# Ley de Muerte Digna ( Death with Dignity)



## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

The Spanish government announced today that the promised new law giving terminally ill patients the right to end their lives with dignity will come into effect nationally next March. It has already been approved in Andalucia, where it was supported by all parties.

The law will regulate the relations between doctors, the patient and their family when the patient is in great suffering and there is no chance of recovery. 

El Gobierno anuncia una ley de muerte digna y cuidados paliativos · ELPAÍS.com

A good thing, avoiding unnecessary prolonged suffering? Or a cynical way to save on the healthcare budget?


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Alcalaina said:


> A good thing, avoiding unnecessary prolonged suffering? Or a cynical way to save on the healthcare budget?



Either way, its about time!! The world needs to stop this clinging on to a pulse regardless!!

Jo xxx


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

Tell me about it . This time last year my neighbours mother,90, whose house I bought , was given a few days to live. She was kept alive for 5 months , only by the machines. At the same time the next neighbours mum was given the same time to live , daughter came over from Mallorca, stayed until january & they're still keeping mother alive . It'll be a year in 10 days time. It's unbelievable, the poor old dear ,who's 95, had severe altzheimers anyway & now is just fed by tubes, knows no one , can't speak , as far as the son is concerned she died a long while ago & he'd like to give her the dignity she deserves & should have had a long while ago.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Alcalaina said:


> A good thing, avoiding unnecessary prolonged suffering? Or a cynical way to save on the healthcare budget?


Both - well cut the word "cynical"


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Yeah, my mum had terminal cancer spreading to every bit of her body. She was in pain, couldnt walk, eat, drink on her own, she was incontinent, had a colostomy, she was losing her marbles... She was given three months and was kept going for 18! I looked after her - I didnt mind as such (I'd done it for my father a few years previously), but the indignity of having to do "everything" for her didnt sit well with her. She used to beg me to put a pillow over her face, she was desperate to end it. My kids didnt want to see their nanny in that state, it broke their heart! WHY??? What was the point??

So if it saves money then good! If it ends suffering then good!

Jo xxx


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## gerrit (Jul 15, 2008)

Euthanasia should be fully legal, fully agreed. The one nuance: it should be the choice of the patient IMO, and a decision made in fully conscience. A patient not able to grasp the consequences of it should not have euthanasia, dito with those where a doctor or family member would be making the decision. If the patient however is fully aware of the consequences and makes the choice, who are we to condemn that?

"All we have with us for our entire lives, is life itself. I strongly belief it is nobody's else and that we have absolute choice over it, including the choice to end it"

To bypass the question what happens if a person ends up in coma and cannot decide for himself anymore: it could be made optional that those supporting euthanasia can sign an official document stating in which cases they wish to be euthanised.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

gerrit said:


> To bypass the question what happens if a person ends up in coma and cannot decide for himself anymore: it could be made optional that those supporting euthanasia can sign an official document stating in which cases they wish to be euthanised.


I really hope the Spanish law does allow for this. I certainly wouldn´t want someone else making the decision for me.


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## gerrit (Jul 15, 2008)

Me neither. Although with my family far away and nearly all contact broken and with my reclusive lifestyle, it is unlikely in my case that anyone would be pushing for euthanasia in my case. Unless a doctor would make the decision, which is even worse.

I too hope a similar system to organ donation will come, that when you are alive and in a clear state of mind you can fill in weither you wish euthanasia or not and in which particular cases.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

personally, if there's no hope and I lose my marbles to the extent that I'm unable to make the decision myself, then quite frankly, I doubt it matters either way - so they may as well "end it" and save some money! I wont argue

Jo xxx


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## gerrit (Jul 15, 2008)

I would be bothered if someone else takes a decision about weither I live or die. Maybe it should be included in the papers, that you can indicate if you wish to grant right to decide to your relatives or not. That way everyone can decide for himself.

I would not consider some doctor or far relative deciding that I should die a "death with dignity". 

Also, remember that, while these are exceptions, some people did wake up out of coma after a really really long time. So personally I am against euthanasia being applied on myself. I support the right to choose, but I would not like to use that right to be euthanised and certainly wouldn't want my family or some doctor to decide it.


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