Originally Posted by RubyPitbull

Although I agree with your second paragraph, the creation of Living Wills and Healthcare Proxies are specifically for that purpose, I do not fully agree with your first paragraph. If a person is physically capable of ending their own life, then yes, it is selfishness to ask someone else to do this for you. Personally, I was not speaking about that. I am speaking about people who have deteriorated to the point in which they cannot just give themselves an overdose of morphine, or whatever else may be available to them. Lou Gehrig's disease is a physically degenerative disease. Most cancers will lead you to the point of no return, in which you cannot physically give yourself the killer dose. That is what I am referring to. As long as someone is physically able to move around on their own, they may still hold out hope and do not want to die. I am talking about when they get to the point where they hit the "point of no return" and are still hanging on, in pain. Why should they be placed in a position where the pain is so unendurable. That does happen to people and they are left for days, weeks, a month or so, in excruciating agony.

I know for myself, after watching enough people go through this, I don't want to be left hanging on, in diapers, unable to move. But, I don't think I have it in me to give up hope if I am able to move about freely. It is only when my body has betrayed me, I am still cognizant, and I am in such pain, that I would want to enforce the law that has been passed for my benefit. It allows me freedom of choice, with the help of my doctor, that I would not otherwise have. If you have ever seen anyone go through this kind of agony, you will have an understanding of exactly what I am saying.