complete
For what I believe to be only the second time in the history of this blog, I am going to write about something serious. Not that I don’t take my family and friends seriously, I do. This is a different kind of serious, a social concern that affects everyone eventually kind of serious: A little story about societies acceptance or resistance of merciful killing.
Here is my issue. Why is it socially admissible to “put an animal down”, yet it is considered immoral to end a human’s suffering?
Now before you run off on a rant, or criticize me for sounding numb, or close the web browser out of discontent, I ask you, even dare you to read on. Sometimes when we look at things from a slightly different point of view, things get a little clearer. I have two scenarios to run through. Then, after reading it all, I am open to any and all criticism, blame or review. Throw me to the dogs if that’s your will, but only after taking it all in.
Ok, scenario one (hypothetical of course).
I have a dog. His name is Max. He is a 14-year-old Black Lab who, for the first 9 years of his life, was the best damn bird dog ever. He lives in the house, sleeping at the foot of our bed every night. He’s also my best friend in a way that only a fellow pet owner can understand.
Max and I stopped hunting together at the age of 9 because he started having trouble with his legs. At first it seemed to be no big deal, but the problem persisted so we took him to the vet. He was diagnosed with arthritis. Although he had obvious signs of pain while moving around, we treated him with a daily aspirin and life went on.
By age 10, things got progressively worse. He could no longer get up the steps to the bedroom, so he started sleeping downstairs in the living room. Some times he would cry for us, so I would go be with him until he fell asleep. I just loved that dog and hated to see him suffer like that. It broke my heart.
By age 12, he was diagnosed with colon cancer. The surgery to remove his tumor left him with a bag attached to him. Although changing this bag 3 times a day was a bit of a mess, we loved him so much that we didn’t want to live without him. After some adjustment here at home, and some at work, we again went on with our lives and everyone seems happy.
Today Max is completely unable to walk on his own for more than five or ten feet. His pain is surely unbearable so we have him on pain medicine. He is totally deaf, almost completely blind, and needs help to eat. About 3 months ago we started chopping his food up, mixing it with water and feeding him via a tube. Someone is with him every waking moment and I’m quite sure he’ll be dead within the next few days.
So now that you’ve read the first scenario, what do you think of me? Most people would say things like “You bastard, why are you making that poor dog suffer for so long” and “stop being so selfish about needing him around. You’re making that poor dog live a horrible life for your own reasons”. “Have you no mercy?”
Ok, scenario two. (again hypothetical)
My Grandmother was 72 when she had her first heart attack. She had trouble with arthritis in her hips for years prior to the ten days she spent in the hospital bed proved too much to overcome. Although a physical therapist worked with her on a daily basis, she would never again walk for more than 20 feet or so.
About a year later, she would suffer another heart attack. Although the damage to her heart was not as severe as the first, her physically dysfunctional state would become worse. Thankfully, her recovery was relatively painless and her hard work at the physical therapist proved worth it as she finally made it upright again. She could only walk for a few feet, but this was enough to regain some dignity as she could now make it to the bathroom without help.
At age 74 she was diagnosed with colon cancer. The surgery to remove her tumors left her with a colostomy bag. The mental image this left her with was a horrible. Only a very select few were ever even aloud to talk about the bag, let alone see it. I believe it was at this point when she felt she was done.
Unfortunately, she would remain in this form for about a year. Totally lucid, sharp as a whip, she watched her body decay before her. Every day she hoped it was her last. One day before she died her lucidity became too much to bear. For hours she ranted on about how she could see Jesus before her. She so wanted to go with him, but it was not yet her time.
She once asked me to help her end the pain. She wanted to end this life of misery and hurt. I could not comply with her wishes for obvious reasons. It was truly then when she gave up. She laid in that bed for months. The sores on her body were indescribable. I could not bring myself to comply with her wishes.
A few weeks later, as things got progressively worse for her, she asked me again to help her end her life. As she lay there in her pathetic yet sane state, she begged me. I had to do it. I felt so horrible inside, but yet I know it was not only for the best for her, but what she truly wanted.
So now what to you think of me? I hear thinks like “you are a killer”, “you bastard”, “how could you kill your own kin?”.
Well I ask you this. Why am I viewed as a heartless person for not killing my dog out of mercy, but yet I am viewed as yet again a heartless person for ending my Grandmothers pain? What is the difference? I believe in god! I am deeply evolved in the Methodist church! I know all about sin! Please tell me why society (not the church) has made this happen. Again, don’t pull the church card on me. Hell, we can’t even say the word GOD in some schools anymore, do it’s not applicable. Tell me why we, as a society, as a country, as a nation, as an entity in this world have come to make this distinction.
Note 1: I have not typed this long in one sitting since collage…
Note 2: …..
Here is my issue. Why is it socially admissible to “put an animal down”, yet it is considered immoral to end a human’s suffering?
Now before you run off on a rant, or criticize me for sounding numb, or close the web browser out of discontent, I ask you, even dare you to read on. Sometimes when we look at things from a slightly different point of view, things get a little clearer. I have two scenarios to run through. Then, after reading it all, I am open to any and all criticism, blame or review. Throw me to the dogs if that’s your will, but only after taking it all in.
Ok, scenario one (hypothetical of course).
I have a dog. His name is Max. He is a 14-year-old Black Lab who, for the first 9 years of his life, was the best damn bird dog ever. He lives in the house, sleeping at the foot of our bed every night. He’s also my best friend in a way that only a fellow pet owner can understand.
