[Serious] Total locked in syndrome and assisted dying

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

How do you feel about euthanasia for someone who is suffering and wants to end it but is physically unable to do so himself?

As long as they are clearly able to express that wish, it should be honoured.

Boru

[Duty]

How do you feel about euthanasia for someone who is suffering and wants to end it but is physically unable to do so himself?

As long as they are clearly able to express that wish, it should be honoured.

Boru

There's suffering and then there's suffering and then there are Goths and Emos.

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

Moderator Notice
Removed 3 posts that failed to meet ‘Serious’ guidelines.

Boru

[zebo-the-fat]

How do you feel about euthanasia for someone who is suffering and wants to end it but is physically unable to do so himself?

As long as they are clearly able to express that wish, it should be honoured.

Boru

Last week I had my 15 year old dog euthenised, she was suffering and had no hope of recovery, it was the kindest thing to do... I would hope that if I was in the same position, someone would do the same for me. (Euthenised, killed, call it what you will, but she was not "put to sleep" that is a cop out for those who can't face the truth)

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

As long as they are clearly able to express that wish, it should be honoured.

Boru

Last week I had my 15 year old dog euthenised, she was suffering and had no hope of recovery, it was the kindest thing to do... I would hope that if I was in the same position, someone would do the same for me.  (Euthenised, killed, call it what you will, but she was not "put to sleep" that is a cop out for those who can't face the truth)

It’s never easy to have a pet euthanized. Imagine the agony of people having to make the same decision for a human family member.

Boru

[The Architect Of Fate]

Unless the person can give consent I can't support this

[brewer]

How do you feel about euthanasia for someone who is suffering and wants to end it but is physically unable to do so himself?

As long as they are clearly able to express that wish, it should be honoured.

Boru

I'd agree with this as long as other conditions were met. i.e. stable mental state, alternative solution failure, .....

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

I recently started work in a care home for people with profound neurological illnesses. Several of the residents can clearly be defined as being "totally locked in."  From wikipedia, for those unfamiliar with the term:

Locked-in syndrome (LIS), also known as pseudocoma, is a condition in which a patient is aware but cannot move or communicate verbally due to complete paralysis of nearly all voluntary muscles in the body except for vertical eye movements and blinking. The individual is conscious and sufficiently intact cognitively to be able to communicate with eye movements.[3]  results are normal in locked-in syndrome. Total locked-in syndrome, or completely locked-in state (CLIS), is a version of locked-in syndrome wherein the eyes are paralyzed as well.

They cannot move their eyes to communicate, they cannot eat or drink nor move a single muscle to, say, scratch their nose, and are kept alive through having nutrients pumped into their stomachs through a tube. To say these people have a low quality of life would be a serious understatement, IMO. I do not know how many are suffering with this globally, but it's probably far more prevalent than is commonly thought due to the taboo and, IMHO horrific nature of TLIS and, of course, the fact these afflicted people are incapable of speaking up for themselves.

It strikes me that given the likelihood these individuals are, shall we say, severely unhappy with their lot, that euthanasia seems the safer option rather than risking their living a protracted, potentially decades lone, living...well, hell. Sometimes it even crosses my mind that although I've moved into this line of work to care for people, what I'm actually doing is torturing many of them through sustaining their lives. Dark thoughts indeed.

Speaking for myself, if I could carry a card in my wallet that said "in the event of total locked in syndrome, please administer an overdose of morphine" I would. I'm in support of having the option of assisted suicide for those with agonising and incurable medical conditions anyway yet this graphic experience of caring for those locked in has doubled down my resolve on this issue, call it euthanasia if you will.

I've started campaigning with https://www.dignityindying.org.uk/ 

Thoughts and experiences? Thanks.

I agree with you if these people have been diagnosed as 'locked in' . I seem to remember a film with Robert De Niro as a locked in person.

However, if a formal diagnosis has not been made, you might be  making some unfounded assumptions. EG A person with catatonic schizophrenia can also present that way. Such people tend to be hyper aware and will at times come out of their condition.

I'm not happy with the notion of carrying a card.   Currently assisted dying is legal only in Victoria, with stringent conditions.  I'm confident the law will change in my state, but probably not within my lifetime.

I have an Advanced Care Directive. This is a legally binding document setting out my wishes at end of life. IE Palliative care only if I  have no quality of life. I have a copy, as does my doctor and each of my siblings. There is a form one fills out. The original and all copies must be certified by a Justice of The Peace.


I don't know how it is in your country, but euthanasia is commonly practiced in this country at aged care facilities. Although it's known by people in the  industry, this illegal so no one will talk about it in any formal way.

[arewethereyet]

Dad had a living will and a DNR but when it came time and he told the doctor...no more...the doctor still demanded to speak to someone in his family. Brother and sister hauled ass back to the midwest and left me and dad's lady friend to talk to the doctor to convince him that dad was in his right mind...Blah, Blah, Blah. But I was willing to do it so that his wishes would be carried out...he had suffered enough and the only end to things was a more and more painful death the longer he lingered.

Very recently, his lady friend took her own life, probably in part because she knew that her daughter wouldn't make the decision and she knew what we went through with dad.

Neither were pleasant but they made the choice of how to end their lives when either death or the inabilty to make decisions was imminent.

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

As long as they are clearly able to express that wish, it should be honoured.

Boru

Last week I had my 15 year old dog euthenised, she was suffering and had no hope of recovery, it was the kindest thing to do... I would hope that if I was in the same position, someone would do the same for me.  (Euthenised, killed, call it what you will, but she was not "put to sleep" that is a cop out for those who can't face the truth)

So sorry to hear that. I've had to have my last three dogs put down.

Lady, 13 year old German Shepherd had cancer. Mimi The 17 year old Toy Poodle x Terrier had a stroke and Shadow my lovely, dumb, loving, pit bull had a stomach tumour.

As far as putting down people IMO. deciding when you are going to die is one of the few  rights we have. The fucking churches insist on inflicting their fucked up Judaeo Christian morality on everyone. About time they minded their own fucking business.

I have always said that when I feel myself really slipping that I will leave.  I have enough prescription medication on hand to kill me. However, as the time starts getting closer, I'm not sure I will have the courage. The plain truth is that I don't want to die, ever, as absurd as that might sound.  Don't know how I'd feel dying by inches in constant pain.