First death under new Washington suicide law

[Roon]

Source: AP

OLYMPIA, Wash. - A 66-year-old woman who had stage 4 pancreatic cancer is the first person to die under Washington state’s new assisted suicide law.

Linda Fleming of Sequim died Thursday night after taking drugs prescribed under the “Death with Dignity” law that took effect in March. Assisted suicide group Compassion & Choices of Washington announced Fleming’s death Friday morning.


Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30888637/

[Hell Hath No Fury]

1. I am sorry she had cancer...

but I am so very glad she had this option.

I watched my grandmother die of pancreatic cancer -- if she had wanted it, I would have done anything she asked to help her passing.

[noiretextatique]

2. likewise with my sister

she had breast cancer that had metastasized to her spine, brain and liver. she died two months after diagnosis, but she suffered terribly in that short time :cry: euthanasia is a humane option for animals...why not people?

:hi: hey hell :hi:

[tomm2thumbs]

3. that's a big point to push - we give our animals more respect to stop suffering than people

I can't imagine this has anything to do with religious fanaticism either. <sarcasm>

[Butch350]

4. Hey thanks for reminding me...

I almost forgot to call the Doc, to have grandma put down tomorrow. Hey thanks.

[Blaze Diem]

7. This is not YOUR decision to make. It is one's own wish for themselves.

Grama must request to have herself 'put down'.
Sorry, not your call.

[noiretextatique]

9. have you ever watched a loved one suffer with a terminal illness?

if my sister had asked, i would have helped her die.

[Demit]

16. A remarkably oblivious response. You think it would be all about you, and not the person in pain.

[defendandprotect]

23. You're misjudging

personal choice over one's own life and calling it "murder."

And, doesn't that sound familiar --- oh, yeah . . . "If you think abortion is murder, act like it"

I seem to recall a number of "pro-life" murders resulting from that propaganda tactic.

Let's see.... a number of doctors at women's clinics shot -- at least one or two killed.

And, bombings at women's clinics ... a number of people killed -- many harmed.


Coincidental that George W. Bush -- your "pro-life" president -- has caused the deaths of

hundreds of thousands of living innocent Iraqis and Afghanistanis?

[Zhade]

43. What a fucking idiotic comment.

NT!

[Hell Hath No Fury]

11. Hey Noiret!

:hi: :loveya:

I think when you have watched someone you love suffer, you have a very differant view on this issue.

I was watching the documentary of Farrah Fawcett's struggle with cancer and was shocked at how much she was putting herself through -- I admired her on one hand, but wondered when she would finally say "enough is enough". At the end of the day, I think it is everyone's right to say when enough is enough for them.

[noiretextatique]

12. i totally agree

i saw farrah's story...it was heartbreaking. she's a lot stronger than i would be.
when i was diagnosed with breast cancer in dec 2007, i told myself if i had what my sister had, i would not go through what she did.
luckily, i had a much less aggressive cancer than hers, and no spreading.
everyone has the right to determine her own destiny.
:loveya: we should have a reunion soon.

[Blaze Diem]

5. Sequim, Washington (pronounced Squim) is a beautiful peaceful spot of this world.

A narrow meadow, where lavender fields bloom, bordered by the majestic snowcapped peaks of the Olympic National Forrest on one side and the magnificent Strait leading to the edge of America, itself, and out to the Pacific Ocean. Sequim rests peacefully on the edge of the sea. Looking across the Strait, one can see Victoria, British Columbia.
I'm quite certain, Ms. Flemming is at peace, without pain nor ills of the human body to keep her from roaming freely in a most enchanted & beautiful place.

I too would follow her lead should I be at the point she was in her life journey. I have no doubt of that.
To pass on with dignity should be one's personal decision.
I applaud the State of Washington & Oregon for allowing one the choice.

[Ilsa]

37. I love the Olympic Peninsula. I wish we could move there.

I've been backing through the mountains. I love the humidity, the forests, and peacefulness of this area of the country.

My uncle died a very painful death with pancreatic cancer. I can understand why this woman would choose to die this way. I wish her and her family peace.

