Yesterday, the media reported that deaf Belgian twins requested and received euthanasia because they were going blind. Here is the NBC story on the case: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/14/16507519-faced-with-blindness-deaf-twins-choose-euthanasia?lite , along with commentary (in italics) from Rachel Cohen-Rottenberg, a disability rights activist who lives in … [Read more...] about A Vermont Disability Rights Activist Comments on the Euthanasia of Non-Terminally Ill Belgian Twins because They Were Going Blind
Hospice Does Not Equal Good Pain Relief (And Other Thoughts)
On Friday, January 11, 2013, the New York Times ran a wonderful story about a nurse who spent the last weeks of her life teaching student nurses about dying, answering their questions and letting them both observe and care for her until nine days before she died of pancreatic cancer. The article, which can be read at … [Read more...] about Hospice Does Not Equal Good Pain Relief (And Other Thoughts)
Oregon, Washington assisted suicide laws include no protections for patients: neither do any assisted suicide laws that have been proposed in other states
The article below appeared in the online edition of the Montana newspaper, The Missoulian, on December 31, 2012(http://missoulian.com/news/opinion/mailbag/oregon-washington-assisted-suicide-laws-include-no-protections-for-patients/article_074c4378-507b-11e2-8348-001a4bcf887a.html). Thanks again to Washington attorney Margaret Dore. With regard to the two intemperate … [Read more...] about Oregon, Washington assisted suicide laws include no protections for patients: neither do any assisted suicide laws that have been proposed in other states
Shumlin Notwithstanding, Vermonters Will Not Allow Assisted Suicide to Pass in 2013
We were on vacation when newly re-elected governor Peter Shumlin made a widely-reported statement last week that he believes so-called "death with dignity" legislation will pass in Vermont in the next legislative session (http://www.vermontpressbureau.com/pot-decrim-and-death-with-dignity-according-to-shumlin-were-going-to-get-them-done/). The same article reported that … [Read more...] about Shumlin Notwithstanding, Vermonters Will Not Allow Assisted Suicide to Pass in 2013
Why Suicides (Assisted or Not) Are More Common in Richer Neighborhoods
http://business.time.com/2012/11/08/why-suicides-are-more-common-in-richer-neighborhoods/ The study on which the article linked above reports found that there is a higher rate of suicide in richer neighborhoods, due to the human tendency to compare one’s own situation with that of one’s neighbors. People committing suicide in wealthy neighborhoods tend to be people at the … [Read more...] about Why Suicides (Assisted or Not) Are More Common in Richer Neighborhoods