Euthanasia Essay

Imagine the Worst

Imagine you are in excruciating pain, barely living with a terminal illness, lying in a vegetative state, and suffering in a hospital bed. Imagine being surrounded by family members who want nothing more than to see your torture end. In the poem "David", a situation where euthanasia was used occurred.  A mountain climber lost his foothold while trying to help his friend and fellow climber steady. He fell 50 feet to the ledge beneath. After being paralyzed instantaneously, he asked his friend to push him into the cliff below and end his life. The real world argument on the topic is fierce. Euthanasia should legalized in Canada because nearly all the potential issues could be avoided if it is enforced and completed properly, people who meet certain criteria have to opportunity to be euthanized if they can’t kill themselves on their own, and so years of pain, suffering , and agony can be avoided.

If euthanasia can be enforced and completed properly, it will not be abused. The act of assisted suicide in the poem David is a perfect example of an improper conduction of euthanasia conferring to the laws of where it is legal. Countries such as Switzerland, Belgium, and the Netherlands all have legalized euthanasia. Rules are set to require doctors to assist in the suicide and to have other people present when conducted. Euthanasia specific doctors would not be charged for murder for mercy killing with patient permission. If completed as in the poem David charges can, and will be pressed on those involved. Assisted suicide should be treated as any other major health procedure; it should be left to the professionals. But these doctors will not just euthanize anyone; criteria will be needed to be met.

"Close your eyes and imagine that you are in a vegetable state and the pain is unbearable, and you can’t take it anymore. The state your brain is in won’t let you talk, but lets you lay there in bed and enthral the pain. Medicines can only help for a little while, but it can’t take the pain away forever." -castiel from Mibba.com.  That was an interesting quote that was posted online. The type of person described in this quote is the kind of person who would be a perfect applicant for euthanasia. Some say death is a coward’s way out. Many others will disagree. Embracing the fact that you will die is the bravest act in battling a terminal illness. In David, the title character knew he would be paralysed for the rest of his life. To him, he realised that his life would not be worth living. David knew that the way he would have to live as a quadriplegic at the time was not nearly what we have today in 2012. He felt he had no choice. He asked to be killed. He would have done it himself if he could. Why is it that fully able people are allowed to commit suicide, but those who physically cannot do it on their own don’t have the right to commit suicide? Is that undervaluing the wants and needs of the disabled? Let that sink in for a bit.

With euthanasia legalized, years of pain, suffering, and agony of thousands of terminally ill patients and their families would be avoided. Terminal illness is described as a disease that cannot be cured or adequately treated and that is reasonably expected to result in the death of the patient within a short period of time (Wikipedia.com). If death is inevitable, why not let the patient go out on their own terms without suffering? There are people who don’t want to be remembered in the suffering state that they may be in. dying without pain is something that personally I wish I could have experience with family members. Although hospice and hospitals can reduce pain, they can’t stop it. Not to mention those are expensive. It can be pricey to keep someone in constant care or life support. Not only will more money be opened up for other patients, but families of the terminally ill can save some money of their own. Yet money is just an object. Sorrow is not. Seeing your loved one, slowly, painfully dying from a disease they couldn’t even control. You know that they want it to end. YOU want it to end. You want nothing more than to see them die peace.

With euthanasia becoming legalized in Canada, not only will it benefit the terminally ill and their families, but doctors, hospitals, and the general public too. With specific guidelines as laid out in Switzerland, Belgium, and the Netherlands, euthanasia would not be abused. The agony felt to the bone by terminally ill patients in hospices and home around the country would be easily and readily avoided. Times are changing, and we need to be changing with the times.

-Jacob Lazare