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A “Mercy Killing” on the Board of Progressive Christianity

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A “Mercy Killing” on the Board of Progressive Christianity VOL 17 • NO 3 SUMMER, JULY/AUGUST 2018 SUPPORTING THE HUMAN RIGHT TO A DEATH WITH DIGNITY Renew your membership online: www.finalexitnetwork.org This is the reaction of Rev. Susan M. Flanders to an article by Zach Fox, staff writer for GoUpstate.com, dated Jan. 4, 2018. Rev. Flanders is an Episcopal Priest in Washington, D.C., where she conducts programs on end-of-life issues and serves A “Mercy Killing” on the board of Progressive Christianity. in South Carolina By Rev. Susan M. Flanders CONTENTS AID IN DYING: story about a man shooting his parents to death A PATIENT’S DECISION .......3 gives a poignant account of the desperation of a A couple who no longer wanted to go on living due to EXCLUDING PSYCHOSES .....6 extreme illness and debilitation, and the dilemma posed to their SERVICES WITHHELD ...........7 son who cared for them. The mother had suffered from strokes and had lost the abil- JUANITA’S SPIRITUALITY ...9 ity to walk or care for herself and could barely communicate. PATIENT’S BILL The father had begun drinking heavily and become an- gry, violently abusive. He often talked of suicide and OF RIGHTS ........................ 16 several times asked his son to shoot him and his wife. “I could not count the times he asked me to shoot him and momma,” David Belcher said. “I knew he was serious.” Finally, even his mother joined the plea, saying, “Son, do what your dad asked.” The son pled guilty to voluntary man- slaughter to avoid a murder conviction and was sentenced to ten years in prison, despite his own and his siblings’ conviction that what he did was out of love, and a mercy at the request of his parents. SON continued on page 2 SON continued from page 1 This is a sad story, and there is so much about it accordance with her clearly stated wishes. And per- that could have been different, had our laws and our haps, if the husband had been able to support his wife cultural attitude towards end-of-life situations been in honoring her directives, he maybe could have got- different. First of all, one wonders about whether the ten his own life back on track and had a fairly good mother, 69, could have had better care—whether in quality of life for some years. home or in hospice, and what prevented this. Did the It is saddening as well to consider the situation of family lack means to pay for such care, or did she the son, the one sibling apparently able to care for the insist on being at home with only her parents and the stress of this responsibil- son to care for her and her husband? “Did they have a ity. Can we imagine that he snapped one And surely the husband, only 69, could day, exhausted, overwhelmed, hating have gone on living and gotten help right to request to see the misery of his parents? With in addressing his addiction, rage, and repeated requests from his father to kill probably depression, whether or not such ‘mercy’ them, and then his mother’s assent, can his wife was still alive. from their son, we see him picking up the gun as a last But let’s assume both parents con- resort, a tortured, unnatural act of love? sidered their lives intolerable and no or should they And then why did he go, covering the longer wanted to live. Did they have bodies with sheets, leaving them to be a right to request such “mercy” from have managed found ten days later—was he in shock, their son, or should they have managed to end their lives frozen with remorse or fear by what he to end their lives themselves? What if had done? the mother had written out explicit ad- themselves?” I am certain this story is not unique, vance directives asking for aid-in-dy- that others like it happen more frequent- ing should she ever reach an extreme ly than we know. I ache for these fami- state of disability? Even if aid-in-dying was illegal lies. Their last illnesses and deaths could be so much in South Carolina, which it is, perhaps her directives more humane and more dignified if we allowed relief could have included a desire to stop receiving food through well-crafted aid-in-dying laws. and liquids, or VSED. If the family, parents and all three children had talked about this directive and agreed to help their mother when the time came, per- haps she could have died in a non-violent way, but in No one should have to die a traumatic death due to their suffering – And no one should be forced to die alone. — Final Exit Network Final Exit Network • www.finalexitnetwork.org Summer Newsletter, July/August 2018 The following commentary was originally published by the