As the New York Times reported this week, a fairly troubling case is about to be decided in Montana’s Supreme Court, which will likely approve the plaintiff’s last desire. That plaintiff, ironically enough, by a 76-year-old retired truck driver, who is already dead of lymphocytic leukemia.
But while he was still suffering, Robert Baxter was hoping for a physician-assisted form of death. The court system being what it is in the US, he never lived long enough to get it. His fellow Montanans likely will.
Here’s the problem though. Personally, I have no problem with dying patients hastening their own deaths. If they’re in pain — or even if they just want to hasten a process they find demoralizing, humiliating, and weakening — that’s their right. And the state has no business interfering.
In Holland, for instance, physicians do just that — help a terminally ill, suffering patient who requests it — out of his agony. But, as a Dutch doctor recently told me, “Our system is rigorous. The physician has to make sure first of all, that such a decision is not opposed by the family. There is also a committee on each case composed of the doctor, a medical ethicist who is usually a philosopher, as well as a lawyer — that committee holds hearings and speaks to, if possible, the patient. and several family members before coming to a decision.”
Well I see, thus far anyway, no provision for such a rigorous supervision of each case. All I see — especially given Montana’s history of high suicide rates among the non-terminal and the low number of medical personnel in rural areas — is a recipe for chaos, lethal mistakes and possibly in some cases murder.
As usual, I welcome any comments from dissenters — and everyone else!
Man, this is a hot topic. I would tend to agree with you in that most folks have an inner knowing that they are in fact dying and sometimes there really are disease states that are “worse than death.” I know you, like myself have seen that.
As a professional, I am committed to keeping a patient comfortable, physically, emotionally and spiritually if possible. At the point that “enough is enough” is not my call (thankfully). It is a personal thing and best left that way. Personally, I think I am strong, but I do not want my family to see my suffering and that begs a question….How is suffering defined? Girl, you make me think too much!