[Ohio Joe]

6. RIP - nt

[ItNerd4life]

8. I'm glad this law exists

I never understood how it was compassionate to put an animal down but not a human.

Her suffering had to be terrible, I hope she found peace.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

10. She was already dead.

This option merely helped her make her exit with dignity and without those final weeks of agony.

I don't have the slightest problem with making this option available to everyone.

Kevorkian was right.

[Javaman]

13. Does one have to be a resident to take part in this option? nt

[Roon]

14. Great question!

I would like to think I would have this option in my last few weeks. Might be worth moving there if that's the case.

[Javaman]

15. I like to plan ahead. nt

[UndertheOcean]

19. an opiod (like Heroin)overdose will do the trick , and can be found on the streets

I may be wrong though ...

[Javaman]

20. well, sleeping pills and an exhaust pipe will work in a pinch. nt

[ismnotwasm]

36. If you know what you're doing

Most people don't.

We get people attempting suicide with certain opioid medication and what ends up happening is a lengthy ICU stay.

[FreeState]

18. Yes you must be a resident and do several other things

http://www.king5.com/topstories/stories/NW_052209WAB-AP_assisted-suicide-death-JM.6fe2f79.html?btm

Any patient requesting fatal medication must be at least 18, declared mentally competent and be a resident of the state. Two doctors must certify the patient has a terminal condition and six months or less to live, and the patient must make two oral requests 15 days apart, plus a written request that is witnessed by two people.

To comply with the law, a number of forms are required for each patient, but doctors have 30 days to file the forms after the prescription is filled.

Edit to add:

It's easy to become a Washington State resident. To become a resident of the state of Washington, simply take some action that proves you intend to live in the state on more than a temporary or transient basis.

Examples of actions you can take:

Obtain a Washington State driver license
Register to vote
Buy property and/or maintain a residence

http://access.wa.gov/living/resources/residency.aspx

[Wednesdays]

17. K&R

:kick:

[KamaAina]

21. Many people with disabilities view assisted suicide as a terrible, dangerous idea

http://www.notdeadyet.org

I must tell you, though, working alongside the religious wrong to try and stop it isn't easy, 'specially when they start popping off about civil unions in the middle of our meetings. :grr: :banghead:

edit: data from Oregon, which has had it the longest, show clearly that most people choose the option not because of unmanageable pain, but because of "loss of dignity": the ability to care for oneself, etc. -- in other words, fear of disability.

[DemBones DemBones]

26. Problems with this Washington law:

"Patient “Control” is an Illusion"

"The new act was passed by the voters as Initiative 1000 and has now been codified as Chapter 70.245 RCW."

"During the election, proponents touted it as providing “choice” for end-of-life decisions. A glossy brochure declared, “Only the patient — and no one else — may administer the .”2 The Act, however, does not say this — anywhere. The Act also contains coercive provisions. For example, it allows an heir who will benefit from the patient’s death to help the patient sign up for the lethal dose."

"How the Act Works"

"The Act requires an application process to obtain the lethal dose, which includes a written request form with two required witnesses.3 The Act allows one of these witnesses to be the patient’s heir.4 The Act also allows someone else to talk for the patient during the lethal-dose request process, for example, the patient’s heir.5 This does not promote patient choice; it invites coercion."

Emphasis added. More at NotDeadYet.org


An heir can't witness a will but a heir can help a patient sign up for suicide drugs, act as a witness to the application, and even speak for the patient during the process. Not good. Also, the law allows someone else to put the drugs in the patient's mouth or IV and does not require disinterested witnesses (i.e., not heirs) to the death.

DUers were upset by the woman who left her sick aunt at a homeless shelter so she and her family could go to Disneyland. If she'd lived in Washington, she could have coerced the aunt into assisted suicide instead and then gone to Disneyland.

Assisted suicide is a serious concern for the disabled who dislike the idea of becoming disposable.

[ismnotwasm]

38. It's not that easy

You don't get to say, "hey, how about assisted suicide? Don't you know you'll be better off??


Doesn't work that way.

