Pratchett on Death

[tacoben]

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My dad recommended I watch the Dimbleby lecture presented by T. Pratchett.

I have to admit the author irritates me especially when he makes out his newly acquired disease is hard to cope with. I watched the original documentary of some of his symptoms and they were similar to me accept I am dyslexic and suffered (not really that much) my whole life where he has had 60 years life before any problems.

However the lecture does have a point. We have become so sophisticated in keeping ourselves alive that decisions on quality of life and the choice to die need to be discussed. I personally have no problem in assisted death. Both my Mum and Dad have made it very clear that once they become a burden and their time is spent waiting to die then they will be happy to move on.

When that time comes I will not be worrying about the law anyway. My family and its welfare rank far higher than anything else.

Terry did mention that these situations should be reviewed by people in their mid 40's and above which I think he should reconsider as I would not qualify. He also wanted to involve lawyers and doctors which sounds o.k. as long as the cost is not borne by the relatives because it would make assisted death yet another luxury for the rich.

[TVC_H4U]

Having the latter and grandparents on with Alzheimer's disease and another dementia, i can tell you Dementia is nothing like dyslexia, at the least.
Pratchett has early Dementia, it gets a lot worse than that pretty fast.

Starts off with trvial things, like forgetting names of family members, then switfly moves on to forgetting family members ever existed, or what a family is, even down to forgetting about their addictions (cigarettes, for example).

Although, i do believe the door should be closed.
Their should be no assisted deaths, as with the death penalty. It is final and mistakes happen, and once these people are classed as a "burden" those that do not wish to be put to death are made low priority citizens by default. End life to save money, not enough places in old peoples homes, not enough rooms in hospitals. Its a bad road to go down.

[marcy]

My dad recommended I watch the Dimbleby lecture presented by T. Pratchett.

I have to admit the author irritates me especially when he makes out his newly acquired disease is hard to cope with. I watched the original documentary of some of his symptoms and they were similar to me accept I am dyslexic and suffered (not really that much) my whole life where he has had 60 years life before any problems.

I know what you mean it really gets my goat when these whiney old victim wannabes jump on the debilitating bandwagon. He even got Baldrick to read for him because apparently he can't read good anymore. I think a backward S or two is perfectly comparable with a celebrated author's debilitation to the extent he cannot read or write his own material...

As for assisted killing, I don't foresee it becoming a "luxury for the rich" or a question of "ending life to save money". While both are perfectly plausible outcomes of changes to any laws I trust logic, reason and moral will eventually prevail.

[elliecat]

how anyone can compare dyslexia to alzheimer's is beyond me.

and i firmly believe that our bodies and our lives are ours to do with as we wish. my gran wished to die years before she did but she had to live on in agony, tablets for pain, tablets for conditions, tablets to deal with the side effects of other tablets etc. we had to get two carrier bags of tablets and medication a month for her from the pharmacy. she spent the last years of her life lying in bed, unable to move, unable to get up, in pain 24/7 because the highest safe levels of pain relief did not make her free from pain.

having seen that, watching my beloved gran endure years of agony and indignity when all she wanted to do was die, i firmly believe that we should have the right to end our lives, or have our lives ended, if we wish to do so.

the RPSCA would take us to court if we allowed our pets to live in some of the conditions we force humans to endure. we'd be convicted of animal cruelty but we have to watch our loved ones wither away.

it's wrong.

[tacoben]

I was comparing the symptoms of Pratchetts illness so far rather than alzheimer's as a whole. Of course its going to get worse for him but at the moment he is living a good life with a few reading problems and forgetfulness.

I did work in a Nursing Home for two years so I have seen all sorts of dementia and its varying levels of degradation. In fact some of the fully gone alzheimer's patients did not suffer as much as other debilitating effects of old age. They were however comparatively young compared to other residents.

However many of the residents were tired of life and were basically waiting to die some of which were neither mentally or physically ill just bored and lonely.

On a lighter note everyday in the nursing home one demented Nun used to come and bless my Frosties whilst we had breakfast together.

[elliecat]

the thing is, pratchett needs to fight for what he believes in while his condition is mild, as once it progresses he'll be incapable of arguing his point of view.

[TVC_H4U]

"ending life to save money". While both are perfectly plausible outcomes of changes to any laws I trust logic, reason and moral will eventually prevail.

You have a nice view of the world, and maybe need to watch soaps more. People will willingly abuse any system, to get to their own ends, such as money at the end of the rainbow.

I do believe in death penalty, but would not vote for it as it would be abused.
I do believe in right to end own life, but would not vote for it as it would be abused.
Then once its done, its done.

[tacoben]

'I do believe in death penalty, but would not vote for it as it would be abused.
I do believe in right to end own life, but would not vote for it as it would be abused.'

That just makes no sense. If you believe in something then you vote for it. The fact you think it would be abused means you do not believe it.

The death penalty and a person right to take their own life are very different. The death penalty is about the state making the choice. The problem is with the assisted bit as if someone is too old/frail/disabled to take their own life but wants to end it they will need help.

A relative has to take a big risk and hope they will not be prosecuted.

[tacoben]

I read today that 85.6% of Japanese approve of the death penalty.

It is only handed down to people who commit murder or treason and normally you have to kill more than one person to qualify. Having searched around the internet the amount of people actually sentenced to death is relatively small.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiroshi_Maeue

This slightly disturbed individual was killed mid last year. Maybe if he had been given some help at the appropriate time the murders would not have taken place. However he did pick victims who were actually interested in ending their lives.

In effect an extreme version of mercy killing.

I wonder if Terry Pratchett would advocate people being sexually aroused at the time of dispatch.

This site might also be of interest:

http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/stat/executedoffenders.htm

[elliecat]

I wonder if Terry Pratchett would advocate people being sexually aroused at the time of dispatch.

see now i know you're not after a proper debate.