hi all
has anybody had any dealing or experience with dignitas?
its a taboo topic and difficult to obtain information
thanks in advance
Allen
hi allen
at my most despondent time i have thought about it.
however i have decided that carbon monoxide is the best option.
cheap and doesn’t involve anyone else.
having said that the despondency didn’t last long and sunny days like today make me want to live forever.
carole x
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Agreed Carole. I’ve always thought, and told those close to me, it would be a cocktail of drugs when I felt I don’t want to do this anymore. Then I do wonder about the sadness for those that love me and the person who will find me…
Today the sun is shining brightly and the sky is blue. Today I’m glad to be here.
I have no experience, but just google it and you will find a link to their website. It’s a long time since I looked it up, so this information is about three years old. Do it on a public computer in, for example, a library, if you don’t want the search to show up on your own.
Contrary to the impression you get off the media, you can’t just make your mind up today and go tomorrow, there is a long questionnaire to complete beforehand, they may not accept you, you have to be a member for about six months, and it costs about £12k.
Just being aware of the basics made me feel better, hope for the best and prepare for the worst and all that.
I’m neither positive or negative about the subject - I think it’s your decision, but it’s not without ramifications for others.
Hope that helps.
Jo x
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If you can, I would suggest that you have a look at the documentary that the late lamented Sir Terry Pratchett did on assisted dying. It should be on YouTube. He followed someone to Dignitas and was with him through the process. It is not easy viewing even if, like me, you believe in the right of people to choose assisted dying. FWIW my opinion is that there are better, easier and cheaper ways to die with dignity than going to an industrial estate in Switzerland.
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I have thought long and hard about making my replies anonymous but decided not to. I have thought at length about what I will do if there ever comes the point where I have to think of an “end game”. I beleive that thinking about it and planning options whilst I still have (some of) my marbles and I am not in desperation because of pain or disability is the best thing to do. I have discussed it with people I love and friends know what my views are SHOULD IT EVER BECOME A REAL ISSUE FOR ME. It might not need to come to that - probably it won’t - but I don’t want people I love being accused of pushing me into something I didn’t want to do. Anyone who knows me knows that just wouldn’t happen.
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I always find this a difficult subject to debate. But I do believe folk should be able to make their own mind up.
But like the replies above, no-one wants a 3rd party to be left with guilt, regret or whatever.
And crikey…didnt know it cost so much!
pollsx
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I use to be against assisted suicide being legalised on the pragmatic grounds that its legalisation could be abused to pressure vulnerable people into reluctantly exiting and on the grounds that the focus of attention should be on campaigning for better palliative care. I of course believe in everyone’s right to commit suicide but Im now conflicted on whether assisted suicide should be legalised. On balance, I think it should be but I still worry about where it might lead, especially in a country where the government and general public have shown themselves to be in general prejudiced against and heartless towards the disabled. Will it go from something that happens in exceptional cases to something that society expects severely disabled people to do? Could there develop a societal norm against being disabled (and so a burden on “hard working people”) and still alive? I just dont know.
I agree Bob, but also against the elderly.
Pollsx
Yes, I agree too, Katie Hopkins may be a rent-a-gob, but she does have a following, and I didn’t like her thoughts on sending euthanasia vans round to the elderly - but obviously some people do.
It is a difficult subject to debate, but I don’t think that’s a good reason not to. The whole subject opens all sorts of moral quandaries, so it just never gets properly addressed in our sound bite society.
Personally, I agree with assisted suicide, because where it is legalised, the uptake is still quite low - it seems to be that even if people have the possibility of assisted suicide, they don’t opt to use it very often - just the knowledge that it’s an option is usually enough. And that can be no bad thing.
There are other options, I think there is a place in Belgium as well.
Oh, and please can I add, I am NOT advocating this as an option, just sharing what I know. I find it an interesting subject.
Jo x
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