Very sad news. (5 Viewers)

[FletchandFluffy]

Saw this on the bus just now.

Duo euthanasia: Why a happily married couple decided to die together

Jan and Els sought medical intervention to end their lives after 50 happy years of marriage.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[ChrisSue]

I don't find that to be sad. I think it is a very uplifting love story. I wish we could have that choice as individuals and, as a couple.

 

[Hedgewitch]

I agree with ChrisSue.

Having seen elderly family members just exist with little or no quality of life for their last few years, this is (to me) just one more example of how our country is completely out of step with current attitudes.

I just pray that by the time I am old enough or infirm enough to need such an opportunity that it is available here and I don't have to travel to Switzerland or some other more enlightened country.

 

[Googlebot]

Generally, I think the Netherlands has it right.

Appropriate safeguards in place and the ethical and moral considerations taken into account.

People might be surviving longer, but I would argue being immobile in bed for years isn’t living. Having seen a close relative slowly expire over months after an unsurvivable stroke, it’s something we desperately need in the UK.

 

[The Coops]

In total agreement

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[DavidG58]

I read the background story which said that 33 couples took this duo option in Holland last year and that around 5% of all deaths were euthanasia

I am fully in favour , they still chose it nobody forced them

 

[MisterB]

I just hope their sons family are proud of their parents or if they're not at the moment, I hope they will be in future years.

 

[HKF]

I use to care for a lady who had suffered a major brain injury, due to a fall. She spent 10 years confined to a bed, barely able to communicate and often not comprehending what was happening around her. We all tried to involve her in what was happening, by speaking to her all the time about the family, the local area, country and world news, as well as relating things back to what had happened throughout her life. We imagined she enjoyed hearing the stories but, in reality, we were barely scratching the surface of what living is all about. She'd once been a very proud and intelligent lady, earned an MBE and lived the high life. I'm sure, if she'd been given the choice before the effects of the injury took over, she would've chosen to end her life a lot sooner.

 

[haganap]

I read this this morning and was also going to post the link. However, I wasn't going to post it as a "sad" story, I was going to post it as an uplifting story.

With proper safeguards in place, should be standard practice in this country.

 

[rangi]

My Sister was bedridden for 2 years after a fall . She decided after 2 years of suffering that she had had enough. She stopped eating and drinking, she died in 5 days.

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[stewartwebr]

I hear what people are saying, why do we let people suffer, I get it. However, it is currently illegal and I always remember my first Consultant, Prof. Graham Page who was and probably still is the most eminent Trauma Medicine Consultant the U.K. has ever seen. He always said keep it as it is, let the medics manage it. As soon as euthanasia is legalised it won’t be long before the control moves from medics to politicians and the lid can never be put back on Pandoras’ box. He was a very wise man and I get his concerns completely. How long until politicians start putting financial caps on life or age limits for treatment. Graham never said this but I took it he meant, never trust the politicians and I get that completely.

 

[Hedgewitch]

rangi, I am sorry for your loss - your sister was an exceptionally brave woman.

 

[L' Hobo]

When my time has come, I hope I still have the strength in body & mind to do what needs to be done without hurting, harming or involving anyone else.

Until then, I hope I remain contented!

 

[PaulOH]

I like the balance in this story- including commentary from their son and the example of possible coercion. Dying is not a lifestyle choice but I appreciated their honesty. I would always hope that anyone, anywhere, any age can influence someone else in a way that makes us different and hopefully better as people? Sadly we have seen 0000's of deceased young people and children whos' lives and untimely deaths have done that. I cannot disagree with this couple's choice and I suppose the luxury is the choice... We would be fools to think that something like this is has not been happening since the start of time.

 

[Steve and Denise]

I must have missed something here?

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[EuroTrotters]

I read that today and thought what a nice but sad story .

All dependent on circumstances.

I was with a customer/client the other day . She wanted to smother her husband out of humanity, but still wanted to live life after him.

 

[Rapides]

Saw this on the bus just now.

Duo euthanasia: Why a happily married couple decided to die together

Jan and Els sought medical intervention to end their lives after 50 happy years of marriage.

www.bbc.co.uk

Jeez, at 66 and in robust good health I can’t imagine what it must be like wanting to end it all at 70. Still feel like I’m going to live forever - just goes to show we don’t know what’s around the corner.

 

[Jez1966]

Why "Very sad news"??
Their life, their choice.

 

[Shrimp]

I applaud them.
Mother set up a ‘Living Will’, no treatment to stay alive.
She fell, may have been a stroke, died in hospital about 6 days later, so she escaped the Docs doing everything to keep her alive regardless!

 

[MikenPauline]

I must have missed something here?

You need to click on the link included in the post.

Pauline

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[Odd job]

We moved here 11 years ago we had 3 elderly widows as neighbours, first one suffered a fall, spent 2 months in hospital came home and sat on a chair for 5 years before she died, a second one had a fall last year, she was in hospital for 6 months and is now spending all day in a chair , that's all day every day. The third is now almost totally housebound, can barely walk and would love to die, she has recently been diagnosed with cancer, this was welcomed by her, she has refused any treatment and likely will die a horrible painful death. When my time comes I hope I am able to "do it myself"

 

[carolyn]

I thought it was a beautiful story of love and a life well lived despite health problems.

 

[Grianan]

I am totally conflicted. My mum had been declining over the last 18 months - two years and ended up with no mobility and probable dementia. After several TIAs she had a massive stroke. Initially she seemed to be totally unresponsive but over the course of 3-4 days regained consciousness and a little movement which gave us hope - but she could not swallow.
Her health PoA said she did not want treatment just to prolong life so she was not given a drip etc. To be honest, it felt cruel - I am certain she knew she was dying. She could only say 2 words ‘I am ..’ which she kept repeating. It took 10 days without food or water to her to die. I would not wish this on anyone, or their loved ones. But at no point could I have made the decision to end her life.

 

[Peavy]

I am totally conflicted. My mum had been declining over the last 18 months - two years and ended up with no mobility and probable dementia. After several TIAs she had a massive stroke. Initially she seemed to be totally unresponsive but over the course of 3-4 days regained consciousness and a little movement which gave us hope - but she could not swallow.
Her health PoA said she did not want treatment just to prolong life so she was not given a drip etc. To be honest, it felt cruel - I am certain she knew she was dying. She could only say 2 words ‘I am ..’ which she kept repeating. It took 10 days without food or water to her to die. I would not wish this on anyone, or their loved ones. But at no point could I have made the decision to end her life.

That's a terrible experience.
So sorry to read about that.
That also makes me think it would be right to have the possibility of having a law regulating that delicate matter.
We have it in Spain luckily (in my view), but it's difficult to apply, so still a lot to do, despite being legal here.