November 5, 2014
Column #1,732
First of a two-part series. [go to part 2]
End Of Life Issues I -- Assisted Suicide
By Mike McManus Brittany Maynard, 29, who had a malignant brain tumor, moved
to Oregon, where a "Death with Dignity Act" allowed her to ask a doctor for
drugs to kill herself, which she did last weekend. (Of 1,173 people given
prescriptions under the act, 752 used them to die.)
She told People magazine that this is "NOT suicide. I want to live. I wish there
were a cure for my disease but there’s not." She said her tumor is "a terrible,
terrible way to die. Being able to choose to go with dignity is less
terrifying."
Columnist Richard Cohen described her decision as "courageous." I disagree.
Consider the case of another young woman with an incurable brain tumor, Lauren
Hill, 18, whose dream was to play college basketball. When she learned she had
an inoperable tumor the size of a lemon, she asked her doctor, "Can I at least
still play basketball?"
Her school, Mount St. Joseph University, asked the NCAA if it could play their
first match against Hiriam College a couple of weeks early so that Lauren, a
freshman forward, might play in the first game.
That wish was granted and word got out. So many people wanted to see her play
that Xavier University offered its 10,000-seat arena, and was sold out. Her
coach remarked that usually only 50 people attend their games. Seventeen seconds
after her team won the tip, Lauren made an uncontested left-handed layup for the
opening basket. Her tumor had forced the right-hander to shoot with her left
hand because it had affected her coordination.
Her shot brought a standing ovation from the crowd. She sat out most of the
game, but got in toward the end, and attempted a right hand layup, but missed
and tried again, succeeding and helped her team to win the game.
Afterwards, a $5,000 check was presented to her charity, "The Cure Starts Now."
And the crowd donated another $40,000.
Though she has only weeks to live, Lauren still gets up at 5:30 a.m. for
basketball practice. Even though she can’t even do most of the drills, she still
tries.
She told CBS that she’s not scared of dying. "But the people I worry about are
the people I am leaving behind."
Both Lauren and Brittany suffered from an incurable brain tumor. Which woman
faced her crisis with inspirational courage? The answer is obvious.
Paul, in writing to the Thessalonians, advised, "Be joyful always; pray
continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in
Christ Jesus (I Thess. 5:16-18).
Lauren chose to be joyous and thankful, despite the fact her life was near its
end at the very young age of 18.
The Rev. Kathleen Christopher, who directs a healing ministry at The Falls
Church Anglican in Falls Church, VA, says, "There is a value in living life to
the end as a blessing to those who care for us and love us. We believe that God
takes everything, even those things which are painful and ugly, and uses them
for good and brings grace into them."
She has seen many people who have lived their lives to their last days "with
such grace, and surrounded by so much love, that loving the person through has
transformed the caregivers. They have treasured every moment, even though they
hated to see their loved one in pain."
The American Medical Association, the nation’s doctors, argues that "allowing
physicians to participate in assisted suicide would cause more harm than good.
Physician-assisted suicide is fundamentally incompatible with the physician’s
role as healer, would be difficult or impossible to control, and would pose
societal risks."
(Physicians take the Hippocratic Oath to "do no harm.")
The AMA says that "Instead of participating in assisted suicide, physicians must
aggressively respond to the needs of patients at the end of life. Patients
should not be abandoned once it is determined that cure is impossible." It
recommends that multidisciplinary intervention be offered that includes
consulting specialists, hospice care, pastoral support, family counseling and
patients near the end of life should be given emotional support, comfort care
and adequate pain control.
However, a Consumer Reports survey of 2,015 adults found that 86% would want to
spend their final days at home, half would prefer pain management and comfort
care over other medical treatments – but 61% have never heard of palliative care
and more than half of those over 65 have not completed an advance directive, or
living will.
Next week’s column will explore these options in greater detail.
|
|
Since 1981...
2000+ Columns |
|
LATEST ARTICLE |
|
March 2, 2021: Column 2064: Stop
Executions for Murder |
|
Recent Columns |
|
RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGE |
|
Observing Lent |
|
Celebrating Marriage Week |
|
A Case for Pro-Life
|
|
End
The Death Penalty? |
|
Christian Choices Matter |
|
2020 Was A Terrible Year |
|
Suicides Rates Are Rising |
|
The Biblical Sexual Standard |
|
How to Cut the Divorce Rate in Half |
|
Divorce Rate Is Falling |
|
How To Save Marriages |
|
55 Years of Marriage |
|
How To Cut America's Divorce Rate |
|
Suicide Rate Rising |
|
Overcoming Porn Addiction |
|
The Devastation of Pornography |
|
Marriages Are Falling - But Improving |
|
Divorce Rates Are Falling |
|
Cohabitation: the Enemy of Marriage
|
|
How To Reduce Suicide |
|
How To Stop Drug Addiction |
|
Cut Federal Funds for Planned Parenthood |
|
The Horror of Soaring Suicides |
|
Make
Adoption More Appealing |
|
The Addictive Nature of Pornography |
|
Abortion Becoming Illegal |
|
Protecting Girls from Suicide |
|
The Worst Valentine:
Cohabitation |
|
Pornography: A Public Health Hazard |
|
Sextortion Kills Teens |
|
Cohabitation: A Risky Business |
|
Recent Searches |
|
gun control,
euthanasia,
cohabitation,
sexting,
sextortion,
alcoholism,
prayer,
guns,
same sex marriage,
abortion,
depression,
islam,
divorce,
polygamy,
religious liberty,
health care,
pornography,
teen sex,
abortion and infanticide,
Roe+v+Wade,
supreme court,
marriage,
movies,
violence,
celibacy,
living+together,
cohabitation,
ethics+and+religion,
pornography,
adultery,
divorce,
saving+marriages |
|