Euthanasia need to be considered in UK?

[Parsley]

Yup. If only it did/they could! My wife's uncle passed away last year, after a severe frontal ischaemic stroke during dialysis.

Having watched my Dad go, suffering from liver failure and two strokes during it, it was absolutely ludicrous that the palliative care team were so utterly obsessed with not killing him with the palliative care, when he was going to be dead in afew days, at most, anyway. I understand it, I do, they take the oath to do no harm, but he had already been waiting 24 hours for them to give him that care, the doses the ward could give him didn't really do much to help his suffering at all. So to have them turn up then spend another two hours planning, consulting with other doctors, checking things... it was one of the most frustrating experiences of my life. I was utterly useless to help, to do much of anything.

Even on that care he didn't really seem truly comfortable until the last hour and he fell into unconsciousness. It was quick from there.

In extreme situations like that where the person is absolutely going to die, suffering horribly within a short window, I don't understand why euthanasia isn't a thing here.

 

[Colonel_Klinck]

Having watched my Dad go, suffering from liver failure and two strokes during it, it was absolutely ludicrous that the palliative care team were so utterly obsessed with not killing him with the palliative care, when he was going to be dead in afew days, at most, anyway. I understand it, I do, they take the oath to do no harm, but he had already been waiting 24 hours for them to give him that care, the doses the ward could give him didn't really do much to help his suffering at all. So to have them turn up then spend another two hours planning, consulting with other doctors, checking things... it was one of the most frustrating experiences of my life. I was utterly useless to help, to do much of anything.

Even on that care he didn't really seem truly comfortable until the last hour and he fell into unconsciousness. It was quick from there.

In extreme situations like that where the person is absolutely going to die, suffering horribly within a short window, I don't understand why euthanasia isn't a thing here.

Sorry you had to see that and your father had to go through it. I think it might be more they are scared of the consequences of being seen to end a life rather than their oath to do no harm. I'm sure most doctors are compassionate people and if it were legal to help end the suffering of a terminal patient and it was the wishes of that patient they would help. I'm sure there will be some for religious reasons that might refuse, I don't think doctors should be forced to do so.

A friend died of lung cancer a few years ago and was given a choice of hospice or staying at home and being cared for by another friend. It was made clear that if he remained at home they'd be able to provide far more pain relief that if he was in a hospice. When it was clear the end was only a few days away and he'd had enough our friend was able to give him so much pain relief that he just drifted off. Maybe he just got lucky with the palliative care and what that person said to them.

 

[Parsley]

Sorry you had to see that and your father had to go through it. I think it might be more they are scared of the consequences of being seen to end a life rather than their oath to do no harm. I'm sure most doctors are compassionate people and if it were legal to help end the suffering of a terminal patient and it was the wishes of that patient they would help. I'm sure there will be some for religious reasons that might refuse, I don't think doctors should be forced to do so.

I understand, they may want to assist more, take a few more risks, or even outright just overdose someone and end it. But they can't... it has potential end to their career. I'd have said absolutely nothing, but he did end up being seen/evaluated by the Coroner, and if they pick up anything then that is a career potentially over.

Understanding this didn't help my frustration at the time, though I didn't lash out or anything, it wasn't any particular persons fault. It was just impotent anger. Not a fun time.

 

[413x]

Having watched my Dad go, suffering from liver failure and two strokes during it, it was absolutely ludicrous that the palliative care team were so utterly obsessed with not killing him with the palliative care, when he was going to be dead in afew days, at most, anyway. I understand it, I do, they take the oath to do no harm, but he had already been waiting 24 hours for them to give him that care, the doses the ward could give him didn't really do much to help his suffering at all. So to have them turn up then spend another two hours planning, consulting with other doctors, checking things... it was one of the most frustrating experiences of my life. I was utterly useless to help, to do much of anything.

Even on that care he didn't really seem truly comfortable until the last hour and he fell into unconsciousness. It was quick from there.

In extreme situations like that where the person is absolutely going to die, suffering horribly within a short window, I don't understand why euthanasia isn't a thing here.

To be honest.. I'd say the "do no harm" thing is grey here.
Isn't it better to let someone go if they are in perpetual unending discomfort.

Sometimes nothing (death) is less harm than alive.

 

[Parsley]

To be honest.. I'd say the "do no harm" thing is grey here.
Isn't it better to let someone go if they are in perpetual unending discomfort.

Sometimes nothing (death) is less harm than alive.

I agree entirely. But preserving life seems to trump the suffering aspect of this sometimes. A grey area indeed. I feel a bit like decisions are often made based on monetary ramifications, be they legal or simply the costs of keeping someone alive (on life support, just as a bad example). Pragmatism is to be expected and required though.

But when someone is certainly going to die within a few days and in agony? "Do no harm" is really letting them go as quickly and peacefully as possible, yeah. I feel like keeping someone alive just to stroke and soothe someone's own morality is just selfish at that point.