. She was given supportive services such as a visiting "nurse" who attended to keeping her sane and giving her companionship. Gladys helped all of us understand what grandma was going through and helped grandma by providing a link to the outside world. I'm not sure if she was given any other psych support. Long story short...my grandmother lived until I was about 12 or 13. Mom came home at one point and sat my brother and I down...asking us (yes, the 12 year old and the 9 year old) if we would understand if she had to decide to take grandma off life support. We did. I've always advocated living by a person's wishes for DNR or other end of life things. I'm conflicted on "assisted suicide" but willing to debate it and understand it.