What does ‘dying with dignity’ mean for you?
Many people want to spend their last days at home. However, this is often not possible for terminally ill people.
Have you ever cared for or accompanied a family member or a friend until their death? If you were in this situation, what would you wish for? What does a dignified death mean to you?
I wasn't asked whether I wanted to go into this world or not. But now I have a will and the ability to decide. I want to decide about my life, the others should take care of theirs. After an accident that left me unconscious for 3 weeks and other serious injuries with life-long consequences, I signed up to EXIT. Years after the accident, I was still angry about the doctors and the system that brought me back to life. I don't want to experience that or anything similar again. Nobody should talk me into it. Nor do I want to have so much trouble with biased courts and bribed lawyers etc. again.
Ich wurde nicht gefragt ob ich in diese Welt will oder nicht. Aber jetzt habe ich einen Willen und Entscheidungsfaehigkeit. Ich will entscheiden ueber mein Leben, die anderen sollen sich um das Ihres kuemmern. Nach einem Unfall mit 3 Wochen bewustlos und anderen schweren Verletzungen mit lebenslaenglichen Folgen, habe ich bei EXIT unterschrieben. Noch Jahre nach dem Unfall habe ich mich ueber die Aerzte und System das mich "ins Leben" zurueckgeholt haben / hat, geargert. Das, oder aehnliches, will ich nicht nochmals erleben. Niemand soll mir dreinreden. Auch will ich nicht nochmals soviel Aerger mit parteiischen Gerichten und geschmierten Juristen etc.usw.
I Love my Switzerland- I dont agree to kill terminally ill humans -We are two legged humans in which n0 one is perfect -all have to suffere pains and sorrows
God it hurts when i travel and people are criticizing My beautiful SWITZERLAND
I think the only last thing the state is not allowed to interfere with is when I want to decide, I want to GO and I want to go for good. Bravo to the courage of the people who make this possible.
Nb. Ask a train driver if he enjoys it when people throw themselves onto the tracks in front of him. And it's definitely undignified!
Ich finde, das einzige letzte wo mir der Staat nicht reinreden darf ist, wenn ICH bestimmen will, ich will GEHEN und zwar endgültig. Bravo zu dem Mut der Personen die das ermöglichen.
Nb. Fragt mal einen Zugführer ob er Freude hat wenn sich Menschen vor sich auf die Gleise werfen. Und unwürdig sit das allemal!
...and since this is also being scrutinised...whatever...I really hope that not only socially acceptable comments are allowed.
...und da auch hier geprüft wird... was auch immer...hoffe ich wirklich, dass nicht nur gesellschaftskonforme Kommentare zugelassen werden.
I'll keep it short and sweet...
Nobody has asked me if and how I want to live.
I am of the opinion that NO state has any right whatsoever to dictate to me whether, when and how I want to leave this life.
It's enough that we're being nagged and patronised in so many ways.
I have the right to live in dignity and although this is enshrined in law, it is NOT guaranteed.
Death is part of life (nobody has survived life yet) so it IS MY right to choose if, when, where and how I want to go this last part of life in dignity, without whoever supposedly believes they have the right to dictate to me that I have to suffer - be it somatically or psychologically - only that he/she may have a "good conscience" or otherwise "profit" from it.
NO other person may presume to judge whether another person is "suffering enough" to be allowed to leave.
I am always the only person who must and may decide whether I want to continue living the life I have been given or not.
I am therefore an absolute advocate of all support for peaceful, fear-free suicide.
This means that everyone should be given access to the appropriate options.
The only question I would ask someone who wants to die... "Are you really tired of living or tired of suffering?"
It may be possible to change something about suffering, but not about being tired of life.
Just put yourself in the other person's shoes and think again before spouting some bullshit
Sorry for the harsh words, but some of the "do-gooder" talk is just getting on my nerves these days
Ich mache es kurz und bündig...
Niemand hat mich gefragt, ob und wie ich leben will.
