ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

Euthanasia

In the darkness there he sits
alone with all his fears.
His heart is slowly breaking
his eyes are filled with tears.

She was suffering and needed help
he was the only one.
Was he wrong to ease her pain
for he was her only son.

They will say he failed in loving
that he cracked under the strain.
so now he sits alone in silence
no more sorrow, no more pain.

Bob Pacey (C)

his heart IS ..might want to fix that typo Bob

Thank you Maureen.

Funny how we can not stand to see an animal suffer but will prolong human life way past it's use by date.


Bob

That's a good write Bob. Tough subject. I'm in favour of being allowed to choose a time to go. Problem though is how to manage it so that it isn't being abused. It's happening all the time in hospitals today. I attended a funeral of a friend with terminal cancer very recently and in the end he was administered a heavy dose of morphine.

Yes well put, Bob.
A topic that needs to be opened up a bit more . . . you're right - we don't let animals suffer.

I've got some out of the normal views on a lot of this stuff Marty in particular artificial insemination and freezing embryos ect.

I was talking to a resident whose husband has terminal cancer and he was so doped up that he just sat there all day,

she just decided a few week back to take him off everything but some pain killers and the change is dramatic you can sit and have a conversation with him and best of all his wicked sense of humour is back. Quality of life is a big thing.


They are in their eighties and have been together since they met a high school when they were sixteen.

Thanks for raising this, Bob...it's a very difficult, emotional, controversial topic, and one which, as Marty says, needs opening up. There's been quite a lot written about it in the Fairfax media, prompting a huge range of comments. Back in 2013 I wrote an article based around the death of my mother. Anyone interested can find it at: http://www.smh.com.au/comment/to-prolon ... 2gyzq.html

David

G/day Bob,

As long as you make the decision without any outside help (and you're of sound mind) - then I guess that's OK

I reckon the real test will be when our turn comes - I wonder if we'll all be as positive about this then, at that moment?

Terry

Yes Terry That will be the cruncher.

I have watched my Dad and his sister just fade to nothing but in the end they were not of sound enough mind to make that decision.


Bob