The Serenity of Death
Terminally ill patients, who suffer excruciating pain, face obstacles when they decide take their life. The government doesn’t allow them to perform euthanasia on themselves and healthcare professionals are against it because of work ethics. These patients try to legalize euthanasia or physician assisted suicide (PAS), so they can no longer deal with their illness. Not only do these patients have to deal with the pain of their illness, but they have to face the negative views people have about their decision.
People need to understand the agony the ill are going through and how they’re not the only ones suffering through the process. Their loved ones have to see the effect of the illness, and how every day their becoming more helpless. By legalizing PAS the grief and suffering will end for the ill and their loved ones. The medication needed to manage their pain is expensive, so it takes a financial toll on them. Those not able to afford the medication have no source of relieving their pain so their suffering is continuous. If the medication they’re taking doesn’t even help them, they’re losing money that they didn’t start off with.
To force the terminally ill to continue living is very cruel and inhumane. They should have the sole right to their life, and decide if they want the aid to end their life. Terminally ill should decide when and how they want to die. Instead they have to fight the government just so they can end their life, and at times they have to go to court to get permission. Even though others believe they should end their life on their own, but with the help of the healthcare providers they will die in a dignified matter without suffering in their last moments. Those who are against euthanasia believe the ill are rejecting the life that was given to them, but it’s not that their ungrateful for the life that they had but the suffering is no longer tolerable. Though the legalization of euthanasia will benefit the terminally ill, some people are right there is a possibility that healthcare providers might abuse PAS and take advantage of their patients by taking their life without their consent.
In the United States, Oregon, Washington, and Montana are the only states that have legalized the practice PAS. Instead of doctors taking advantage of their terminally ill patients, the health care provided to them has improved significantly. The physicians have improved communication wise with their patients and are better about managing the pain their patient is going through. Euthanasia still remains uncommon in these states, but the terminally ill doesn’t have to worry about PAS being illegal.
The solution is for the government to let the states vote on rather or not they want PAS. Some states in the U.S don’t really discuss the issue of euthanasia, so by voting the government will see the citizens’ true views on PAS. If people were to vote on euthanasia being legalized in their states less people will suffer and not put them in debt. Probably religious groups and others will protest at these PAS facilities.
It’s important that people care that euthanasia should legalized, because many of these patients are left to suffer endless pain. No one is able to realize the suffering that they’re going through, so they see no point in the terminally ill taking their life. If euthanasia were to be legalized the terminally ill will feel more at ease, because they don’t have to worry about the pain, their financial status, and their family suffering with them as well.