Max and I stopped hunting together at the age of 9 because he started having trouble with his legs. At first it seemed to be no big deal, but the problem persisted so we took him to the vet. He was diagnosed with arthritis. Although he had obvious signs of pain while moving around, we treated him with a daily aspirin and life went on.
By age 10, things got progressively worse. He could no longer get up the steps to the bedroom, so he started sleeping downstairs in the living room. Some times he would cry for us, so I would go be with him until he fell asleep. I just loved that dog and hated to see him suffer like that. It broke my heart.
By age 12, he was diagnosed with colon cancer. The surgery to remove his tumor left him with a bag attached to him. Although changing this bag 3 times a day was a bit of a mess, we loved him so much that we didn’t want to live without him. After some adjustment here at home, and some at work, we again went on with our lives and everyone seems happy.
Today Max is completely unable to walk on his own for more than five or ten feet. His pain is surely unbearable so we have him on pain medicine. He is totally deaf, almost completely blind, and needs help to eat. About 3 months ago we started chopping his food up, mixing it with water and feeding him via a tube. Someone is with him every waking moment and I’m quite sure he’ll be dead within the next few days.
So now that you’ve read the first scenario, what do you think of me? Most people would say things like “You bastard, why are you making that poor dog suffer for so long” and “stop being so selfish about needing him around. You’re making that poor dog live a horrible life for your own reasons”. “Have you no mercy?”
Ok, scenario two. (again hypothetical)
My Grandmother was 72 when she had her first heart attack. She had trouble with arthritis in her hips for years prior to the ten days she spent in the hospital bed proved too much to overcome. Although a physical therapist worked with her on a daily basis, she would never again walk for more than 20 feet or so.
About a year later, she would suffer another heart attack. Although the damage to her heart was not as severe as the first, her physically dysfunctional state would become worse. Thankfully, her recovery was relatively painless and her hard work at the physical therapist proved worth it as she finally made it upright again. She could only walk for a few feet, but this was enough to regain some dignity as she could now make it to the bathroom without help.
At age 74 she was diagnosed with colon cancer. The surgery to remove her tumors left her with a colostomy bag. The mental image this left her with was a horrible. Only a very select few were ever even aloud to talk about the bag, let alone see it. I believe it was at this point when she felt she was done.
Unfortunately, she would remain in this form for about a year. Totally lucid, sharp as a whip, she watched her body decay before her. Every day she hoped it was her last. One day before she died her lucidity became too much to bear. For hours she ranted on about how she could see Jesus before her. She so wanted to go with him, but it was not yet her time.
She once asked me to help her end the pain. She wanted to end this life of misery and hurt. I could not comply with her wishes for obvious reasons. It was truly then when she gave up. She laid in that bed for months. The sores on her body were indescribable. I could not bring myself to comply with her wishes.
A few weeks later, as things got progressively worse for her, she asked me again to help her end her life. As she lay there in her pathetic yet sane state, she begged me. I had to do it. I felt so horrible inside, but yet I know it was not only for the best for her, but what she truly wanted.
So now what to you think of me? I hear thinks like “you are a killer”, “you bastard”, “how could you kill your own kin?”.
Well I ask you this. Why am I viewed as a heartless person for not killing my dog out of mercy, but yet I am viewed as yet again a heartless person for ending my Grandmothers pain? What is the difference? I believe in god! I am deeply evolved in the Methodist church! I know all about sin! Please tell me why society (not the church) has made this happen. Again, don’t pull the church card on me. Hell, we can’t even say the word GOD in some schools anymore, do it’s not applicable. Tell me why we, as a society, as a country, as a nation, as an entity in this world have come to make this distinction.
Note 1: I have not typed this long in one sitting since collage…
Note 2: …..
posted by mattandriver at 10:31 PM
4 Comments:
damn matt you are getting good at this. nicely put. i guess you can always be a bastard. but you are an ok bastard with me.
N.J. 'killer nurse' gets 11 life terms>
..."that he killed "very sick" patients, and described the slayings as mercy killings."
Several of my colleagues have had the pleasure/displeasure of working with this man. In healthcare, we see people suffering everyday and know what the prognosis is dire. I have very strong opinions on this topic and you're only scratching the surface. Unfortunately, I'm unable to discuss them here due to my profession. I would be happy to banter 'off the record'.
Palliative Care
The premise is flawed and that is why this topic is always so volatile. Philosophically euthanasia makes sense, especially in a society whose legislative and governmental system is founded on baby killing (reference the latest supreme court judge nomination). So, even if we establish that philosophically "it is my body and I have the right to do what I want with my own body" then killing yourself or contracting someone else to would be perfectly wihin those rights. The problem in reality is that then this becomes an excuse for people to kill other people an call it mercy. I can name dozens of people that should be killed as an act of mercy on the other people that they effect. Then we get to the dilemma about who then can deem someone with the authority to enact these killings.
That is why it is easier for dogs. Dogs are superior to humans.
I'm all for it, sign me up. If I am deemed terminal, have pain daily, have outrageous hospital bills, can't take care of myself, I want to be euthanized. I think I can speak for my sister who is a medical professional and say that she would agree as well. There would have to be clear cut guidelines, obviously we can't run around with syringes full of whatever it takes to put us under. Where is Dr. Kevorkian anyway? Is he still in jail? He needs to be released.
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