Deaf Twins Going Blind Euthanized
gimmesometruth27
St. Fuckin Louis Posts: 23,303
haven't seen a discussion on this issue here in a long time.
i just came across this article. i'm not sure how i feel about it... normally i am all for patients having the right to choose euthanasia in cases of terminal illness, but this was not terminal. part of me feels like this was murder. they were not terminal, but i guess none of us could ever feel or imagine their suffering...
i guess more than anything it just makes me feel sad.
Deaf Twins Going Blind Euthanized
http://news.yahoo.com/deaf-twins-going- ... ories.html
Two deaf twin brothers in Belgium were euthanized by their doctor after realizing they were going blind and would be unable to see each other ever again, their physician says.
The 45-year-old men, whose names have not been made public, were legally put to death by lethal injection at the Brussels University Hospital in Jette, on Dec. 14.
The men, who were born deaf, had a cup of coffee and said goodbye to other family members before walking into hospital room together to die, their doctor told Belgian television station RTL.
"They were very happy. It was a relief to see the end of their suffering," said Dr. David Dufour.
"They had a cup of coffee in the hall. It went well and a rich conversation. Then the separation from their parents and brother was very serene and beautiful," he said. "At the last there was a little wave of their hands and then they were gone,"
More than 1,000 people legally availed themselves of doctor-assisted deaths in Belgium in 2011, most of them were terminally ill cancer patients.
The brothers are unique in that their illness was not terminal. Belgian law, however, allows doctors to euthanize "suffering" patients who are both mentally sound, over 18 and want to die.
Belgian lawmakers are considering a law that would extend euthanasia to dementia patients and children, whose families and doctors consented.
i just came across this article. i'm not sure how i feel about it... normally i am all for patients having the right to choose euthanasia in cases of terminal illness, but this was not terminal. part of me feels like this was murder. they were not terminal, but i guess none of us could ever feel or imagine their suffering...
i guess more than anything it just makes me feel sad.
Deaf Twins Going Blind Euthanized
http://news.yahoo.com/deaf-twins-going- ... ories.html
Two deaf twin brothers in Belgium were euthanized by their doctor after realizing they were going blind and would be unable to see each other ever again, their physician says.
The 45-year-old men, whose names have not been made public, were legally put to death by lethal injection at the Brussels University Hospital in Jette, on Dec. 14.
The men, who were born deaf, had a cup of coffee and said goodbye to other family members before walking into hospital room together to die, their doctor told Belgian television station RTL.
"They were very happy. It was a relief to see the end of their suffering," said Dr. David Dufour.
"They had a cup of coffee in the hall. It went well and a rich conversation. Then the separation from their parents and brother was very serene and beautiful," he said. "At the last there was a little wave of their hands and then they were gone,"
More than 1,000 people legally availed themselves of doctor-assisted deaths in Belgium in 2011, most of them were terminally ill cancer patients.
The brothers are unique in that their illness was not terminal. Belgian law, however, allows doctors to euthanize "suffering" patients who are both mentally sound, over 18 and want to die.
Belgian lawmakers are considering a law that would extend euthanasia to dementia patients and children, whose families and doctors consented.
"You can tell the greatness of a man by what makes him angry." - Lincoln
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
Post edited by Unknown User on
0
Comments
Faced with blindness, deaf twins choose euthanasia
http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013 ... nasia?lite
A pair of adult identical twins in Belgium have been legally killed at their request, the men's doctor told journalists.
The 45-years-old men, who were born deaf, spent their lives side-by-side — growing up together and then, as adults, sharing an apartment and working as cobblers together, according to Belgian media reports.
The men’s names have not been released but photographs of the identical twins from the Antwerp region have been made available to some media outlets.
Their doctor, David Dufour, told Belgium’s RTL Television over the weekend that the two men had been losing their eyesight for several years and soon would have been completely blind. The prospect of being blind as well as deaf was unbearable to them, he said.
"They were fully aware of their decision," Dufour said.
After winning approval from the necessary authorities, the two men received lethal injections at a Belgian hospital in December.
Dufour described their last moments: "They had a last cup of coffee and everything was fine. They said goodbye to their parents and brother and all was serene. They waved — and that was that."
Under a 2002 law, Belgians are allowed to end their own lives if a doctor judges an individual has made his or her wishes clear and is suffering unbearable pain.
The case of the twins was unusual because the two men were not approaching the end of their natural lives nor were they terminally ill.
But Jacqueline Herremans, a member of the Belgian Commission of Euthanasia, told RTL that they did meet the legal requirements as their suffering was grave and incurable. When they became blind as well as deaf, he said, they would not have been able to lead autonomous lives, and that with only a sense of touch they had no prospects of a future.
