You know when you have moments that really just do leap out and grab you by the throat? Well, I've had something along those lines. I've just watched the Richard Dimbleby Lecture on BBC Iplayer, the perennial curse that destroys the degree aspirations of many first year university students. I digress. The lecture was given by Sir Terry Pratchett a celebrated author as I'm sure you all know. However, what many don't know is that he suffers from a rare form of Alzheimers. The subject of the lecture (that was in the event given by Tony Robinson - someone to just about everyone remains Baldrick - due to the fact that because of Terry Pratchett's form of Alzheimers means that he has trouble reading aloud) was that of assisted suicide, or as Mr Pratchett likes to call it, and I'm with him on this one, assisted death. I don't want to be morbid in this post but the topic does intrigue me and it is a rather fascinating subject and one that is the subject of what are rather ironically dubbed "healthy debates".
I feel the need to make my position on that subject rather clear. For me assisted death should be an option to people who understand clearly that their quality of life would be lesser or would make their life somewhat pointless (apologies for the way that I sound rather callous but these are my feelings on the matter and I'm bloody well not changing them to suit those that disagree with me) or just if their life meant that they could not live per se. My own opinion requires that I give you a scenario. Say that however far down the line it may be I am so ill that my quality of life is so impaired that I cannot carry out basic tasks or I cannot enjoy my life as fully as I could I would much rather slip away with some dignity rather than remain alive hooked up to God knows what. I would rather slip into that great unknown which is death rather than live out death in a hospital bed unable to move or live without medical intervention. Given the fact that I am a type on diabetic - a condition which has a large number of complications that can prove fatal or reduce life expectancy - I am pro assisted death in a manner not too dissimilar to Mr Pratchett's. Should my quality of life deteriorate to such a level that I was unable to care for myself and require vast levels of medication I would much rather take myself in my wheel chair and wheel myself over Beachy Head, a favourite for those bent upon self destruction in England (those that come from London the service from Victoria is hourly and rather good. The expense of a return ticket is thus avoided) I just hope that they have by then installed an arch at the top of the cliffs and a skip at the bottom to make life or the lack of it much easier for all concerned.
I think I must draw this to it's conclusion that assisted death should not be stigmatised as it is. Those seeking a premature end to avoid suffering later on should not be denied the end that they desire. There is in my opinion, nothing nobler than to be allowed to choose the manner of your own end, to meet death and the Grim Reaper on your own terms. Dignity should be considered right unto the end. I do believe that the legal provisions necessary for assisted suicide to be legal should be made.
I make no apologies for being morbid and slightly fatalistic but the purpose of this blog is for me to put across my unadulterated views about many things, not just those related to diabetes. I suppose in abstract this could be seen as related to diabetes. I leave it to you to work out.
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