Pray for an end to euthanasia in the United States!
Posted on 06/28/2009 11:48:50 AM PDT by wagglebee
BELLINGHAM -- The initiative that made Washington the second state to legalize physician-assisted suicide is the stuff of double-edged language and hard ethical choices.
"It is a fact of life. We need to live with it," Arline Hinckley of Compassion & Choices of Washington State, which supports the initiative, told a packed house Wednesday at Bellingham City Club.
"We have had two persons take advantage of the law in this state," she added.
But the Whatcom County Medical Society has asked opposing physicians -- those who will not help patients kill themselves -- to identify themselves. "Many have done that," said society president Dr. David Lynch.
St. Joseph Hospital, run by the Catholic-affiliated PeaceHealth organization, will not permit hospital employees to be present when a person commits suicide, and no on-duty physician can prescribe a lethal drug dose.
"What we will be doing is living our mission, which is relieving pain and suffering," said Nancy Steiger, a former cancer nurse who runs the hospital.
Unlike debate over Initiative 1000 last fall -- in which supporters of assisted suicide outspent opponents by a 3-to-1 margin -- the Bellingham City Club forum was free of what moderator Bob Simmons called "careless and polarizing language."
It actually revealed a bit of common ground.
The advocate, the doctor, and the hospital administrator made variations of the same point: People in the prime of life need to think the unthinkable and talk about the inevitable. Nobody gets out of death.
"Have those discussions now while you are able," said Dr. Lynch. "We have a kind of death-denying society."
He argued as follows: People need to ponder in advance whether they want to be kept on life-support systems, prepare a living will, talk to their physician, and decide on a power of attorney if incapacitated.
As Hinckley noted, a pair of young women struck down unexpectedly -- Karen Ann Quinlan and Terri Schiavo -- lay comatose as loved ones and politicians debated whether to withdraw life support. The Schiavo case ran through federal and state courts.
If common ground has a location, it is hospice care and a hospice residence, where the terminally ill can be at peace and prepare mentally and spiritually for the end of life.
St. Joseph Hospital is in the process of building a hospice house, a 15-bed facility where, in Steiger's words, "people can die in a homelike setting."
The question came up, however: Will patients at the St. Joseph hospice house be allowed to commit suicide on the premises?
No.
The purpose of the hospice will be "relieving pain and suffering, not to end life," Steiger said.
Patients who want to die could still exercise the "right" given them under I-1000. They can obtain lethal medication outside the PeaceHealth system, then go home or to another facility. In Oregon, first state to legalize assisted suicide, 80 percent of 341 deaths under the law have taken place at home.
"It's a question of don't ask, don't tell," observed Lynch.
The "ethical discernment" by doctors, on whether to help patients end their lives, has divided the medical profession.
"As physicians, we have taken an oath to do no harm, not to engage in any activity that would hasten death," said Lynch. Some doctors who are willing to assist in suicides "are just shy in taking out an ad on it."
"I haven't met any physician who wants to be known as 'Dr. Death,'" added Steiger. "Dr. Death" is the nickname of retired Michigan pathologist Dr. Jack Kevorkian, jailed for his activities in assisting death.
But if confidentiality is protected, Hinckley observed, "Many (physicians) are coming along." Compassion & Choices "wants to help people who want to use this law."
The new law includes, in Hinckley's words, "multiple steps" where a patient's ability to make a decision is evaluated.
"Should an evaluation by a mental health professional be a requirement?" asked Simmons.
"Requiring another person in this situation, when the patient is obviously competent, is inappropriate," Hinckley replied.
The carefully constructed language of advocates was on display at Bellingham City Club. Assisted suicide is "death with dignity." Taking your life is "taking advantage of the law." The lethal cocktail of fast-acting barbiturates is "medication."
"It is basically dying in your sleep," said Hinckley.
At St. Joseph Hospital, medication to relieve pain is administered even if it does hasten the end of life.
Still, argued Steiger, that "is very different than prescribing a drug that ends life."
One truth holds: Aside from those suddenly stricken, nobody can escape life-and-death decisions -- at times requiring the patience of Job and wisdom of Solomon -- so calmly discussed on Wednesday.
Better title would be, “How will Washington’s medically vulnerable
live with it?”
Govenment will make this easy. The language used is usually is something like: “she’s not a good candidate” due to age, “no dialysis/surgery/Phama over age 55”.
They make death sound like a natural thing, if you are over 55.
Perfect example: http://www.nahu.org/media/singlepayervideo.cfm
Every regular citizen will be medically vulnerable, les.
Less health care, not more. Everything Obama says is the opposite of his actual plans.
George Soros’ ERGOS organization. They have a website. I think they’re out of Denver.
The same way they live with the assisted murder otherwise known as Abortion.
Agreed!
If they aren’t when they go in, they will be shortly thereafter.
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