[Marie]

I agree that the patient needs to make their wishes clear *before* the end comes.

But I disagree with so many here that this is a cruel practice.

My grandfather died of pancreatic cancer about 7 years ago.

He was in total *agony*, yet was denied pain medicine because “he might become addicted” and “it could be bad for him”.

For the love of all that’s holy - the man was terminal. He was in his mid-80’s and there was absolutely NO hope of him pulling through. Yet he had to suffer in screaming pain for *WEEKS*.

I’ve let my family know my wishes. If I’m terminal and in pain - drug me to the moon and beyond. If the pain meds hasten my death - don’t sweat it.

I will NOT go out like grandpa did.

Heck, I wouldn’t let my *dog* suffer like my grandpa did.

[dsc]

“Yet he had to suffer in screaming pain for *WEEKS*.”

How would you regard the possibility of the relatives of such a person obtaining painkillers illegally, and administering them without prescription?

[HiTech RedNeck]

There’s no ethical or moral objection to taking a quantifiable risk to life on a medication used for some other reason, as long as responsible people understand the risk.

The older “war on drugs” mentality was loath to dish out opiates for any purpose, lest the business in same increase and they be seen as more acceptable. That was immoral.

I’m surprised that modern medicine hasn’t been able to top morphine, a chemical known for over 100 years, in pain killing capability. A few have suggested heroin (acetylmorphine) as allowing for a more cheerful mental state if one must be heavily drugged and no recovery from the condition is expected. The modern “war on drugs” in all its vigor manages to interdict something like 10% of the flow of all kinds of high-inducing and addictive stuff into the USA, so I can’t see the harm of adding heroin back to the pharmacopoeia. But not all agree.

[70times7]

I want to go like my uncle did - restfully asleep. I DON'T want to go in terrified panic like the passengers in his car...

Seriously, you have my condolences and my agreement. What they did to your grandfather was horrible and unnecessary.

I, unfortunately, have too much experience with this issue. I have been through this issue with my and my wife's father, and with our daughter. I can understand and completely appreciate the competeing positions: that God alone should decide when someone's life should end, and that drugs should be used to end the life and or suffering of a person.

I urge those who have never really confronted this to restrain themselves. You are certainly entitled to believe you know what you would do. You may even actually do that. And you may not. But it is not really possible to know until you get there.

I pray you never need to get there.

[spectre]

When my own dear Mother was in her final hours suffering from kidney failure she was screaming in pain.

When I requested more pain killers, her Doctor told me that he had just given her morphine by mouth 30 minutes earlier and that more meds would only be for "the family" and not for her. WTH did he mean by that? And I told him WE weren't in PAIN, she was.

I can't recall what else I said because I was livid with panic and rage helplessly observing Mom's horrible suffering. Finally, he reluctantly increased her dosage enough to put her in a painfree sleep.

She died several hours later with the look of peace on her face. I did my duty as her daughter. I pray someone is there for me if I ever get that bad.