Disclaimer
The opinions expressed herein are my own personal opinions and do not represent anyone else's view in any way, including those of my employer.
© Copyright 2010
The opinions expressed herein are my own personal opinions and do not represent anyone else's view in any way, including those of my employer.
© Copyright 2010
Terry Pratchett recently had the honour of giving the Richard Dimbleby Lecture. It was actually given by Tony Robinson as Pratchett’s early-onset Alzheimer’s can make it difficult to read. But Robinson was wonderful himself and Pratchett’s lecture lost nothing by using a “Stunt-Pratchett”. It was sad, funny, wonderfully argued and most of all, defiant.
Pratchett mounted an excellent case for assisted dying. One that will be very hard to counter.
In the 21st Century, we have pushed death far away from us. Even when Death is at the door suggesting that we might be off now, we use whatever medical technology we can to forestall the inevitable, often at a terrible cost in pain for the soon departed and their family. There is no dignity in a lingering death in pain with one’s faculties withered. It is simply cruelty no matter the intent.
Pratchett talks about nursing homes as being “God’s Waiting Room.” And while some homes do offer excellent care, I recall the horror of visiting a now deceased aunt at a nursing home a few years back. The atmosphere was depressing, weighing heavily on your own soul while the occupants seemed more than ready to give up theirs. Their faces seem carried a sad bewilderment at the betrayal. Not just by their families that put them in the homes but by God who seemed to have forgotten about them as well.
Whilst there are many Victorian attitudes we are wise to give up, at least in those times death was often at home surrounded by family. It wasn’t a remote event in hospital surrounded by machines that go bing, counting your seconds till you die which is announced when the binging stops.
Even with Alzheimer’s, Pratchett’s mind is still very sharp. I do hope that he can bring about change in attitudes to death and dying.
I also hope that he has many more good years to come.
Part 1 of the lecture is below. All five other parts can be found on Youtube. Well worth watching.
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11:46 am - February 4th, 2010
Wonderful viewing. Three points: The ‘difficult to counter’ does not apply to Christians, who will argue till blue in the face, using a theory with which atheists cannot agree (viz. God does not allow ’suicide’). Secondly, we must be vigilant against such Christians, eg Kevin Andrews, who will continue to prevent us exercising our RIGHT to die as/when WE choose. Lastly, yes….dying at home is definitely a dying art, so to speak.
10:10 pm - February 4th, 2010
Yes, the God argument does not wash with me.
A problem the anti-assisted death crowd seem to think that allowing assisted death somehow takes away their rights. I’m all for people wanting to hang on as long as they can, taking advantage of palliative care and modern medicine to ease their pain and die when nature decides.
But allowing people to die when they want to doesn’t take away anyone’s rights nor does it mean that you have to shuffle off as soon as you find yourself with a terminal illness.
1:31 am - February 6th, 2010
I read an article about the same speech that said he has Posterior Cortical Atrophy rather than Alzheimer’s. Memory remains pretty intact with PCA, the problem being with the decoding of visual information – leading to agnosia, alexia etc. A horrible disease for someone so engaged with the written word.
11:38 am - February 6th, 2010
The anecdata in my life suggests another, entirely “pro-life” reason for keeping the power of death in the hands of the dying. I have a great aunt in a nursing home – survivor of two strokes, the second of which has left her with impaired language understanding (but not obliterated) and severely impaired language expression. On a number of occasions, when she seemed truly despondent, she has been offered the option of dying. This is possible in her situation by virtue of refusing medication. On every occasion, she has given the choice due consideration and chosen to live. Really, chosen to live. To make the effort to engage and enjoy what this life has left to offer her. I will have no ill will if and when she makes the other choice, but the power of her having that choice is clear.
This isn’t isolated in my experience. And I’m not suggesting this justification is needed, I’ve seen the other side of it too. It’s a right everyone should have regardless of how they use that right.
*Here via Hoyden, and off to watch all those YouTubes* Thanks.
11:57 am - February 6th, 2010
@ su,
Thanks for that. I found a good run down on Posterior Cortical Atrophy. Pratchett recounts his experience of the disease here.
@ Ariane,
That is a powerful anecdote. And yes, having the power to choose to end your life does not mean you have to take that path. I’ve been thinking about what I would do in a similar situation and I honestly don’t know. I suspect I’d do pretty much the same.