Sounds like she got more than the full 20 minutes.
Posted on 08/11/2016 1:56:20 PM PDT by rey
In early July, Betsy Davis emailed her closest friends and relatives to invite them to a two-day party, telling them: "These circumstances are unlike any party you have attended before, requiring emotional stamina, centeredness and openness."
And just one rule: No crying in front of her.
The 41-year-old artist with ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease, held the gathering to say farewell before becoming one of the first Californians to take a take a lethal dose of drugs under the state's new doctor-assisted suicide law for the terminally ill.
(Excerpt) Read more at pressdemocrat.com ...
I am facing a possible life without living, no cure, just know that at some point the treatments will fail. Wife and I have already considered this. No reason to be kept alive and suffer and that means the both of us.
I am not fond of these Kevorkian morals.
See the movie - “The Invitation” on Netflix.
“Being kept alone artificially is not natural, I do not have problems with people saying no to that technology.”
That’s exactly right and thank you for bringing this point up. My father suffered from the progressively debilitating effects of ALS for three years. The only thing he demanded of us was not to keep him alive by mechanical means a la Stephen Hawking. It’s horror enough to watch a loved one die one muscle at a time. It’s hell on Earth to be the one going through it. My dad did not commit suicide but he certainly did not want his life prolonged one second longer. Nor did we, for that matter.
Shouldn’t the movie have been the original M*A*S*H?
I wonder if she is still partying?
I really feel for anyone with such a condition, but cannot condone it either. There’s a big difference between deciding to not prolong life and suicide. This was an assisted suicide.
For the believer in Christ, this world is as bad as it will ever be, but for the non-believer, this world is as good as it will ever be. I suspect she regretted her decision less than a minute into eternity.
Sounds like she got more than the full 20 minutes.
Probably not.
Well if we have a right to control what medical care we get, then we can accept what we want and decline what we want, when we want.
We can say no. Our greatest power.
No scorekeepers until you get over there. It’s kind of like gambling, you put your money down and hope you come out a winner.
You’re doing the right thing to discuss the options now, as uncomfortable as it may be. It’s a private decision. Only a few people need to know right now anyway.
Your mom sounds like a great woman. Thank you for sharing a tender letter but also one of faith, courage and strength.
sjb
I tell you this from a relative who has ALS and does tons of research on whats going on....
From the time I was a kid I imagined that if you committed suicide your punishment would be to live your exact life over again and over again “Groundhog Day” style until you got it right and didn’t commit suicide.
She left the most important Person off her guest list . . .the Lord Jesus Christ. A missed opportunity to witness to friends and loved ones. Maybe she did and it was not mentioned in the story . . some journalists do tend to overlook including relationships with the Lord.
I won't judge this woman in the story....if I was told I had ALS I would not want to keep on.....I would try to stay alive to get some bills paid off, straighten up the house, get rid of a bunch of my clothes, distribute things to kids or nieces and nephews and then settle down and hop I go to heaven.
I have an old college friend who played basketball. Two years ago he could not swallow, was down to 120 lbs (he is 6’7”)and in a wheel chair with ALS. Today he is up to 267 lbs, drives himself around, and walks with a cane. I thought he would have died a year ago. I don’t know how or why, but he is doing pretty well.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.