Yep, the man who thrust assisted suicide onto the national stage has passed away. He had a lot of publicity for a while but ended up in jail for a while and kind of fell off the national radar, along with his issue.
Both my parents have told me that they want no extraordinary measures to keep them alive. Shortly before my mother had her stroke, she even told me that she (a staunch Catholic most of her life) could definitely understand where he was coming from. She passed away in '94 from a combination of an auto accident/stroke (accident first, then stroke, the combination was just too much and it was before the clot busters that can help minimize the effects of stroke came on the market). I didn't have to make that decision with her, but still might be faced with it with my father.
As for myself, I can think of circumstances where helping nature take its course would be my choice. I also can understand the people who want to build in lots of safeguards to prevent abuse of the system since I sure don't want someone else making the decision for me!
I ran into Dr. Jack. He was collecting signature at the East Lansing Art Fair while I was in graduate school to get an assisted suicide question on the ballot in Michigan. I stopped, watched a spirited and fun but civil debate he was having with bystanders, signed his petition, shook his hand and wished him luck.
The issue has really fallen off the national radar the last decade or so. It's a shame it takes someone actively breaking the law to spark the discussion.
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Hale, Actually I don't think for ONE moment that Jack did anything wrong. Unless I am naive, and don't know enough facts, he didn't FORCE anyone into ending their lives? Personally I AM NOT going to go on to live like a blubbering idiot when I can no longer function, or have a disease that has NO cure ie: my sister had. I WILL find a way to end the misery. I find It simply amazing that this ignorant Government of ours can allow the destruction of a child by abortion, but assisted suicide is not legal. "I'm just saying"
I agree. The worst thing would be to have a stroke or something that physically prevented me from committing suicide even if I wanted to.
It's good to have a living will on file with your doctor and at the hospital(s) of your choice, specifying what, if any, life-saving measures you want taken in the event of an emergency. A friend has me down as the guy who decides to pull the plug if it comes to that. He wants no extraordinary measures taken. I asked him why he didn't name a family member. He said, "I'm afraid they wouldn't do it." I guess it would lighten their burden, too, if none of them had to make the decision . . . but I hope I never have to make it.
Final Exit. My religion says when I die, I die. End of story. No Valhalla for me thank you. Not having a invisible friend that's going to make it all nice nice when I kick and the last gasp is really, the-last-gasp, I hang around when others might have checked out. I have my limits, but the last scare seems to be healing and the world is so completely and interestingly fucked up, it's like watching a train wreck from the Grand Stands.
When the day hits that I have a stroke, just toss me in the bed and call the hospice line. I'm done. No warehousing for me thank you. No food, but lots of water and drugs. Suicide is the ultimate don't ask, don't tell, unless you have a Living Will and a Strong POA.
Was Jack an Atheist by the way?
Personally I always found Dr. Jack to be a hero. Prosecuting him was a travesty.
But then again we are dealing with the government. The same people who will revive a death row heart attack victim, only to put him to death.
Rest In Peace Dr. Jack.
It isn't easy to enact a POA, regardless of the legal paperwork in place and numerous confirmations in advance of the sick person's wishes. You think you have everything in place and some righteous nurse's or doctor's religious beliefs get in the way.... they "counsel" the sick person, who then can't make sound decisions of where they are with regard to their medical situation. ie: your mind doesn't always know the trouble your body is in. I've witnessed this first hand.
Everyone exits. There should be a respectful and painless exit available when medicine can no longer offer recovery or a fruitful life. It can be done, but you have to find the right doctors.
Kervorkian did a lot to bring this issue to the forefront. I hope for his sake his passing was swift and painless. He was a little kooky, especially in later years, but then who is to judge?
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