Albany Times Union (Capital Newspapers) Aid in on April 28, 2018. Dying By William M. Brooks and David C. Leven edical aid in dying allows a physician to pre- scribe life-ending medications to a terminally Should M ill patient—likely to die within six months at the patient’s request. The patient may then consume the medications if he or she decides to do so to end suffering and achieve a peaceful death. Some medical organizations have been opposed to this practice. However, many have re- be a considered and now either support or are neutral on medical aid in dying as an end of life option. This is a very signifi- cant development. Lawmakers should consider the changing attitudes of Decision physicians and medical associations when reviewing New York’s Medical Aid in Dying Act, which provides numer- ous and adequate safeguards. The vast majority of dying patients do not choose medical aid in dying, as hospice and Made palliative care adequately relieve the suffering of most pa- tients. However, the option should be available for those dy- ing patients who have unbearable and uncontrollable suffer- ing, in consultation with physicians and family members. by the Respected medical organizations including the Ameri- can Medical Women’s Medical Student Association have supported medical aid in dying for years. Others, including the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, have remained neutral. To our knowledge, no major medi- Patient cal organizations have formed new positions against medi- cal aid in dying in recent years. And it should be noted that physicians nationwide support medical aid in dying by an almost 2-to-1 margin, 57 percent to 29 percent, as do about three-quarters of New Yorkers. In recent years about ten state or national medical asso- ciations have dropped their opposition to medical aid in dy- ing, including those in Massachusetts and Vermont in 2017, and the American Academy of Neurology. These medical organizations will support the right of their physicians to engage in the process of medical aid in dying. This marked shift toward either endorsement or neutrality is very impor- tant as thinking about medical aid in dying evolves. And it is not surprising, given the extensive and overwhelming evidence that this has been an ethical and beneficial medical PATIENT continued on page 4 Summer Newsletter, July/August 2018 FinalFinal ExitExit NetworkNetwork •• www.finalexitnetwork.orgwww.finalexitnetwork.org Right-to-Die Advocate Should We Contribute Money to Cure Diseases? Honored by Humanists By Huck DeVenzio By Eric A. Gordon Though it seems charitable to humanity The following was taken from an article, “Honored and beneficial to sufferers to contribute mon- Humanists…,” published by People’s World (peoples- ey to find a cure for cancer and kidney disease world.org) on May 25, 2018. and other fatal diseases, I wonder if that is our best use of funds. n organization such as the American We are all going to die. If we get rid of one Humanist Association is in the business killer disease, won’t another take its place? To of tracking the public figures who align think otherwise discounts human history and A with its values and, through the work they do, pro- denies the inevitability of death. The possi- mote its vision. This year, as every year, at its 77th bility of immortality is unlikely, and if it is annual Conference AHA presented several awards feasible, we should consider if it’s desirable. to individuals who have furthered the cause of sec- Wouldn’t it be preferable to seek ways to ular knowledge. improve life rather than avoid death? Not cur- Science writer and advocate, Los Angeles-based ing disease is contrary to our nature—we want Jennifer Ouellette became the newest AHA Human- to pursue longer life—but is this a warped ist of the Year. Ouellette has written popular science priority? We should care more about how well books, and edited The Best Online Science Writing we live than how long. 2012. Her writing has also appeared in a number of print and internet magazines. She also holds a black belt in jujitsu! The honoree took the podium stating she was go- PATIENT continued from page 3 ing to speak from the heart. Many Humanists have progressive ideas about end-of-life issues. For them practice over three decades in Oregon and Washing- there is no grace or sanctity in prolonging life for life’s ton and in several other states. sake against a person’s will. At the Conference there Medical aid in dying laws have worked, as facts was in fact a Final Exit Network booth distributing in- demonstrate, as intended. Patients and family mem- formation about the choice to end a painful life.
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