If you could have a pill on your bedside table for end of life, would you take it?

I wouldn't. I hope if I ever get to the stage of having chronic pain that there would be a pill that relieved that pain. Emotional pain can be pretty stifling, but there's always another day until there is no more. The next day might be better.
 

TeePee said:
I wouldn't. I hope if I ever get to the stage of having chronic pain that there would be a pill that relieved that pain. Emotional pain can be pretty stifling, but there's always another day until there is no more. The next day might be better.
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The pain relief can be a problem. My mother had 2 kinds of cancer, both of which had metastasized. She was dying and was in a lot of pain. She went into hospice. First, my sister and I and my mother had to agree to a few things, one of which was that if she needed pain relief, she might need so much it could kill her. Fine, we welcomed that for her, all 3 of us did.

So late the first night, her pain was enormous and I told the nurse she needed more morphine. The nurse demurred and I made her call the doctor to get more morphine. As I said, she was dying and had been for nearly a week at that point. She died around 4.30 a.m., and I am fairly certain the morphine killed her. Otherwise, she might have lasted another day or two being tortured with pain.

So, you may not take a pill in theory, but if the pain gets so bad you might agree to taking an overdose if that is what is required to relieve you of the pain. That's what my mother wanted, and my sister and I supported her in that.
 
WheatenLover said:
The pain relief can be a problem. My mother had 2 kinds of cancer, both of which had metastasized. She was dying and was in a lot of pain. She went into hospice. First, my sister and I and my mother had to agree to a few things, one of which was that if she needed pain relief, she might need so much it could kill her. Fine, we welcomed that for her, all 3 of us did.

So late the first night, her pain was enormous and I told the nurse she needed more morphine. The nurse demurred and I made her call the doctor to get more morphine. As I said, she was dying and had been for nearly a week at that point. She died around 4.30 a.m., and I am fairly certain the morphine killed her. Otherwise, she might have lasted another day or two being tortured with pain.

So, you may not take a pill in theory, but if the pain gets so bad you might agree to taking an overdose if that is what is required to relieve you of the pain. That's what my mother wanted, and my sister and I supported her in that.
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It was a hypothetical scenario, but I guess unless I was in that position I really don't know what I'd do. I'm a retired nurse and seen a lot of patients in a position like your mother. When patients got to where there was nothing else to do that would help the patient, the doctors would usually order Morphine and Ativan and alternate them. That seemed to help some. I'd probably agree to that. I can't imagine what it would be like having to leave this world in excruciating pain.
 

30 years ago, I had a close friend who ended up with a cancerous growth in his leg.
He suffered for years.
The final 6 months was total agony, and he was begging for release. After months of begging, his doctor up the dosage of medication which brought an end to his life.
I am certain, that given the opportunity to take a pill, he would have done so much sooner than when relief was finally granted.
 
TeePee said:
It was a hypothetical scenario, but I guess unless I was in that position I really don't know what I'd do. I'm a retired nurse and seen a lot of patients in a position like your mother. When patients got to where there was nothing else to do that would help the patient, the doctors would usually order Morphine and Ativan and alternate them. That seemed to help some. I'd probably agree to that. I can't imagine what it would be like having to leave this world in excruciating pain.
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Me either. It would be worse than awful.

My dad died of cancer too. He was in pain, but I called a doctor who was a client of my huband's and he told me what my dad needed to relieve the pain (it was a patch that worked better than pills). My dad was thrilled. But he asked me to pull the plug if he were hospitalized in a situation in which things would not get better. I agreed to that with great apprehension, because that would actually be premeditated murder.

The day came when an hour after I talked to him for about an hour on the phone, he collapsed and my sister had to call an ambulance. He was in ICU and I had to scramble to get on a plane to get to him. I was dreading the entire thing. My dad and I were a lot alike, and a promise was a promise, especially between family members. It was one of the rules of our family. My stepmother and sister met me at the airport. My dad died naturally at the exact time my plane left the airport. Talk about mixed feelings. I was so happy I didn't have to keep that promise, but also sad because I wanted to see him one more time.

I would not make that promise to anyone else, so I will never be on the hook again.
 
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TeePee said:
It was a hypothetical scenario, but I guess unless I was in that position I really don't know what I'd do. I'm a retired nurse and seen a lot of patients in a position like your mother. When patients got to where there was nothing else to do that would help the patient, the doctors would usually order Morphine and Ativan and alternate them. That seemed to help some. I'd probably agree to that. I can't imagine what it would be like having to leave this world in excruciating pain.
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I was surprised when the hospice people said we had to agree to that in advance. I'm thinking that Georgia doesn't have one of those euthanasia laws for people, this can't be legal. Well, it's a work around, and it's a good one, as long as everyone agrees in advance. We had to sign paperwork. The docs can't guarantee that seriously needed pain relief will not kill a dying patient, in any case.
 
No, alternative treatments are available, such as palliative care and hospices. We do not have to end our life to kill the symptoms. Nearly all pain can be relieved. Opening the doors to voluntary euthanasia and assisted suicide could lead to non-voluntary and involuntary euthanasia, by giving doctors the power to decide when a patient’s life is not worth living.

Reports from the Netherlands, where euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide are legal, reveal that doctors do not always report it. The assumption that patients should have a right to die would impose on doctors a duty to kill, thus restricting the autonomy of the doctor. Also, a ‘right to die’ for some people might well become a ‘duty to die’ by others, particularly those who are vulnerable or dependent upon others.

Allowing euthanasia or assisted suicide will inevitably put pressure on vulnerable people to end their lives for fear of being a financial, emotional or care burden upon others. This would especially affect people who are disabled, elderly, sick or depressed. Some would face the added risk of coercion by others who might stand to gain from their deaths. Fear and anxiety would be promoted rather than Individual autonomy.
 
I know that my mother would have taken such a pill.
I've mentioned before how she refused antibiotics for sepsis and hastened her demise.
The palliative care team respected her wishes but also wanted to hear my views. When I told them I respected her wishes they were supportive but told her that she had to had to die a natural death. She was treated for pain and nausea and died peacefully.
 
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