Euthanasia/Spirituality

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BBelle

26 Posts

ohbet, I completely agree with you. It is the individuals choice what is right for them. It should not be up to the doctor's or the government. Belle

ohbet

386 Posts

Right on BBelle.

I"ll be walking on thin ice here,and my intention is not to offend,but I think at base the issue is a theological problem for many.

Many people used to have difficulties with artificial birth control,which was similarly interpreted and rejeced as a NO to the sovereignty of God over life,until they finally realized that God has made human being resopnsible for the very begininng of human life. With the issue of active Euthanasia,God has also given us the freedom and the responsibility for the very end of our lives.

sbic56, BSN, RN

1,437 Posts

Specializes in Obstetrics, M/S, Psych.

ohbet

I like your thinking. The way you explain it with the acceptance of OTC's in the '60's, even those who base their beliefs in God, need to think about the similarities between how birth control was shunned, then eventually accepted by the church back then and the possibility that euthanasia will yet be accepted by the church in the future. Excellent point.

micro, RN

1,173 Posts

Originally posted by ohbet

Right on BBelle.

I"ll be walking on thin ice here,and my intention is not to offend,but I think at base the issue is a theological problem for many.

Many people used to have difficulties with artificial birth control,which was similarly interpreted and rejeced as a NO to the sovereignty of God over life,until they finally realized that God has made human being resopnsible for the very begininng of human life. With the issue of active Euthanasia,God has also given us the freedom and the responsibility for the very end of our lives.

no thin ice here, ohbet.....

keep on posting and asking and imploring.........

micro :zzzzz

to question about genetic imperfections........

to do within scientific and research realms....

micro here has given much blood to the cause......

but there is such an ethical fine line.....or maybe that is only in my own head and fears..........

:p :p :p

Jenny P

1,164 Posts

Specializes in CV-ICU.

Hmmmm, this topic ranges from Hitlers' Germany to birth control and "the church"-- BTW, if you mean the acceptance of birth control by the "CATHOLIC church" it hasn't happened yet in this lifetime; the pope still only condones Natural Family Planning which is based on abstinence according to the womans' monthly cycle.

Mario, concerning genetic testing? It is already available to couples who have a high probability of genetic defects; however, I am not sure if insurance companies or the government pay for it or not. I am not sure if we, as a society, have the right to say that certain people MUST be tested or they MUST be sterilized if they do have a genetic defect. And I'm not sure if (for the same reason) insurance companies should be involved with paying for the testing-- would the insurance company then have the right to say "you have this gentic defect, we won't pay for pregnancy or the medical bills for defects the child may have"? And, as we travel down this road in the future, at what point do we draw the line between devistating genetic defects such as Huntington's Chorea and finding the genetic markers for breast cancers or heart disease? Eventually, who would be able to "breed"? I agree with Micro: the future parallels science fiction and we need to be aware of where all of our current scientific research could take us at all times. I don't think we should try to build a superior race (as Hitler tried) or human being; nor should we try to outlaw some of the advances in genetic studies that we are sure to see in the future.

So, what DO I believe? Going back to the topic of Euthanasia/Spirituality, I believe in the sanctity of human life. We have the ability to relieve pain and human suffering; and I strongly feel that if we relieve the mental and emotional pain a person has, we should not have to consider euthanasia. Hospice has so much to teach the medical fields that are preserving life AT ALL COSTS.

The examples you gave, Ohbet, concerning the irrepairable brain damage in the cardiac arrest victim, or the burn victim, are possible instances of heroic medical care, could they be viewed even as abuse? Do ER docs HAVE to "SAVE" every single body that comes through the door? When did medicine and our society start viewing death as a failure or an adversary? Because I view human life as being sacred, I don't think we can decide to "put down" a human being! But at the same time, there should be some consideration made that after an hour of resuscitating a cardiac arrest victim (for instance), we already know the implications of cerebral anoxia at that point.

The centurion with the broken hip, however; what do you feel they should have done with her? It was immensly painful for DH's 85 y/o Aunt when she broke her hip this past spring until they repaired her hip. Her break was such that they couldn't replace it and had to pin it instead; a new hip would have been easier on her because she could have walked sooner. And dear Aunt Hazel has lots of life left in her yet!

I don't have the answers, but I do not view euthanasia as being the right thing to do with humans.

BBelle

26 Posts

ohbet, agian I completely agree with you. I think people use religion to base much of their beliefs. And for some that is great, but when it comes to a person's life (one who is terminal) they should be the one who ultimately makes the decision about there life and how they want to live out the remainder of their lives.

A lot of patients do not have the financial means to continue going to the doctor and getting meds for their illness and pain, and a lot of them do not want to become a burden to their loved ones. So I believe that they should be able to end their lives as they see fit. They should be able to make one last important decision for themselves without any negative input from doctors or anyone else for that matter.

I am not meaning to offend no one here, just having a good conversation with ohbet. Belle

ohbet

386 Posts

No time to post now,baby sitting a 2 year old who thinks she is running the show,sometimes shes right. I want to reply to all these recent posts when I get a break.

maizey

89 Posts

Originally posted by sbic56

About the other side. Definitely something there. My sister and I had an experience that is impossible for us to discount or forget. About 2 hours before Mom stopped breathing, my sister and I simultaneously felt a never before experienced serene calm that lasted about 5 minutes. The room got noticably cooler, we both became silent. It felt like there was an opening of some sort above us. We both felt an unbelievable and never before experienced sense of love and peace consume us. Slowly, the room warmed and were able to talk to one another again. It was then, we then realized we had both felt the very same thing. I believe that is when Mom really died.

I had chills reading about this. Thanks for sharing with us. I do not believe in physician assisted suicide. I believe as many have said that the patient has the right to refuse further or any treatment, if they are of sound mind when making that decision. I believe that they should be made comfortable and as pain free as possible right to the end no matter what the respirations if the end is imminent anyway.

sbic56, BSN, RN

1,437 Posts

Specializes in Obstetrics, M/S, Psych.

I just thought of a paculiar analogy on this. Assisted suicide used to ease death along is kind of like using an epidural to ease the pain of labor. Like epidurals, not everyone warrants or wants one, but it should at least be available.

Jenny P

1,164 Posts

Specializes in CV-ICU.
Originally posted by BBelle

A lot of patients do not have the financial means to continue going to the doctor and getting meds for their illness and pain, and a lot of them do not want to become a burden to their loved ones. So I believe that they should be able to end their lives as they see fit. They should be able to make one last important decision for themselves without any negative input from doctors or anyone else for that matter.

BBelle, are you saying that those are good reasons to end their lives? Just wondering, because neither of those reasons sound like good reasons to me. Those reasons sound as though the person is very depressed to me.

I don't have the answers, just looking for clarification.

Specializes in Med/Surg, ER, L&D, ICU, OR, Educator.

sbic - good analogy!

sbic56, BSN, RN

1,437 Posts

Specializes in Obstetrics, M/S, Psych.

maizey

It was a beautiful experience for my sister and I. I was just very happy for Mom that she went quite quickly. We should all be so fortunate, but if we aren't...well you know. Choices in, choices out.:)

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