Ich bin der Meinung, dass KEIN Staat ein, wie auch immer geartete s Recht hat, mir vorzuschreiben ob, wann und wie ich dieses Leben verlassen will.
Es reicht schon, dass wir in so vielen Dingen gegängelt und bevormundet werden.
Ich habe das Recht in Würde zu leben und obwohl das so gesetzlich verankert ist, wird dies NICHT gewährleistet.
Der Tod ist Teil des Lebens (es hat noch keiner das Leben überlebt) also IST es MEIN Recht, zu wählen ob, wann, wo und wie ich diesen letzten Teil des Lebens in Würde gehen möchte, ohne dass, wer auch immer, vermeintlich das Recht zu haben glaubt, mir vorzuschreiben zu dürfen, dass ich - sei dies somatisch oder psychisch - zu leiden habe, nur dass er/sie ein "gutes Gewissen" haben darf oder sonst einen "Gewinn" daraus ziehen darf.
KEIN anderer Mensch darf dich anmaßen zu beurteilen, ob ein anderer "genug leidet" dass er gehen darf.
ICH bin immer die einzige Person, die entscheiden muss und darf, ob ICH das Leben, wie es mir beschieden ist, weiterführen will oder eben nicht.
Von daher bin ich ein absoluter Befürworter sämtlicher Unterstützung für einen friedvollen, angstfreien Freitod.
Somit sollte jeder Mensch Zugang zu den entsprechenden Möglichkeiten gewährt werden.
Die einzige Frage, die ich einem Sterbewilligen stellen würde... "Bist Du wirklich Lebensmüde oder Leidensmüde?"
Am Leiden kann vlt etwas verändert werden, an der Lebensmüdigkeit eher nicht.
Einfach mal sich in die Person des anderen versetzen und nochmals nachdenken, bevor man irgendeinen Bullshit raudlässt
Sorry f6ür die deutlichen Worte, aber mit geht so manches "Gutmensch Geschwafel" mittlerweile nur noch auf die Nerven
I assisted my father who died of a cerebral haemorrhage. He suffered a lot, but with preparation he managed to overcome the crisis, going beyond the suffering and closing his eyes with a smile on his lips, I saw Peace on his face. Why does everyone think that with death everything ends? The various out-of-body experiences have shown that Life continues. Why restrict people from having these experiences? With suicide, one destroys or rather forecloses this opportunity. Suicide is nothing more than a human invention to escape Life, out of fear of the suffering that always leads to a new phase if it is overcome. Let us reflect a little together: one suffers to give birth, one suffers to remove a cyst, a tumour, one suffers in injustice, in lack, in loneliness, but always after overcoming the moment we are changed, renewed, always different. Perhaps what needs to be taught to people is education in overcoming suffering through our own means that we already have within us, but we do not know them because no one has ever spoken to us.
Ho assistito mio padre che è morto per un'emorragia cerebrale. Ha sofferto molto, però con una preparazione è riuscito a superare la crisi, andando oltre la sofferenza e chiudere da solo gli occhi con il sorriso sulle labbra, ho visto la Pace sul suo viso. Perché tutti pensano che con la morte tutto finisce? Le diverse esperienze extracorporea hanno dimostrato che la Vita continua. Perché limitare le persone a fare queste esperienze? con il suicidio si distrugge oppure meglio dire si preclude questa opportunità. Il suicidio non è altro che un invenzione umana per sfuggire alla Vita, per paura della sofferenza che sempre se si supera porta a una nuova fase. Riflettiamo un pò insieme: si soffre per partorire, si soffre per togliere una ciste, un tumore, si soffre nelle ingiustizie, nelle mancanze, nella solitudine, Ma sempre dopo aver superato il momento siamo cambiati, rinnovati, diversi sempre. la sofferenza è una tappe o il "trampolino" verso una nuova fase evolutiva, non pensate? Forse quello che è da insegnare alle persone è l'educazione all'superamento della sofferenza attraverso i mezzi propri che già abbiamo dentro di noi, ma non li conosciamo perché nessuno ci abbia mai parlato.
