The Right to Live Your Life

First, let me address the gross inaccuracy that is Heidi’s assessment of the Hippocratic Oath. It never says, “first do no harm” in the oath. In fact, the word harm is not mentioned at all in the whole oath. We are no longer in the times of the Greek who originally made the oath. We are a progressive society and because of this our codes have changed. We are also in the age of the internet and proper research should go into a project before it is released to the public. It is common that inaccuracy undermines the credibility of a post and its author.

Second, palliative care is a great option for many people. Especially those with non terminal illnesses who are well enough to be cared for outside of the hospital. In spite of this, I become bothered when it is used as a method of denying people a choice. In palliative care, people still have to deal with astronomical pain. The palliative staff works very hard to manage a patient's pain levels because it is a huge part of their job the problem is that there are many different types of pain and managing is not the same as relieving. Why allow someone to live with constant but manageable pain when they wish to relieve all their suffering?”

Third, I agree that palliative care and extended hospital stays are extremely expensive. Just like a stay in the hospital it can saddle a patient and their family with bills that can negatively impact the overall wellbeing of everyone. I do not agree that it should be a factor in whether or not people should be allowed to do decide what happens to themselves when they are sick. What is wrong with a patient deciding to allow their family to suffer a little less when they are gone by mitigating hospital bills? Where is the moral compass that decides that letting go is somehow wrong? A patient placing their family’s lives before their own is more noble than tragic. It is quite condescending to assume that a person is being forced instead of being given another choice that they have the capacity to decide on.

This brings me to my own point. I believe that a person should be able to die with dignity and on their own terms. When death is inevitable it causes depression which causes the whole process to speed up and become exponentially worse. A benefit that can be received from euthanasia is the ability to keep going because the patient knows that when the time comes they will die exactly the way they want to. For example, a person with terminal cancer who loves their job and in the beginning can still go to work every day. The patient decides that once he or she cannot work they will end their life. This ability to keep one's dignity can extend their life by allowing them not dwell on the future of their sickness and by giving them control of their circumstances.

In conclusion, Euthanasia is the best option for certain patients and they should have the right to make their own decisions about their life and death.