My world view of Euthanasia
(this is just one of the best speeches I've made; for the sake of posting something worth-posting in this blog)
Mercy-killing: A Contradiction
On December 20, 2005, my father left to say goodbye. It wasn't sudden owing to the fact that his diagnosis narrowed down his borrowed time here on earth. Weeks before that, we had come up to a difficult situation: the doctors told us that his chemotherapy wasn't working--so we decided to stop. We could've chosen to let him go earlier by not giving him pills and by not letting him udergo certain medical treatments, but we chose not to, and we did everything we could, and that's what's important.
Death has always been an interesting issue for everyone not only because we still don't know what life would be like after we die but also because of the fact that there is no "standard" for us to handle death. In recent years there have been arguments about the real definition of death and as to when doctors and families can officially declare someone dead.
Euthanasia or mercy-killing is an act where the family members decide to cut short the life of a patient by ignoring oppurtunities being offered by doctors and modern technology that may give chances for the patient to recover or at least live a little longer. Merc-killing does not only limit to the pulling of the plug of the respirator but it may also include losing hope, pitying the patient, and not making any effort to improve the situation. When someone performs euthanasia, his mind is focused in giving the patient rest as soon as possible, but that attitude--I believe--is wrong. Living would always be better than dying. Waking up is always better than falling asleep. Offering hope to someone you truly love will always be the greater good than looking at the patient with pity and making him feel worse.
Euthanasia should not be an option because first of all, it opposes the principles of medical ethics for it is the obligation of doctors to save and preserve human life. Professional doctors become murderers in a sense that when they submit to Euthanasia, they deprive someone of his life and deny him the possibility of healing. If our right of life is denied or taken away, all other rights are meaningless.
The Bill of Rights: Article 3, Section 1 of the Philippine Constitution states that "no person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law, nor shall any person be denied the equal protection of laws." Euthanasia therfore, would be like stealing the last breath of a dying man.
Second of all, there are other alternative treatments like chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, and transplants that are available for the patient, so it all comes down to whether you would let the patient die slowly after doing everything you can in your power, or you would mercy-kill.
Last but definitely not the least, we cheapen the value of life and we defeat the essence of "fighting until the end". Euthanasia may end the suffering but it does not asure the family any psychological, emotional, or physical relief. Once this is established, life will be something that can be thrown away. This may lead to believe that the patient is responsible for his own suffering.
In the end, the outcome of our suffering will depend on the love and care that we receive from our families. Love is an imprtant factor in lessening the suffering of Euthanasia. And as they say, true love waits. It's always better for us to wait for the right time than rushing things.
Let me end this speech with an excerpt from Grey's anatomy: "The greatest disease in the world is not medical. It is being uloved, unwanted, and uncared for. We can cure physical pain but only love can heal despair. A lot of people die for a piece of bread but a lot more die for a piece of love. Share it everyday. "
My friends, Euthanasia isn't the answer--love is.
Mercy-killing: A Contradiction
On December 20, 2005, my father left to say goodbye. It wasn't sudden owing to the fact that his diagnosis narrowed down his borrowed time here on earth. Weeks before that, we had come up to a difficult situation: the doctors told us that his chemotherapy wasn't working--so we decided to stop. We could've chosen to let him go earlier by not giving him pills and by not letting him udergo certain medical treatments, but we chose not to, and we did everything we could, and that's what's important.
Death has always been an interesting issue for everyone not only because we still don't know what life would be like after we die but also because of the fact that there is no "standard" for us to handle death. In recent years there have been arguments about the real definition of death and as to when doctors and families can officially declare someone dead.
Euthanasia or mercy-killing is an act where the family members decide to cut short the life of a patient by ignoring oppurtunities being offered by doctors and modern technology that may give chances for the patient to recover or at least live a little longer. Merc-killing does not only limit to the pulling of the plug of the respirator but it may also include losing hope, pitying the patient, and not making any effort to improve the situation. When someone performs euthanasia, his mind is focused in giving the patient rest as soon as possible, but that attitude--I believe--is wrong. Living would always be better than dying. Waking up is always better than falling asleep. Offering hope to someone you truly love will always be the greater good than looking at the patient with pity and making him feel worse.
Euthanasia should not be an option because first of all, it opposes the principles of medical ethics for it is the obligation of doctors to save and preserve human life. Professional doctors become murderers in a sense that when they submit to Euthanasia, they deprive someone of his life and deny him the possibility of healing. If our right of life is denied or taken away, all other rights are meaningless.
The Bill of Rights: Article 3, Section 1 of the Philippine Constitution states that "no person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law, nor shall any person be denied the equal protection of laws." Euthanasia therfore, would be like stealing the last breath of a dying man.
Second of all, there are other alternative treatments like chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, and transplants that are available for the patient, so it all comes down to whether you would let the patient die slowly after doing everything you can in your power, or you would mercy-kill.
Last but definitely not the least, we cheapen the value of life and we defeat the essence of "fighting until the end". Euthanasia may end the suffering but it does not asure the family any psychological, emotional, or physical relief. Once this is established, life will be something that can be thrown away. This may lead to believe that the patient is responsible for his own suffering.
In the end, the outcome of our suffering will depend on the love and care that we receive from our families. Love is an imprtant factor in lessening the suffering of Euthanasia. And as they say, true love waits. It's always better for us to wait for the right time than rushing things.
Let me end this speech with an excerpt from Grey's anatomy: "The greatest disease in the world is not medical. It is being uloved, unwanted, and uncared for. We can cure physical pain but only love can heal despair. A lot of people die for a piece of bread but a lot more die for a piece of love. Share it everyday. "
My friends, Euthanasia isn't the answer--love is.