Socrates and the swan song in the Phaedo
The famous sentence in Plato's Phaedo recalls his last words before he died: 'Crito, we owe a rooster to Asclepius, give it to him, don't forget it'. "Of course," assured Criton, "it will be done, but see if you have anything else to say."
Death is the total absence of pain, emptiness and eternal sleep, and in any case does not cause suffering and should not be frightening.
But why do you weep?
Do you not know that on the day of my birth nature condemned me to death?
Socrate e il canto del cigno nel Fedone
La celebre frase riportata nel Fedone da Platone ricorda le sue ultime parole prima di morire: «Critone, dobbiamo un gallo ad Asclepio, dateglielo, non ve ne dimenticate». «Certo», assicurò Critone, «sarà fatto, ma vedi se hai qualche altra cosa da dire»
La morte è la totale assenza di dolore, vuoto e sonno eterno, e in ogni caso non provoca sofferenza e non deve far paura.
Ma perché piangete?
Non sapete che il giorno della mia nascita la natura mi condannato a morte?
I am of the opinion that this SARCO project should be stopped immediately.
Ich bin der Meinung, dass dieses SARCO-Projekt sofort gestoppt werden sollte.
I'm of the same opinion. And
The last farewell deserves dignity!!!!!
Bin gleicher Meinung. Und
Der letzte Abschied hat Würde verdient!!!!!
I signed up to Exit after a serious accident. I don't think it's appropriate to suffer severe pain for a long time before death, especially if death comes within a short time anyway.
Ich habe, nach einem schweren Unfall" bei Exit unterschrieben. Finde es nicht angebracht vor dem Tode noch lange schwere Schmerzen zu erleiden, speziell wenn der Tod sowieso innert Kuerze kommt.
Dying is made too easy with this capsule. In particular, there is a high risk of abuse.
There are many different ways for a person to end their life. Sometimes with a great deal of suffering. It is ultimately a philosophical and religious question as to whether such a painful path is sensible or less sensible. There are certainly no simple answers.
With this capsule, all these protracted and difficult ways of dying can be bypassed. I believe that people should not intervene in this process.
I think that the canton of Valais has made the right decision.
Das Sterben wird mit dieser Kapsel zu einfach gemacht. Es besteht insbesondere eine hohe Missbrauchsgefahr.
Es gibt viele verschiedene Wege, wie ein Mensch aus dem Leben scheidet. Manchmal mit sehr, sehr viel Leid. Es ist letztlich eine philosophische und religiöse Frage, ob ein solch leidvoller Weg, sinnvoll oder weniger sinnvoll ist. Sicherlich gibt es dafür keine einfachen Antworten.
Mit dieser Kapsel können alle diese langwierigen und schwierigen Wege des Sterbens umgangen werden. Ich glaube, der Mensch sollte in diesen Prozess nicht eingreifen.
Ich denke, dass der Kanton Wallis richtig entschieden hat.
It remains to be hoped that those who can die with dignity were previously allowed to live with dignity.
Es bleibt zu hoffen, dass wer in Würde sterben kann vorher in Würde Leben durfte.
My dad died two years ago, 89 years ago. 20 days before his death he had severe back pain. Hospitalized for tests, he was diagnosed with cancer with several metastases on the spine and the doctors told our family members that if we wanted we could take him home. I was with him for the last 18 days while he was undergoing pain therapy. True, he has reached a good age, but vitality is the strength he had...
Being with a loved one in his last days changes you in a way.
Having your loved ones close to the last minute... a dignified death.
And sometimes I think of people who have diseases that force them to live in bed, maybe for years and slowly they die out, and maybe they would like to leave. I think they have the right to choose how they die, to choose a decent death, and someone should be able to give it to them without profit.
Mio papà è morto due anni fa, 89anni. 20 giorni prima di morire ha accusato dei dolori fortissimi alla schiena. Ricoverato per accertamenti gli è stato diagnosticato un cancro con diverse metastasi sulla colonna vertebrale e i medici hanno detto a noi familiari che se volevamo potevamo portarlo a casa. Io sono stato con lui gli ultimi 18 giorni mentre era sottoposto a terapia del dolore. È vero, è arrivato a una bella età, ma la vitalità è la forza che aveva...
