Case Of Euthanasia The Patient example essay topic

Velma Howard, age 76, knew her life was coming to an end. Lou Gehrig's disease was taking away the use of her limbs one by one. Eventually it would affect her throat and she would be in danger of choking on her own saliva. With her left arm useless, and her legs weakening, Velma began to think about an accelerated death. Her health was quickly getting worse. Most of all, she did not want to linger for months in painful decline, dragging down her aging husband and her family at the same time.

Velma read books on assisted suicide, talked on the telephone with a right to die group, and discussed her plan with close friends and immediate family. With a lot of thinking, Velma ultimately decided on assisted suicide. Unable to write clearly, Velma made a three-minute audio tape outlining her reasons for deciding to die now rather than wait. On the tape she accepted full responsibility for her actions, stressing that no one else should be blamed. Velma practiced what is called euthanasia. Euthanasia, which is a Greek word meaning "easy death" can be defined as the act of causing death painlessly, so as to end suffering.

In the articles, "It's Over Debbie" by Anonymous, "In Defense of Voluntary Euthanasia" by Sidney Hook, "Make Mine Hemlock" by Ernest van den Haag, and "The Dignity of Helplessness: What Sort of Society Would Euthanasia Create?" by Rand Richards Cooper, all authors with the exception of Cooper agree that euthanasia should be a legal option for a patient. Euthanasia is a topic that provokes as much controversy as capital punishment and abortion; primarily because it is an irreversible act. The question of euthanasia being offered to a patient is one that most people would prefer to be left alone. However, recent situations such as Velma's have started considerable discussion and debates. The political and social issues of euthanasia have raised many questions in my mind; and after reading the above articles, I believe euthanasia should be a option for suffering patients for two reasons; it is an unselfish act to end suffering, and a patient should have the option to take his or her life when they are suffering from irreversible illness. In the case of euthanasia the patient is deciding to take his or her own life.

There are many reasons why a patient may want to end their life unselfishly. One reason maybe the uncontrollable pain the patient no longer wants to endure. In the article, "It's Over Debbie" by Anonymous, Debbie a 20-year old women was dying of ovarian cancer. Debbie was having unrelentess vomiting, had not responded to chemotherapy, and her overall health was in painful decline. When the gynecology resident entered the room with the syringe that would help Debbie ease into relaxation, and say good-bye, Debbie simply said, "Let's get this over with", (401). Another unselfish reason a patient may want to end their life may be the burden that their sickness puts on the loved ones around them.

After being denied the option to discontinue all life supporting services by his doctor, philosophy professor, Sidney Hook was told by his physician that he would some day appreciate the wisdom of doctor not taking his life. Six months later Hook gained almost full recovery, but still did not agree with this physician. Throughout Hook's illness he dreaded imposing on his family and friends who suffered emotional misery. He would not want his family to go through a second round of pain if he were to suffer another "cardiovascular accident."My wife and children endured enough for one lifetime. I know that for them the long days and nights of waiting, the disruption of their personal duties and their own familiar responsibilities counted for nothing in their anxiety for me", (403). The motives for these deaths are compassion and an unselfish desire to bring on death when continued living is unbearable for the patient due to their physical and / or mental suffering.

Last winter I was struck with a serious case on pneumonia. I was in the hospital for two weeks. My lungs were fully infected, and a simple thing like turning over was painful. Every morning I was injected with a pain killer called Toradol in my left hip. Toradol never seemed to work and I was always in unbearable pain for the rest of they day. Hypothetically speaking, if I was told by physicians that I would never get better, and I would feel that way for the rest of my life; I would do that of Velma and Debbie and ask for my life to be ended.

There is no need for a patient to suffer through a irreversible illness when they can be relieved of their pain. With euthanasia one is seeking to end physical pain for which there is no other treatment. Euthanasia generally reflects an acceptance or willingness to face the inevitable. To the terminally ill, death is the last hope of maintaining any remnants of dignity left to them in a life where there is no longer any control and is the only escape from a life where pain rules their existence. In the article, "The Dignity of Helplessness: What Sort of Society Would Euthanasia Create?" , author Rand Richard Cooper recalls the death of this mother's life-long best friend Gretchen who died of lung cancer. Cooper explains what his mother went through while watching her best friend slowly die, "For my mother, there was the anguish of watching a person she loved being overwhelmed by illness-an especially hard kind of sorrow".

After Gretchen had passed away, Cooper explains Gretchen's death as. ".. a remorseful, irreversible disease that steals a person from us bit by bit". Cooper explains that euthanasia offers a way to manage a loved ones death before loved ones have to see their loved one in pain. Euthanasia is a complex issue. Euthanasia would give patients a greater autonomy over their own lives and give the terminally ill a chance to avoid great pain and emotional distress. I believe that an individual must be able to make their own decisions - if they chose to die to avoid insufferable pain, but are incapable of acting out their wishes, we should be duty bound to help them. If all other options have been exhausted, and especially if the pain cannot be adequately controlled, then the most humane thing would be to allow the person to die... peacefully..