*new* 25Feb14 DNR tatoos
http://www.jems.com/article/administration-and-leadership/pro-bono-should-you-pay-attention-or-obe
*new* 25Feb14 Brain research
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/25/science/the-brains-inner-language.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20140225
20 Feb 14 President Obama to meet the Dalai Lama
http://swampland.time.com/2014/02/20/dalai-lama-barack-obama-meeting-white-house/
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/22/world/asia/us-brushes-off-chinese-rebuke-as-obama-meets-with-dalai-lama.html?_r=0
19Feb14 Starting palliative care sooner is helpful
http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/earlier-palliative-care-helps-patients-with-advanced-cancer-to-cope-1.2542457
Rosencrantz and Gildensterm are Dead at the Cincinnati Shakespeare Co.
http://cincyshakes.com/events/rosencrantz-and-guildenstern-are-dead/
I believe Prof. Schuttemeyer is going Thursday 13 Feb if you want to get cheaper group tickets with him. 859.344.3384
12Feb14 NPR Belgian proposal terminally-ill kids could choose euthanasia
http://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2014/02/12/274728194/belgian-proposal-terminally-ill-kids-could-choose-euthanasia
Upon reading the Belgium child euthanasia, I kept thinking about how wrong this is. How could we let a child, who cannot make informed decisions, to choose euthanasia? But the more I thought about it, I realized we shouldn't make the decision for someone who is going through more than I can even imagine. Who are we to force a dying child, who is going through pain and suffering every day, to keep suffering until their ensuing death? But still, I could not imagine how torn apart the parents of a terminally ill child would be when their child asks to end his/her suffering. I would definitely support lowering the age of 18, but I do not feel comfortable with agreeing that all children, with their parent's and doctor's approval, should have the option of euthanasia. It's one thing for a 16 year old, who we deem responsible enough to drive (and drink in Belgium) to have the option. But an actual child?
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Nick, we should not force a dying child to keep living in pain and suffering, but there is still palliative care to treat these kids until their death. It just doesn't seem right for a child to make a decision like that, or even their parents. The parents could just push the issue and manipulate the child into it just so they don't have to see them like that. I agree with you in the fact if they were to lower the age 16 would be much more reasonable.
DeleteI agree with Nick also its completely wrong to allow a young child to make the decision to choose something as drastic as Euthanasia. Forcing someone to choose this path violates their right to life as a human being. Individuals as Nick said have absolutely no right to make the decision and force a child to die when it goes against their own will. It would be quite sad however if lets say a 5 year old child was in so much pain that he/she would ask her parents to just let him die so the pain could stop.
DeleteInteresting article, and I believe that this law is something good for those children who are suffering immensely from terminal illnesses, and they don't want to suffer any more and be in continuous pain. What sort of life is that, especially if there isn't a chance of survival as all areas have been exhausted when it comes to treatment options. Having the parents and medical staff in agreement on the decision is a good choice, except in the situations where as the one senator worries that "overstretched parents will be the ones asking for their children's euthanasia or manipulating vulnerable kids into asking for it." With that I can see there being a problem with allowing such a decision made. One would hope that a parent wouldn't end a child's life because of such reason(s), but it definitely is something that one would have to wonder about.
ReplyDeleteThis article is painful to read, in that it is one of those situations where you do not know what would be the right thing to do, and what would be wrong. It is definitely hard to choose right from wrong. It is wrong in the fact that these are children who are making the decisions, but do not know the implications. They have not lived life, and have only been on this Earth for a short period of time. But then who are we to tell them that they have to keep suffering through the pain of the illness. This is a very rough topic, and one that will be fought over for a long time because nobody knows what is the right thing to do, and if we should let young children decide on something so important.
ReplyDeleteThis article was very difficult to read. I cannot even grasp letting adults voluntarily choose euthanasia so it is even more difficult for me to understand the rationale behind passing this law. I guess it is so difficult for me to understand because I have never been in/witnessed someone in a state where they are suffering immensely that they would rather die than continue to suffer. I also can't imagine the parent being faced with the decision to allow their child to choose this option. I think that letting children choose euthanasia is not appropriate because most do not have the capacity in their minds to fully grasp their decision.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Alexis the article was indeed a difficult to read. It almost makes me want to be there at that point in time and understand how they could possibly pass something like this. I have never experienced someone in so much pain that they would choose death over living. I sure the pain influences their judgement causing them to make rash decisions. They children have not lived long enough in order to make a rational decision in regards to death. They have barely experience the beauty of life and what it has in store for them so they can appreciate what they have yet to experience.
DeleteReading the terminally ill kids in Belgium article really surprised me. Like it said in the article, they are not old enough to drink, or smoke, or even vote, so why would they think that giving them the option of life and death would be a good idea. Even though it says that they need parental consent doesn't mean much. The parent could be manipulating and pushing for their child to euthanasia, because they can't bear to see them anymore in that state. It just doesn't seem right to put a life in a suffering young child's hands.
ReplyDeleteScientists find biomarkers in the body which could tell if people will die in the next 5 years:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/10661269/Death-test-predicts-chance-of-healthy-person-dying-within-five-years.html