Even to change your code status, or choose to decline resuscitation needs a discussion with a doctor when you're hospitalized. Clear documentation if you're not.

In long term care especially, where there is a lack of medical personal, it's strictly the patients choice no matter what the age or health condition.

When I worked LTC, We had a women with multiple myeloma who was terminal. It's a long story, but her husband couldn't change her code status when her disease progressed rapidly. She died. We ended up coding her, breaking her ribs in the process as well as using the AED. By the time the medics got there it was way beyond futile, but we didn't have the authority to stop. The medics called the code and then called the police. Everybody was covering their ass. He husband of 30 years was in agony and tears, had to sit through all that shit.

My point is the Death with Dignity laws provide just that, an empowerment and a dignity to the patient. In Oregon, just as often as not they don't take the suicide option. What they say is it makes them feel better knowing they have a way out if they need it.

They can say no. They can object, they can change their minds. They are not alone in making a very painful decision and at no point is it arbitrary.

[OneBlueSky]

27. I think assisted suicide has to remain an option, but with safeguards . . .

it is, after all, one's own life we're talking about . . . and if an elderly person decides that pain, loss of dignity, or just the day-to-day business of surviving has become too much, who are we to say otherwise? . . . if the individual is, for whatever reason, incapable of making a rational decision due to observable factors like dementia, then the decision isn't made "with sound mind" and probably shouldn't be honored, unless he or she left written instructions before the capacity to make informed decisions was lost . . .

it's a tough call, of course, but ultimately we're all responsible for our own lives . . . and ultimately, each of those lives is going to end . . . to force someone to live in horrific pain or with no personal dignity in order to prolong a terminal life for months or even years in the name of ethics, morality, or religion is far more cruel than honoring the person's wishes to hasten the process a bit . . .

jmho, of course, and based on how I'd want to be treated should the time come when circumstances require me to make such a decision . . . something I certainly hope doesn't happen . . . given a preference, I'd just as soon go to sleep one night and just not wake up the next day . . .

[Hannah Bell]

28. i think it's a dangerous law too, & i would have guessed most choose

"assisted" suicide because of fear of disability & dependence.

if economic conditions get worse, more people will be choosing this "option". i find it creepy & orwellian.

[nomorenomore08]

30. So your solution is to forcibly prolong cancer patients' suffering?

I understand your concerns, but there has to be a better way than flat-out denying assisted suicide as an option...

[Dulcinea]

33. This is a tough one.

I can understand why people with disabilities think this is a bad idea.

But I can only speak for myself: If I ended up terminally ill or in a Terri Schiavo situation, I would want the option of death with dignity. To me, that would not be life worth living. I wouldn't want the people I love to remember me stuck full of needles & tubes in a hospital bed, waiting for death. I cannot & would not make that choice for anyone else.

Peace.

[emilyg]

22. Kick

[defendandprotect]

24. We all need this "assisted suicide" option . . . in every state --

And good to see Washington has the compassion to afford its citizens this option.

[proteus_lives]

25. It was her choice and she made it.

I respect that.

[stewartcolbert08]

29. Wow, its like "Quit-tis"

Or what wever that suicide assist thing is from "Children of Men" I am sorry but I do not agree with this! If she doesnt want to sign a DNR thats fine but I dont think they should just let her kill herself.

[nomorenomore08]

31. You've never had a terminal illness, have you?

(Obviously not, because you're still alive. But I think you know what I mean.)

[Doremus]

32. Isn't it nice that you don't get to make her choices for her.

Apparently you would choose perpetual agonizing pain for her in her last weeks.

