I watched my dad die for 2 years.... it was a blessing when he finally did go.
my mom didn't want to disconnect the life support stuff until i told her that God was NOT keeping him alive, it was the machines. Machines are man made so therefore man was keeping him alive.... I agree with the assisted suicide issue as well...

(((FeelinGoofy))) I'm so glad to see you. I've been thinking you and wondering how you were doing.
Merry Christmas

This is my opinion, but no offence to the opponents who disagree with mine.

I disagree with the statement that ROTI or the Rights of the Terminally Ill Act should be legalised/enacted.

It is difficult to say which is right and which isn't, unlike black and white.

Enacting the law could be partly benefitial, however the risks, harms and disadvantages that follow outweigh the benefits.

Yes, it may reduce people's suffering to death.
However it is inherently wrong from the perspective of principle based or deontological ethics.

It is ethically wrong. It is simplistic, wrong and dangerous responses to the complex reality of human death.
Euthanasia means intentionally killing someone, rather than allowing that person to die naturally.
Put bluntly, it means killing in the name of compassion.

When the euthanasia becomes legal again, many people with disablities or the sick, frail, aged and marginalised will be at risk as their family might decide to end their life. Also, many of them will feel pressured to make a deadly choice as they feel that they are being a burden to their loved ones.

If you are sort of a person who agrees with the euthanasia, why don't you ask yourself: "Can we sufficiently control the circumstances in which we would allow euthanasia?"

Because in Holland, among 10 558 incidents of euthanasia, 5824 were performed without the patient's consent in 1990.
Many could be killed in the name of euthanasia.

Another reason for disagreeing with the statement mentioned above is as follows.

What are the laws for?
Laws create a sense of order, resulting in a society where people can live peacefully.
Murder and Death penalty is illegal in many countries including Australia.
When killing is illegal and if we legalise euthanasia which involves one party killing another intentionally, that doesn't make sense.

okay, i'm sure some might say, 'but it is when the party wants to be killed'

but hey, let's think.
Up to where will it be accepted as euthanasia and
up to where will it be judged as commiting murder.
Depending on the case it will be different.
It will bring confusions in the law and justice in it and the sense of order would perish. When the sense of order perishes, number of muders will increase in the name of euthanasia.

It was already shown through the past history (although it wasn't that long ago). As mentioned above, more than half of the no. of incidents of euthanasia were perfored without the patient's consent.

Conclusively, I disagree with enacting ROTI again in Australia.

It is a very personal choice I think.
Every circumstance is different too.

If you trust family & loved ones to support your wishes/or make the decision when that time comes... and if your family knows and understands your wishes & feelings on the subject.... about how to respond if you are in certain circumstances.

Sometimes laws cannot be written to fit individual needs

If someone is ready to go and family vouches for the wishes of that person - it should be done.

But having those forms filled out or having it in writing and witnessed and on file somewhere is a good idea.

copy of the form below-


[Notice: This free legal form is provided for general informational purposes. Before you utilize any legal form you find on the Internet, you should have it reviewed by a lawyer in your jurisdiction to be sure that it meets your legal needs, and will be held valid by a court in the jurisdiction where you reside.

Please recall that it is usually possible to obtain a free form medical power of attorney, reviewed for legality in your state, from a local hospital.

Medical Power of Attorney
Effective Upon Execution

I, [NAME], a resident of [ADDRESS. COUNTY, STATE]; Social Security Number [NUMBER] designate [NAME], presently residing at [ADDRESS], telephone number [PHONE NUMBER] as my agent to make any and all health care decisions for me, except to the extent I state otherwise in this document. For the purposes of this document, "health care decision" means consent, refusal of consent, or withdrawal of consent to any care, treatment, service, or procedure to maintain, diagnose, or treat an individual's physical or mental condition. This medical power of attorney takes effect if I become unable to make my own health care decisions and this fact is certified in writing by my physician.

Limitations: [Describe any desired limitations, for example, concerning life support, life-prolonging care, treatment, services, and procedures.]

Inspection and Disclosure of Information Relating to My Physical or Mental Health: Subject to any limitations in this document, my agent has the power and authority to do all of the following:

1. Request, review, and receive any information, verbal or written, regarding my physical or mental health, including, but not limited to, medical and hospital records;
2. Execute on my behalf any releases or other documents that may be required in order to obtain this information;
3. Consent to the disclosure of this information.

