Issues - Euthanasia

In our class we work on topics and these topics are usually the same for two-week periods. For Weeks 10 and 11, the focus for our reading and writing was the topic: Issues. We looked at six issues:

• legalising drugs
• euthanasia
• stereotypes
• depression
• using guns
• abortion

Students were challenged to write about one of these issues. They were to write on their blogs or make contributions to the Issues Forums on our class Discussion Board.

The issue that I am particularly concerned about is that of euthanasia. I value human life and I can’t imagine taking a life. Yet I have been through a prolonged illness of a parent. My father died in June 2001. He suffered for several years with spinal degeneration, emphysema, heart attacks, and Parkinson’s Disease. He had always been a very hard-working man and liked to help others. He hated being in a position where he had to rely on others to do everything for him. He hated the continual pain and the endless frustration.

My father died just a day after his 85th birthday. When I had asked him what he wanted for his birthday, he asked me to give him poison. He wanted to die with all his heart. The last time he went into hospital, I am sure he willed himself to death. He was under a DNR (do not resuscitate order) when he suffered his final heart attack. I knew that he welcomed death when it finally came.

My mother is now 82 years old and strong and fit. She has always been a fiercely independent and proud woman. She would hate to be reliant on anyone for her needs. I know if anything happened to my mother that took away her ability to live independently, she would far rather die. She would expect me to help her die. Now, is this right or wrong? I don’t believe it is right, yet I wouldn’t be able to refuse her. Could I do it? I really don’t know if I could be that strong. I just pray that the Lord will continue to look after her and keep her standard of living tolerable. When it is her time, I pray she is able to pass peacefully and without pain.

Life is not easy. When a baby is born it is helpless and relies on its mother for every need. The baby grows into a strong, competent adult. But then the body ages and deteriorates and sometimes an old person ends up as helpless as a baby. Mum and I visited a dear lady for over a year. She had suffered a very bad stroke and could do nothing for herself. Her daughter fed her, bathed her, toileted her, dressed her and carried her from place to place. That seems worse than death to me.

Well, what do you think?