MAID (Medical Aid In Dying)

God loves each and every one of us and does not relish seeing our pain and suffering. As our Creator it is His decision when we die, not ours. Just as we are commanded by God not to take another’s life - which even as humans we believe worthy of severe punishment - suicide by any name or presented as pleasantly as possible is taking a life. God would not be pleased, and we should not be pleased. I understand in our ‘advanced’ society this idea seems old-fashioned or puritanical, but feelings don’t change facts. As a leukemia patient (CMML-2) in my final stages I know my time is short, and I don’t know what pain or suffering awaits me at the end. But I leave it to my loving Creator to take me when He is ready, in whatever condition I might be, as He will with all of us in due time. Am I or you God, that we should make that decision for Him? May His grace be upon all in this group who wrestle with this terrible disease…

I would never - nor should anyone else - argue with someone over what their God, gods or conscience advise them to do or refrain from doing, at least so long as that advice does not violate the law. However, I have never understood why anyone would believe that the advice that they receive should compel anyone else. I am not saying that @stevefenton believes this, but plenty of people do. No, I am surely not God, but this is one of those decisions that one makes for oneself, based on wherever one's individual moral compass points.

@stevefenton

With all my heart, I wish you peace and comfort in your abiding faith.

This is a very personal choice and I personally cannot judge someone who decides whatever they feel is right for them. I am glad that the choice is avaialble to those who feel that this is their best option.

Death with Dignity, or Medical Aid in Dying, can be a godsend for those who are placed into such a consideration. It can bring a lot of peace to the heart of a person, that I believe. Being in a situation where one feels they have no control of an outcome, this offers a sense of something they can do for themselves.

Different states have differing requirements, so it is not one-size-fits-all. Some have residency requirements, or waiting periods, or mental health evaluations, etc. I live in Oregon, and will definitely consider this when at some point in the future, my health deteriorates.
https://deathwithdignity.org/states/
Ginger

I believe that this is a private choice each patient and their family members.

@mabfp3 pain medications of certain types are extremely hard to get from from doctors now, even for individuals on palliative care or in hospice care.
https://www.painnewsnetwork.org/stories/2021/4/25/hospice-patients-getting-fewer-opioids-for-pain-relief
https://csupalliativecare.org/opioid-restrictions-2018/

I have never understood laws that prevent people from managing their own lives. How can I tell someone that they are not allowed to do [fill in the blank] to themselves? Why am I such an authority that I must impose my morals/faith/outlook on another? That is different from laws that protect me from the action of others and vice versa. But if I choose to do something to or for myself, why should that concern another?

The following is perhaps a little far afield, but it's an interesting subject.

As I indicated above, the fact that someone's religion/morality prescribes certain behavior for them that no one else should question, in no way means that they should expect (let alone compel) others to abide by the same precepts. However, that's not the same thing as saying "if I choose to do something to or for myself, why should that concern another?" There are many things you can do to yourself that DO affect others. For example, if you drive while intoxicated, the potential effects on others are obvious. If you decide to smoke tobacco, there is an excellent chance that those of us who do not smoke will have to contribute to the cost of your treatment for lung cancer, whether through increased insurance premiums or taxes for government-funded programs like Medicare or Medicaid. If you are overweight, you are increasing your potential morbidity from innumerable conditions - including likely MGUS progression - which, again, the rest of us may well pay for. The same applies to use (and certainly overuse) of recreational drugs.

None of this means that there should be laws prohibiting excess weight. But there are of course laws prohibiting intoxicated driving. There are laws prohibiting tobacco use in certain places, and discouraging it (think high taxes) across the board. It's a matter of line-drawing. And, wherever there is a line to be drawn, there will be disagreement about its placement.

@wesleym
I think we are saying the same thing, in essence. There is no perfection but I appreciate the nuance you call out.