Stare con un proprio caro negli ultimi suoi giorni in un certo senso ti cambia.
Avere vicino i tuoi cari fino all'ultimo.. una morte dignitosa.
E a volte penso a persone che hanno patologie tali che le obbliga immobili a letto, magari per anni e piano piano si spengono, e forse vorrebbero andarsene. Io penso che abbiano il diritto di scegliere come morire, di scegliere una morte dignitosa, e qualcuno dovrebbe poterglielo dare senza lucrare.
The same is true even when we are living well, as we want to end our lives in a smart and unattractive manner. It is not only at the end of life that dignity is necessary, as it is natural for human beings to want to be admired by others for their clean, neat appearance and polite manner.
However, it is common for people to become dismayed on their deathbeds and display their disfigurement out of fear of dying, and even people who are regarded as saints can be disfigured on their deathbeds. Especially in modern times, with the increased life expectancy, dementia symptoms such as Alzheimer's disease and intensive end-of-life treatment can leave people in a state of spaghetti on their hospital beds, so the dying person's appearance tends to be far from dignified.
I don't know if I am prepared to be completely fearless about death, but at the very least I would like to remain conscious until the end, refuse all life-prolonging treatment and die as if I were asleep. I hope to be able to complete the euthanasia procedure before the onset of dementia, just in case. This is the death with dignity I seek.
人生の終末期において見苦しくなくスマートに臨終を迎えたいと願うのは元気に生活している時でも同じことです。清潔で整った身なりと礼儀正しい態度で他人から称賛される存在でありたいと願うのは人間として当然のことなので臨終のときにだけ尊厳が必要なのではありません。
しかし、死ぬことへの恐怖から臨終の床で狼狽してあられもない姿をさらすというのはよくあることで、聖人と言われるような人でも死ぬ間際に醜態をさらすことがあります。特に現代では寿命が延びたことによりアルツハイマー病などで痴呆症状が出たり、終末期の濃厚治療により病床でスパゲッティ状態になったりするので臨終の姿は尊厳とは程遠いものとなりがちです。
私は死を全く恐れないだけの心構えができるかどうかは分かりませんが少なくとも最後まで意識をしっかり保ち、臨終の際は一切の延命治療は断ってあたかも眠っているような姿で死にたいと切望します。念のために痴呆症状が出る前に安楽死の手続きを済ませられたらと願っています。これが私の求める尊厳のある死です。
Death is an inevitable fact. Even if his method of attachment to a person is different, his death does not mean that his death is the end of a holy death. It is the mention of a person in this world that continues throughout time
الموات هو حقيقه لا مفر منها حتي لو اختلف طريقته التعلق مع شخص لا يعني ان موته نهايه الموت الكريم هو ذكر الإنسان في هذا العالم التي تستمر علي مر الزمان
How we want to spend the last days of our lives and how we want to die is the same as how we want to live. I believe that the happiness of a person's life depends on everyone being respected so that they can choose how they want to live and how they want to die. Ideally, no one should be controlled or dominated by anyone else in the way they live or die. In a world where people are easily tied down by work and money in order to survive in this harsh material society, there is no end to the number of people who commit suicide without being known, without being able to confide their suffering to anyone, without being understood, in the midst of bullying, human rights violations and the suffering of loneliness. Is it only me who thinks that it would be happier to die in peace, with someone looking after you, even if it is a stranger, than to die alone? If there are ghosts and souls in this world, I sometimes wonder if it is important to be able to meet a peaceful end in a way that is satisfying to the person in question. I feel that I have been taught this by my relatives who are now deceased.
