^^^^^This.

Very important thread IMO.

It's hard to imagine the pain and misery and indignity that can attend in end of life situations unless you have experienced it first hand. I think many people think if they get ill, they will get some good pain meds and fade out slowly. It's seldom like that.

Imagine a spiral of pain and indignity that gets worse and worse over time and that you are absolutely helpless to do anything about.

That is why we too have clearly decided to take things into our own hands should some kind of horrible debilitating illness ever carry one of us off. We'd prefer to die with our boots on.

Many have made the point above, but if you do choose this route you have to prepare for it well. You need to have a living will, and bring your closest love ones into the picture. And you have to make sure you have the tools to carry things out. It's too late to start thinking about this after you've had you first debilitating stroke for example.

I have read that 50 or so Seconal is a civilized way to go. Any comments from others on the best meds for the job? Pistols are messy and far from a sure thing. I read somewhere that more than 50% of people attempting suicide with a pistol fail— presumably because the recoil throws the aim off. Bridges are good solid things and with a pint of whiskey and some good painkillers a high-dive off a good bridge could be compelling.

It's macabre stuff to be sure, but people should think about dealing with death from time to time. If it sneaks up on you and slowly grinds you up in some fetid oncology ward you'll have only yourself to blame. Someone once said: "few people remember the way you lived, but everyone remembers the way you die".

I don't think it macabre to talk about death. I have not been a great student of Buddism, but there is lots of extremely valuable territory there. Any sane person doesn't lose their fear of death, but we can lose a lot of the discomfort that comes with thinking about our death. And thats valuable. It frees us to focus on much more immediate, and (if you do it right) important things.

You are quite right of course.

As one who was very close to being a veggie crapping in a diaper for the rest of my life last year, I have my bottle of oxy in a secret place. There is no way I'm going to be a burden to my wife and kids.
Just say good night and never wake up.

So off topic has come to this. Not one of the ideas in over 80 posts looks painless to me. I would out myself with nothing less than a few hundred megaton A-bomb, while standing about 200 feet away. Far enough away to not feel the conventioanl trigger blast, but close enough to be completely vaporized in a .0001 of a sec.
Sorry about the colateral damage....

CO. asphyxiation. With a intro of a bottle of Capt Morgan.. most painless way possible.

The Seconal my father used was exceptionally effective. It was a perspective changer for my mother, who was against his decision up until he passed. It was so peaceful, and calm. The worst part of it was the taste, which was extremely bitter (I tasted it), but the hospice nurse said that they have never had a patient not succeed in drinking it all down. When the time comes for me, if I am in a similar state of dependence and indignity, I feel like this will be my choice, not only for my own reasons, but for the affect on the family. I can't tell you how important it was to have had all the family members at his side, able to tell him goodbye, and comfort him as he left. The affect on us was profound.

Im not afraid to admit Im chicken. Hey, I go to great lenghts to avoid pain. And with my method there wouldnt be any chance of a mistake. There was some guy on my street growing up that apparently, unsuccesfully, tried to off himself with a bullet to the head. It blew off half his face, but the poor bastard lived. He would scare the crap out of us kids when he came down the street. It was horrific. I guess that was before the age of reconstructive surgury.

I think if you are going to do it you might as well have some fun in the process. Something like a one man attack on a terrorist training camp in Indonesia.

i know of a girl. the last words out of her mouth while fighting cancer was, "mom, it hurts so much. i'm so tired. i am ready to go" she just died.

her mom is bitter and hates all things religious. the daughter was 20. her mom still hasnt recovered enough to be seen in public.

i watched my dad fight. when he started bleeding from every orifice, the pain got him..and he died. my stepdad was in agony too. he was trying to yank the tube from his throat to tell my mom he loved her. he was writhing in pain.

i can make myself insta-cry by remembering my two dads. my last words..i dont want it to be a cry in pain. it will be, "GERONIMOOOOOOO!"

Unless you have an Audi TDI

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I think most people talk this way and in the end when really facing death choose to prolong life. 80 yo I operated on the other day could've chosen dnr and morphine but didn't. Of course now she's miserable in the ICU.

unless you're very committed...duct tape, hose and sitting in your car takes too long. gives you too much time to think about it and change your mind.

Blake
 

Stop reading W. Blake, he makes me want to die.