Quote:
Originally Posted by GH85Carrera
My uncle died a slow painful death from cancer. He would scream in pain if the care taker rolled him over to change the sheets. He begged for a lethal dose of morphine. He had to suffer for several more months before his heart gave out.
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My father was in the same situation, but, living in Washington state, where there is a "death with dignity" law, he was allowed to end his suffering on his own terms.
It was the most surreal experience of my life. He was lucid to the very end, and took the medicine in one shot. I was never prouder or more in awe. We're talking about 90 capsules of secanol, emptied individually, and mixed in an 8 ounce drink. The entire family was at his side, and we all took a shot of his favorite rum as a chaser before he sat back in his bed, closed his eyes and fell asleep. We watched as my mother held him until his last, dramatic breath, and he was gone.
My mother was absolutely against it, right up to the moment he passed, at which time she immediately flipped, and understood how much it meant to him to leave on his own terms. Anyone who is in this situation should move to a state with similar laws, in my view. It was an experience I'll never forget.
edit: with regard to insurance, Washington state basically requires that a patient has a diagnosis of less than six months to live, to be eligible for the procedure, and the cause of death is listed as whatever the disease was that actually caused the situation, so the insurance is unaffected.