Opposition to Physician Assisted Suicide Cannot Cheat Death for the Terminally Ill
“By the time he finally passed away, he was groaning, agitated, and in pain – nothing was able to make him comfortable...He woke up from a nap asking if he was dead yet – and he wasn’t kidding. He wanted to die. He stated this three times. But there was nothing I could do but watch him suffer.” There is a way to end this suffering that Debra Dunn and her husband experienced; however, it is illegal in most states. Physician assisted suicide, also known as Death with Dignity or euthanasia, is a method that allows a terminally ill patient, with no more than six months left to live, a way to die without pain and suffering simply by receiving and ingesting a medication prescribed by a physician. Unfortunately, this dignified choice is available in a mere five states.
One patient had to move to one of these states to get the assistance she wanted to end her life on her terms, with dignity and before unmanageable pain overtook her. Brittany Maynard posted an article on CNN.com entitled “My Right to Death with Dignity at 29”. In the article, Brittany Maynard discusses her medical situation and her choice to die with dignity. Maynard was diagnosed with brain cancer at age 29. Shortly after being diagnosed, she underwent multiple surgeries in an effort to stop the tumor growth; however, these attempts were unsuccessful. Within months, her tumor came back larger and more aggressive; the doctors said she only had six months to live. The long-shot option doctors proposed for treatment was full brain radiation, which has many painful side effects, including first-degree burns on the scalp. In addition, if she went into hospice care for pain management, she could develop a resistance to pain medication, making it ineffective. After researching Death with Dignity, Maynard decided it was the right option for her. It allowed her to receive a prescription that she could take if her condition became unbearable. To receive this prescription, Maynard had to move from California to Oregon, one of only five states where Death with Dignity is available. Maynard did not want to die, but that was not an option for her. Knowing she had a choice, she wanted to die on her own terms with her family by her side. She also believed that all people with terminal illnesses should have this method available to them.The prescription put her at peace and relieved the deep anxiety of intolerable pain. Months later, when the pain became insurmountable, Maynard took the medication while at home with her loved ones by her side.
To help others gain this right, Maynard volunteered for Compassion and Choices. Compassion and Choices is a nonprofit organization located in Denver, Colorado that started over 30 years ago. Compassion and Choices works to “protect and expand a person’s end-of-life options.” Its mission is to change laws and attitudes so more people have increased options to deal with their illnesses, giving them more control and peace in their remaining days. One method they strongly advocate for is Death with Dignity, where someone with an illness, who has six months or less to live, can receive a prescription from his or her physician that will aid them in dying. Compassion and Choices offers multitudes of information regarding end-of-life methods and decisions. It also has a monthly magazine issue and end-of-life consultants available to educate patients and help families of the terminally ill make informed decisions for living out their final days. Get involved! There are many ways to get involved in this organization. People interested in supporting this organization can donate money or time, become a member, spread the word about Death with Dignity, volunteer, or write letters regarding a person’s right to choose to end his or her life to state representatives.
The suffering needs to come to an end. It should be the individual’s choice to choose to end his or her pain. Physician assisted suicide should be legalized nationwide. Every individual deserves the right to stop the chronic, incomprehensible pain and suffering he or she experiences. Help him or her by advocating for his or her right to die with dignity. Ask, “Even if I did not choose to take the pill, would I want the option if I needed it? If a loved one needed it?” Take action to make this a right for others or for someone they love.
Works Cited
Dunn, Debra. "No One Has the “right” to Protect My Husband?" No One Has the “right” to Protect My Husband? Compassion & Choices, n.d. Web. 02 Mar. 2016.
"End of Life Choice, Death with Dignity, Palliative Care and Counseling - Compassion & Choices." End of Life Choice, Death with Dignity, Palliative Care and Counseling - Compassion & Choices. Compassion & Choices, n.d. Web. 02 Mar. 2016.
Maynard, Brittany. "My Right to Death with Dignity at 29." CNN. Cable News Network, 02 Nov. 2014. Web. 02 Mar. 2016.