End of life: Most readers want a choice
Published: Sunday, January 14, 2007

Why allow terminal patients to suffer?

When my time to die comes knocking, I don't want to suffer. I also don't want my family and friends to watch me suffer. I want to have the right to end my life with dignity and spare them the agony. As humans we would never allow our dog or cat to suffer a painful and humiliating death. Because of our love and compassion we take them to the vet, comfort them, bid them farewell, and in a brief moment they are administered a needle and they pass away -- peacefully and painlessly. What reasoning is there in allowing a human being who is dying a painful death to suffer the agony and indignation of a prolonged life? Is this not a personal choice that should be afforded to every human being?

The time has come to support "death with dignity" legislation so that we as human beings can choose to receive the same ethical treatment for ourselves as we provide our beloved pets.
MELINDA L. MOULTON
Huntington

Allow individuals to die peacefully

Through the efforts of my parents, my community and eventually my own university and graduate school studies, I developed into an independent woman, capable of making intelligent decisions about the way I live my life and the way I would be honored to die this way. I should like such decisions to be made in an ethical, logical and plain common-sense manner by myself through a directive decided by me and my family or those people chosen to assist me in implementing such a directive in a terminal illness.

I would like the state I live in to legally support my efforts to die as I wish and to support those kind persons who will assist me in having as peaceful a death as possible. Consequently, I strongly support the current legislation proposed to assist patients in dying with dignity and peace.
JUDY KELLY
Burlington

Allow patient-directed end-of-life choices

I'm a healthy 71-year-old who would like to know that I would have choices, and most importantly, control over my decisions about dying if needed at the end of my life. I would name the bill the "Terminal Patient Directed Dying" law.
JOAN BENNEYAN
Brattleboro

'Natural' death not always best

Imagine that you are terminally ill, getting no pleasure from life, in constant pain, bleeding through your mouth, and with no bowel or bladder control. Do you want to be able to end your own life with dignity when you choose? Or do you want to be forced to suffer on because a government law based on someone else's religion forces you die "naturally"?
THOMAS P. McKENNA
Montpelier

Help relieve suffering with end-of-life choices

I want to be absolutely clear with the world that when I am terminally ill or at the end of my natural life I want the right to die -- when I choose and how I choose. That is my God-given right and I do not believe it can be taken away from me by man-made laws.

The idea that doctors will abuse their right to assist in this process goes beyond reasonableness. I watched a close relative die, and all the hospice nurses would or could say was, "Don't be afraid of giving her the medication" -- I wish now that they had said frankly, "Don't be afraid of giving her medication sooner than the four hours is up -- or even over-medicating her." It would have relieved her of the awful suffering we listened to her last days when she was only awake enough to know she was suffering.

I do not want to die that way. It frightens me and makes me angry that someone else has the right to force me to suffer. There are safeguards that can be built into any bill drafted for the Legislature; and the majority of Vermonters favor such legislation. Certainly using our brains to relieve suffering is not a sin.

Please add my name to those in favor of a bill that would allow death with dignity.
MARIE LUHR
Charlotte

Euthanasia is humane for terminally ill

The idea of taking a life is repugnant to me. I am a pacifist and I oppose the death penalty. Nevertheless, if a person I love were terminally ill and in uncontrollable pain, I would hope to be able for him or her to choose to die rather than suffer. Euthanasia is the humane treatment for a pet dog or cat whose quality of life has deteriorated beyond hope. How is it more humane to let a fellow human continue to suffer?
JOAN HARLOWE
East Burke

Follow Oregon's example on death with dignity

Given Vermont's history of leading the nation in sensible and humane social policy, it is past time for the state to adopt a death-with-dignity law. The manner and timing of one's death is the most personal of matters and should not be either guided or restricted by the state. Oregon's experience has demonstrated that the fears are unfounded, safeguards are more than adequate, and it did not open a floodgate, only an option. To outlaw such an option is what is immoral and criminal.
ROBERT RIVERSONG
Warren

Death with dignity provides choice/control

I am writing to add my voice to the many Vermonters who are in favor of the death-with-dignity bill, which will come before the Legislature again this session. I believe a more accurate name for this bill would be "Choice and Control at the End of Life." Passage would provide dignity and choice for terminally ill Vermonters, and the safeguards in the bill are modeled after a similar bill in Oregon, which has proven safe and effective. I join the endorsement of Lt. Gov. Barbara Snelling, Gov. Phil Hoff and Gov. Madeleine Kunin that "the time has come to pass this legislation."
ALICE BERNINGHAUSEN
Cornwall

Law has provisions against misuse

In response to your request to hear from Vermonters on the upcoming legislative agenda in Montpelier, I would like to express my support for the bill that would permit terminally ill patients to end their lives by administering appropriate medication by their own hand: Death with Dignity. In Oregon a similar law has been an unqualified success; such a concept has been supported by a large majority of Vermonters in recent polls, and it would give great peace of mind to terminal patients. The bill, as written, provides measures which prevent misuse of this option. It should be made in to law.
MARY P. LeCHEVALIER
Morristown

Allow individuals the right to die

On the issue of "allowing people to die," I call it death with dignity. I believe we should give people the right, as terminally ill individuals, to decide when they have had enough in the dying process. For myself, I want that right. I believe the Legislature should make this issue a high priority.
BARBARA MERZ
Middlebury