人生の最後をどのように過ごし、死をどのように迎えたいかは、すなわちどのように生きたいかということと同じだと思います。誰もが、生き方死に方を自らの意志で選択できるよう尊重されることが人の人生における幸福に大きく関わってくると思います。何人も自らの人生の生き方や死に方を誰かにコントロールされたり支配されたりすることは極力ないことが理想だと思います。この厳しい物質社会で生き抜いていくために仕事やお金に縛られやすい世の中で、いじめや人権侵害や孤独の苦しみの中、誰にも苦しみを打ち明けられず理解されず人知れず自殺する方が後を断ちませんが、孤独な死よりもたとえ他人であっても誰かに看取られながら安心して死にゆける方が幸せではないかと思うのは私だけでしょうか。この世に幽霊や魂という見えざる存在があるのだとしたら、できるだけ本人が納得できる形で安らかな最後を迎えられることが大切なのかと日頃考えたりします。いまは亡き身内からもそのようなことを教えられてきた気がします。
I'm the wife of a Swiss man whom I married in 2018, living in the Lugano area. I originate from America, where not all of the states have rights to die with dignity: rather, peaceful, self-directed exit is a "state's rights" issue.
I've been a member of EXIT since 2018, from which year I saw my parents slowly disintegrate due to Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. My father recently died, thankfully, and by the grace of G-d, after 7 years of a vegetative, bedridden state of Alzheimer's. My mother's tremors make it impossible to care for herself and she wants to die before the cognitive effects of her Parkinson's disease set in but there is no facility for this in the state in which she resides.
Let's all be grateful for the opportunity to die with dignity in Switzerland, rather than to have to suffer years, potentially decades, of physical and mental pain, insufficiency and dependence. Thanks to the rights I now have here in my new home country, I will not be forced to suffer these indignities, should the need arise. Yet another thing CH "got right"!
This puritanical legal situation in the USA is a great hypocrisy; apparently they would much rather allow a free gun law, with whose "sense of freedom" thousands are/have been killed.
Diese puritanische Rechtslage in den USA ist eine grosse Heuchelei; scheinbar erlaubt man viel lieber ein freies Waffengesetz, mit dessen "Freiheitsgefühl" Tausende getötet werden/wurden.
1. Why would terminally ill people not be allowed to die in the place of their choosing (usually their homes) when they are terminally ill? They should be allowed to choose that legally
2. Having a choice to die "on demand" would be a good thing if all the mental checks, financials impacts, foul play potentials are all checked out for each case. This should be allowed legally. Abuse must be minimised through clever and stringent processing.
It is good to know that there is another non-medical palliative home in Switzerland. And it is encouraging to see, that this model of care is possible in an urban setting.
The Tenna Hospice is deeply rooted in a remote mountain valley in Grisons – where many people are closely related and where neighbourly assistance and care are part of the cultural DNA.
These mountain folks wish to stay in their familiar surroundings, and not move to an urban hospital with all the technical and medical infrastructure. They want to live – until they die, and not be treated, so they can eventually die.
Dying in dignity has much to do with being and remaining in close relationship.
Our mom lived for 93 years. She survived the Patriotic War and the hunger strike of 1946 - 1947. During the hunger strike they ate weeds ( weeds), she remembered it all the time. To die a dignified death is not a simple question. Mom was a participant of the Great Patriotic War 1941 - 1945. In Ukraine Human Rights today is the Soviet Law (Gulag), in fact. There is no Rome Statute. Ukraine should be helped to join the European family of nations.
Наша мама прожила 93 года. Она пережила Отечественную войну и голод 1946 - 1947 годов. В голод ели сорняки ( бурьян ), она вспомнила об этом всё время. Умереть достойной смертью это вопрос не простой. Мама была Участником Великой Отечественной войны 1941 - 1945 годов. В Украине Права Человека сегодня это Советское Право ( ГУЛАГ ), по факту. Римского Статута нет. Украине надо помочь присоединятся к Европейской семье народов.
I have taken care (high quality palliative care) of several people during their last journey and almost all of them had put their trust for life and death long bevor in Gods hand (the creator god) - I could encourage them to articulate their wishes to him and i was able to witness how gracious he took them home. Dignity for me has something to do with destiny and fulfilment of ones journey.
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