She acknowledged this was an exceptional case.
"Evidently they had a particular destiny. They were two human beings who have lived together, grown up together, worked together and wanted to die together. Their suffering may not have been physical, but there was psychological suffering," she said.
In 2010 and 2011, a total of 2,086 people died by euthanasia in Belgium, according to the country’s Euthanasia Commission.
Belgium is now looking at introducing a legal amendment that would allow children and those with dementia the option of seeking permission to die. If passed later this year, the option of euthanasia will be extended to minors affected by an incurable illness, or suffering that cannot be alleviated.
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
Very sad indeed.
"To question your government is not unpatriotic --
to not question your government is unpatriotic."
-- Sen. Chuck Hagel
These are two people who have a very serious co-dependent mental disorder. Being unable to see each other. Yes.. it would suck. But sorry, allowing those people to be euthanized is... A very dangerous step.
I'm going blind too. But no way I'm offing myself.
Kinda comes down to this:
Their doctor, David Dufour, told Belgium’s RTL Television over the weekend that the two men had been losing their eyesight for several years and soon would have been completely blind. The prospect of being blind as well as deaf was unbearable to them, he said.
"They were fully aware of their decision," Dufour said.
take a good look
this could be the day
hold my hand
lie beside me
i just need to say
On one hand... you'd think they have had the time to learn some coping mechanisms before going blind... but on the other hand... it wouldn't be a lot of fun.
With taste and touch as your only senses, you're not exactly enjoying a whole lot. Being completely dependent on others to do virtually everything for you would be difficult to accept.
I get where they are at. I support their decision. Of course I wish for something better for them, but I think it would be wrong to tell them to 'suck it up' if they weren't up for the task.
I feel the same way, Cate... totally agree
I am to a point.
I think letting clinically depressed people kill themselves is against the "first do no harm" bit and I think it's unethical. I think that doctor-assisted suicide should be like gender reassignment surgery... not something that you can just go in and ask for but a very long, drawn-out process since it's an irreversible procedure.
we take so much effort to control birth, why should i not be able to die when i want? i understand the finality of the action i just dont want to be forced or force others to live if thats not their wish.
take a good look
this could be the day
hold my hand
lie beside me
i just need to say
I agree with this.
And we shouldn't do that, either.
I am missing something here. Birth control is a bad thing?
I was thinking more about all the laws about women's reproductive rights.
i was thinking contraception and abortion.
take a good look
this could be the day
hold my hand
lie beside me
i just need to say
We would see the biggest martyrdom act in history!
Just saying.
A man that stands for nothing....will fall for anything!
All people need to do more on every level!
interesting read.
seems an old way to term the procedure.
will you be leading by example???
take a good look
this could be the day
hold my hand
lie beside me
i just need to say
Imagine a movement to ignore contraceptive measures. People are sexual: you won't see abstinence being practiced- you would see a population explosion. The earth can't even sustain the current population let alone this happening.
I can't see this being a good thing.
Then toss in our youth sector all young, stupid and horny: becoming parents at 13/14/15. You think we have problems now with the lack of parenting we have experienced... just wait until this scenario unfolded and reflect on the state of society.
Contraception is a really, really good thing. I can't fathom why someone would think differently?
Helen Keller
Fargo 2003
Winnipeg 2005
Winnipeg 2011
St. Paul 2014
Sha la la la i'm in love with a jersey girl
I love you forever and forever
Adel 03 Melb 1 03 LA 2 06 Santa Barbara 06 Gorge 1 06 Gorge 2 06 Adel 1 06 Adel 2 06 Camden 1 08 Camden 2 08 Washington DC 08 Hartford 08
that's too subjective to be proven by anyone. my wife's two aunts are blind and extremely sickly from malaria, have been for years, both nuns in africa. they couldn't be happier with the choices they made (being that religious helps I'm sure).
Fargo 2003
Winnipeg 2005
Winnipeg 2011
St. Paul 2014
I wonder...we treat our our animals with kindness and humaneness by determining their life has become more painful than pleasurable for them, and then do what we feel is right for them.
How can we not afford OURSELVES that option, by our own choice? Even if not by our own hand?
But these guys weren't blind yet. They weren't suffering. And who knows what their health was like. They could have had no other health problems. I don't know, but it seems unethical.
We also put our beloved animals down for a final rest when they are sick or badly injured. My grandparents actually had a dog that was blind and deaf and continued to live for 2 years before dying.
Nobody should have to prove that they are miserable or suffering. To anyone. I understand suicide is a horrific tragedy that can be avoided in many cases. I know the pain it brings to the family and friends left behind. But ultimately, its an individuals choice to die if he/she feels they can't live thru whatever it is they are dealing with.