Additional Powers: Where necessary to implement the health care decisions that my agent is authorized by this document to make, my agent has the power and authority to execute on my behalf all of the following:

1. Documents titled or purporting to be a "Refusal to Permit Treatment" and "Leaving Hospital Against Medical Advice";
2. Any necessary waiver or release from liability required by a hospital or physician.

Duration: This power of attorney exists indefinitely from its date of execution, unless I establish herein a shorter time or revoke the power of attorney.

[If applicable: This power of attorney expires on [DATE]. If I am unable to make health care decisions for myself when this power of attorney expires, the authority I have granted my agent shall continue to exist until such time as I become able to make health care decisions for myself.]

Alternative Agent: In the event that my designated agent becomes unable, unwilling, or ineligible to serve, I hereby designate [NAME], presently residing at [ADDRESS], telephone number [PHONE NUMBER] as my as my first alternate agent, and [NAME], presently residing at [ADDRESS], telephone number [PHONE NUMBER] as my as my second alternate agent.

Prior Designations Revoked: I revoke any prior Medical Power of Attorney.

Location of Documents:

The original copy of this Medical Power of Attorney is located at [Location].

Signed copies of this Medical Power of Attorney have been filed with the following individuals and institutions: [Names and Addresses].

I sign my name to this Medical Power of attorney on the date of [DATE], at [ADDRESS, COUNTY, STATE].

_______________________________
NAME
Statement of Witnesses

I hereby declare under penalty of perjury that the person who signed or acknowledged this document is personally known to me (or proved to me on the basis of convincing evidence) to be the principal, that the principal signed or acknowledged this durable medical power of attorney in my presence, that the principal appears to be of sound mind and under no duress, fraud, or undue influence. I am not the person appointed an agent by this document. I am not related to the principal by blood, marriage, or adoption. I would not be entitled to any portion of the principal's estate on the principal's death. I am not the attending physician of the principal or an employee of the attending physician. I have no claim against any portion of the principal's estate on the principal's death. Furthermore, if I am an employee of a health care facility in which the principal is a patient, I am not involved in providing direct patient care to the principal and am not an officer, director, partner, or business office employee of the health care facility or of any parent organization of the health care facility.

_______________________________
Witness

_______________________________
Witness

Subscribed and sworn to before me on [DATE].

____________________________________
Notary Public, [COUNTY, STATE]
My commission expires ______________.]

http://www.expertlaw.com/library/est..._attorney.html

I find myself rethinking this whole issue because those "left behind" will still suffer the agony that suicide brings.....guess I'm getting old. ~sigh

I don't know Alffe... perhaps I am now too biased?
But I can't help but think, IF there was a way for those to
legally let go... would I be here - falling apart??

I know Nikki...I'm going to bump up something else about this because it was probably before you found us.

I have a different point of view; perhaps from walking in the shoes of one who really wanted to help someone die but was unable to. My oldest brother was hit by a car in 1981 and was in a "vegetative state" for 25 years....I wanted so badly to unplug his respirator. My sister and younger brother and I fought to have it disconnected. (His wife had been killed in an accident 5 years earlier and their kids were too young to have a say). It was a very ugly time. It was made even uglier by the fact that he "lived" like that for 25 years almost to the day. What a waste! I know that people say that God has a reason for everything but I just can't find a reason in this.....maybe I'm just not open minded enough; I don't know. But at least it taught me to make certain that EVERYONE knows what I want and to have it in writing!!!!!!

Ohhhhhhhh 25 years! I can't even imagin what a nightmare that was.
(((Hippie Chick))) Putting it in writing and telling people what you want and where it's written....can only hope our wishes will be respected.

((((Hippiechick)))))...so glad to see you...and so very sorry you had to go through that. I just want people to know that it is also extremely, and I can't express this enough, important to let your family KNOW exactly what you want and that they fully understand and agree with it. Because if they don't, and a person ends up in this kind of situation, or something like it, the family can change everything, and the person, being helpless, can't do anything about it.... I have seen that happen