How repuke of you. :eyes:

[stewartcolbert08]

40. Look

Okay. I understand what you are all saying. I am just saying that I lost my grandpa a few months ago to bladder cancer. They told him it was terminal well over a year ago after it spread to his other organs but that they could prolong his life with some treatment. So he chose to have it treated so that he could be with his family longer. When it got too bad after his last surgery we had to make the decision as a family to take him off of life support. That was the hardest decision we ever had to make. Did I want to let him go? NO! But he wanted it, he was suffering so we had to let go. If thats what these people want then thats fine, but they should have to undergo some type of counseling to understand that what they are about to do is PERMANENT! My grandpa was so angry when he first found out about his cancer and he felt the same way, but after he became rational he was able to enjoy his life for almost another 2 years and HE DID! Thats all I am saying. The article makes it sound like she was diagnosed and BOOM she was done! BOOM you're in the anger phase so BOOM you're done. There has to be more to it than that. Thats all I was saying. So get all tiffy with me if you must, but I was just saying that I hope these people receive extensive counseling to understand this decision before they make it. I respect what she did, I am glad she is no longer suffering, I just hope this doesn't encourage the attitude of, "well sorry dude you're not going to make it may as well pull the plug!" Its a slippery slope.

[Doremus]

42. If you read the OP you'll see there are many checks and balances in the process.

This isn't a case of someone going in on a whim and offing themselves as you're implying.

For someone in agony, death is a welcome respite. The only person who knows when the time is right is the person experiencing it. Not you, not me.

[stewartcolbert08]

44. Okay

Why are you being so argumentative? We are AGREEING that the checks and balances in place need to be enforced! That is all I was saying in the first place so what is the problem? :shrug: That was all I was getting at in the first place, I was just pointing out people have to go through all the stages before making a decision like that. I never said that I should be able to make the decision for her, in fact, if you re-read my first reply I said I respected her decision so.............idk what you deal is.

[Akoto]

34. I won't attack you, because I think it's hard to understand this from the outside ...

I'm 24, and I live on my bed 90% of the time due to chronic pain. People don't understand how someone so young could be so ill. I've been accused of malingering, feeling sorry for myself. It's just very hard to grasp how someone could be in so much pain, yet look relatively well on the outside.

When you have to wake up and fight that battle every minute of every day, it's a great burden to your body and mind alike. Constant pain and suffering, never ending worries about what changes in your symptoms might mean. You can become somewhat acclimated to it, but you never really accept or embrace that sort of change in your life.

I'm not dying like she was, but I fully understand where she's coming from. I, too, would like to be able to choose to leave with dignity once I've had enough.

[stewartcolbert08]

41. I know

I totally agree with you! I have a 23 year old cousin being treated for heart cancer in Houston who has the same types of feelings. She never knows what will happen one day to the next. All I was saying is that I hope these people get extensive counseling before making such a big decision. The article makes it sound like she was diagnosed and made the decision on a whim. When my grandpa first found out he was terminal w/ bladder cancer he was hurt, angry, he didnt understand why it was happening to him. I just hope that they are waiting till those types of feeling pass before letting these people make these decisions. I am sorry you are suffering if you ever need to talk or vent or just need someone to listen, I can do that for you. Someone like you might be good for my cousin Chas so that she doesnt feel so alone. Maybe it would do both of you good to talk ya know. You can read her story at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/chasityrussell.
I hope life brings you better days and I hope I didnt offend you by my opinion. I am serious about being there for you if I can though. Remember that!

[ismnotwasm]

35. She was tired of suffering

and she was empowered to end it. Good for her, and good for her supportive family

"Her disease progressed rapidly and her pain worsened dramatically. "I had only recently learned how to live in the world as I had always wanted to, and now I will no longer be here. So my fatal disease arrived at a most inopportune time," Fleming said shortly before her death.

After working with her physician and volunteers to consider her choices and make her end-of-life decisions, Fleming took her prescribed medication on Thursday evening at home with her family, her dog and her physician at her bedside.

"The pain became unbearable, and it was only going to get worse," Fleming said in explaining her decision to use the "Death with Dignity" law.

"I am a very spiritual person, and it was very important to me to be conscious, clear-minded and alert at the time of my death," she said, adding that powerful pain medications were affecting her ability to focus and concentrate.

"I am grateful that the 'Death with Dignity' law provides me the choice of a death that fits my own personal beliefs," she said."
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/45850952.html

[Haole Girl]

39. This has been done for years with the terminally ill...

the law just makes it legal.

People should have the same consideration dogs and cats have. That's all I have to say about that.