Death Is A Right
Imagine going to the doctor for a routine check-up and being told you have six months to live. Next, you will experience excruciating pain. Pain will become a continuous struggle as you are unable to complete the simple tasks you once could.
Walking or using the restroom on your own, preparing your own food, or doing things with your family will be impossible. Imagine sitting in a hospital room for the majority of the time you have left on earth unable to move at all. You will be pumped full of painkillers and sedatives. If you can sleep with continuous agonizing pain, even with the painkillers, the thoughts of leaving or disappointing your family, and feeling depressed every second of every day, then you might get some sleep, but it is doubtful. The only controllable thing in your life will the process of Physician Assisted Suicide and it can help give you take control over the disease, the disability, and the medical machines that will eventually keep you from death.
For many people, the horrifying reality of a terminal disease is too much to bare and ending their lives is the only way they can manage. Physician Assisted Suicide should be legalized in the United States of America for terminally ill patients. Various terminally diagnosed patients request Physician Assisted Suicide from all over the world, but only 6 out of 50 states in the U.S. offer Physician Assisted Suicide under strict regulations. These states include California, Colorado, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and Montana.
The Death With Dignity Act has been in existence for over 20 years. There is a process to receiving Physician Assisted Suicide and it is a tedious, stressful and painful process. When a patient is terminally ill with six months or less to live they will eventually lose complete function of their bodies and minds. With a loss of function it will be extremely difficult to request Physician Assisted Suicide, especially when your body refused to move the way you need it too. Therefore, it is necessary to being the process early.
The first step to receiving aid in dying is to request it from a licensed doctoror physician at the time of the diagnosis. If the doctor refuses it could take precious time to find one who will help. Due to the majority of the states not legalizing Physician Assisted Suicide, many families will have to move to a location that does, and this alone can be traumatizing. The next step is to request it two more times, one verbally and one written, each request must be within fifteen days apart. After the requests are analysed, the patient will be examined spiritually, mentally, socially, and physically, to ensure that Physician Assisted Suicide is the right decision.
The final necessities include being a resident in one of the six states that offer Physician Assisted Suicide, being 18 years old or older, being able to take the medication independently, and having a terminal illness. A minimum of two certified doctors or physicians must confirm a patient’s eligibility. It is important for the patient to have their family members by their sides as they go through the lengthy process. Legalizing assisted suicide would end the emotional damage of both the patient and the family, it would put an end to the unbearable suffering and pain, and decrease the costly expenses of living and traveling. The Right to Die Acts, including The Colorado End of Life Options Act and The Death With Dignity Act in Oregon, actually help protect the patient’s will to die and the doctors from any prosecution, because the patients have the dying right to a timely death.
In Oregon, Of the patients who have requested Physician Assisted Suicide, 35 percent of patients view it as self-affirmation, a reassuring option. Terminally ill patients are bringing guns to hospitals in order to kill themselves or unplugging the vital machines that keep them alive, or even overdosing on pain medication to lower their heart rates all for the want to end their lives. The only solution to prevent a horrible death, is for States to legalize Physician Assisted Suicide for these terminal patients who refuse to live an undesired life of torture. If Physician Assisted Suicide was legalized in every state, there would be an increase in Physician Assisted Suicide patients. But, on the other hand, there would be a decrease in horrific and gruesome crime scenes of suicide victims, of those who chose to end their lives outside of the safe environment of a hospital.
If death is what a patient wants, give them death. Even with its cons with personal believes and the people who view it as murder, these thoughts are only half true. Assisted suicide does depend on the personal views and beliefs of the patient recipient and the doctor or physician, and they can chose not to go through with assisted suicide based on their beliefs. However, assisted suicide is not murder. In fact, the patient is required to request the medication for assisted suicide with two verbal request and one written statement, therefore the patient chooses to die and end their prolonged suffering. But, the doctor or physician providing the drug has the right to decide if the patient is eligible for the medication.
Physician assisted suicide should be legalized in the entire United States of America. Due to the fact that assisted suicide would be beneficial to thousands and millions of people who are teetering on the edge between life and death. Together we can propose a right to die act, that can change the entire perspective of America. We can gain support for the patients who are considering Physician Assisted Suicide and for the option of dying peacefully.
