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Right to Die has been a sensitive subject and debated for decades. Some older folks like me \u00a0may remember names like the Hemlock Society<\/a> and Dr. Jack \u00a0Kevorkian<\/a>. It\u2019s been considered taboo and carries a stigma.<\/p>\n People have debated the personal choices about their body for just as long\u2014suicide, abortion, medications, dying, etc. Living with advanced MS, and aging, forces someone to think about the right to live or die for different reasons and in different ways.<\/p>\n An article \u00a0about Multiple Sclerosis and the Right to Die<\/a> \u00a0was just posted by MultipleSclerosis.net, an online Health-Union community. Kudos to the writer and the administration for allowing this article to be shared. The article explains Right to Die from the perspective of an MS patient, whose quality of life becomes severely diminished due to pain and other physical, mental, and emotional limitations.<\/p>\n Add in self-dignity and humility. I have been traumatized too many times to count from the loss of my bladder and bowels in public. Even when hospitalized, having a nurse clean up after an accident in bed is humiliating. I could write another book on this subject alone.<\/p>\n Many comments were quickly added to support and share the words written. I added this partial comment in response to the article to point out other thought-provoking reasons:<\/p>\n I agree whole-heartedly with the comments made so far. I would like to add there are additional reasons a patient may desire assisted suicide beyond their (no) quality of life. It\u2019s personal, but I feel compelled to share this.<\/em><\/p>\n I am currently involved in my 90-year-old mother\u2019s dire health situation. \u00a0She fell In January, broke some ribs, and was erroneously given a pain med that caused an horrific adverse drug reaction with another med she was taking. \u00a0It left her in a condition requiring 24-hr. in-home care for two months. \u00a0Being the only sibling living in AZ, I recently arranged to transfer her to a senior care facility for her benefit and that of my 90-yr. old stepdad. \u00a0It\u2019s a physical, emotional, mental, and financial nightmare for us all, and her future is not in her hands. \u00a0Last week, I sat down with my husband to say I don\u2019t ever want to put him and my son through this.\u00a0 While I\u2019m too old to advocate for right to die, I plan on writing about it on my own.<\/em><\/p>\n It is heartbreaking, gut-wrenching when someone you love is telling you how terrible they feel and begging for help; and the only thing you can do<\/a> is hold their hand and be there with them.\u00a0 Yes, there is end-of-life care nowadays, but it isn\u2019t always the best path for everyone.<\/p>\n Maybe it should be phrased, “The Right to Choose to Die”.<\/p>\n The Hemlock Society\u2019s motto was \u201cGood Life-Good Death\u201d. \u00a0For some, yes; for too many others, no.<\/p>\n What is your reaction or thoughts about this?<\/p>\n *************<\/p>\n Debbie Petrina Right to Die has been a sensitive subject and debated for decades. Some older folks like me \u00a0may remember names like the Hemlock Society and Dr. Jack \u00a0Kevorkian. It\u2019s been considered taboo and carries a stigma. People have debated the … Continue reading
\nAuthor of Managing MS<\/a>
\nCommunity Advocate for MultipleSclerosis.net\u00a0<\/em>
\nwww.DebbieMS.com<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"