End of life care: my life my death my choice

My strong belief is the right for everyone to make a choice for euthanasia should they lose quality of life has been influenced by two family occurrences.

The first a heavy smoker with cancer of the throat deteriorated quickly, I could hear him gasping for breath as I entered the main hospital entrance, he could not communicate, did not recognize anyone and was being fed intravenously' fortunately I was able to persuade a sympathetic doctor to ease him out in a dignified manner.

The second a mate who served with me in the second world war who had always expressed the wish not to be confined in a nursing home. The doctor put his arm around him one day in my presence and said to him "Don't you worry Tom when the time comes I will ease you out" This gave Tom great peace of mind, however the time came when Tom had to go in a nursing home and was given medication to stop him wandering at night, crying out and disturbing other patients. He deteriorated quickly became incontinent bowels and bladder, was bedridden, unable to communicate and did not recognize anyone.

When I approached the doctor for help he said sorry I cannot do anything for him now as all medication in a nursing home has to be documented. Tom was allowed to lie in his bed in this state for 15 months, surely you must agree that this is an extremely cruel fate to impose upon someone who had served his country with distinction.

I would strongly recommend that everyone prepare an advance health care directive and appoint an enduring guardian, so that he/she has the authority to liase with the doctor in the preparation of a health care management plan when quality of life is lost.

The health care management plan should provide that you not be subjected to and intervention or treatment aimed at prolonging life, and that and distressing symptoms (including and caused by lack of food or fluid) are fully controlled by appropriate analgesics or other treatment even though this may shorten life. For those wishing to avoid prolonged confinement in a nursing home and distress to loved ones, I would strongly recommend that they take this action whilst of sound mind.

In conclusion let me make it clear that is not my intention to impose my views on anyone , however I consider that euthanasia should be an option for those who have documented their wishes in an advance health care directive.