Comments on: How to contact Dignitas in Switzerland

By: swissskier

swissskier — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 06:23:55 +0000

I watched the chris exit on tv twice in the last week, it was so powerfull the first time I needed to see it again to digest all the feelings I got watching him leave.
I am a very spiritual person brought up catholic and I believe in God and always believed the theory of play the hand God dealt you or else ? (damnation?).
But recently I watched my younger brother become sick after his wife of 20 yrs passed away and his heartache was all consuming. I watched for months as I thought he was taking his meds and never once thought he wouldn’t make it, but after he passed we found his meds that would of saved him stashed away near his bed. It hurt so much not to have told him how much he meaned to me before he left and that I would miss him as long as I live.
Seeing chris leave with his wife beside him the second time was more humane in my eyes than so many botched tries by sick pts where they only end up worse off. Anyone can find a heroin dealer and O.D. in the streets in secret, drink themselves to death or like so many put a gun to their head and leave one heck of a mess for a loved one to see (and remember).
I am not God and I am not anyones judge nor am I supposed to be by the bibles standard, (depending on which translation you read, unlike the hate version) and seeing someone like Reagan suffer for so long was his payment due before leaving in my opinion (he was pure evil to me), but like myself who lives with 15 pills a day to just get out of bed I am ok with a persons choice to say to God- ok I got a bum hand and this is me folding and leaving the game. Thats the feeling I got from chris the second time, he folded a crappy hand before he became a human slug living on just enough morphine to be aware of how much pain you in but not enough to get rid of it, I was a corpsman in a hospital that saw those pts on morphine day by day having their body end up in a urine bag until you expire, if I had that cancer I would take the larger dose of morphine, and thats my opinion. I can say I was proud to serve those dying pts in their last days and hope the people I love get the same loving care when they are sick and dying no matter what they choose for RX. Having a choice is an important freedom, something getting more rare these days.

By: Nahid

Nahid — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 22:18:22 +0000

I believe in freedom and choice – In every aspect of the life. That includes how we live and how we die.
Most times we can not completely chose how or when we live, but let us be able to chose when, how we die please….
I hope this right can be preserved and can be respected and excersied.

By: beatrixpeace

beatrixpeace — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 14:20:01 +0000

My partner is suffering from chronic pancreatitis for over 15 years that involves extreme pain and needing to take very strong painkillers and morphine. He has contacted dignitas, who, after a few weeks time, finally agreed in assisting his suicide. I am devastated, and I don’t know how to behave now, since I don’t want him to go, but it seems that this is the only way out for him instead of constant pain and suffering.

By: gill gage

gill gage — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 12:12:19 +0000

Quite simply it is a matter of free choice. There is only a problem because in society life is considered sacred and death is a big unknown – this is a collective belief not universally individual. I would not want to disabuse anyone of his or her opinion. I would just like to find a way to have some help executing my own. I would like to donate all my organs to people who want to live.

By: Death and Why Not if that’s What He Wants « V's Blog

Death and Why Not if that’s What He Wants « V's Blog — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 10:20:31 +0000

[...] at ending your life, there isn’t much anyone can do. In the case of a terminally ill person, Dignitas is still available; for how long no one really knows. And you still have to fund your fares and [...]

By: Proposal for Euthanasia Bill « Edinburgh Napier News

Proposal for Euthanasia Bill « Edinburgh Napier News — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:17:38 +0000

[...] There are currently only a small number of places where the law allows assisted suicide, including Oregon, Washington, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. Due to this over 100 British terminally ill patients have ended their lives at the Dignitas Clinic in Switzerland. [...]

By: ergo

ergo — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:31:38 +0000

Caveat emptor

By: pcm1

pcm1 — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 15:37:50 +0000

There is no “clinic” in Forch, Switzerland. as one who had paid my dues in June and went there at the end of August, I found there to be no location, but Mr. Minelli’s house. and I was told to “go home” EVEN after I’d paid my funeral and officials expenses towards my death. I’ve asked for my full money’s back but 3000 chf (about 3000 USD) is for “administrative expenses”….baloney. They never did anything for me, never allowing me to see a doctor, never read my letter about being in Zurich the end of August, only asked for more money.
Their office staff is pathetic.
The person who thinks he/she can plan the time of their death, think again. The only way to get anything done right is to do it yourself.

By: Realist

Realist — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 20:44:31 +0000

I just read through these posts and my strongest feeling is that we must leave the decision on how and when to die up to the individual. All of you above expressed a variety of opinions and beliefs. It is your right to have them, but PLEASE do not impose your beliefs on anyone else.
If you are a religious fanatic, then go ahead and wait for your god. Leave the rest of us alone!!!
My opinion is that all of our countries are over-dominated by crazy religious fairy tales and some of the laws reflect this. There is no longer a separation of church and state in the US.
If you are physically OR mentally suffering, there should be an easy, painless method to end your life whenever you see fit.
I want to help create a society where there is a priority to alleviate suffering as per the individual’s desire.

By: LifeisBeautiful

LifeisBeautiful — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 05:55:32 +0000

Life is only beautiful, when we are able to realize that after a long storm, a cloudy day, a depressing winter… a sunny and bright day,
a hot summer is waiting for us as long as we are alive…
Life is suffering, even the healthiest, smartest, wealthiest people on earth suffer, we all suffer, from birth until end.
I have witnessed two people dying of a painful cancer, and they did not want to die, I always wonder why? while there are others that easily give up life. The bottom line is that most of you really have the chance to end your life right now by any means you may choose, BUT the question is: Can you wait a little longer? maybe tomorrow you will feel better, or get the job you have been waiting for, or find somebody to love you for who you are, or have joy by giving love and hope instead of receiving it…
Oh, Life is beautiful, just like beauty is in the eyes of the beholder…Life is a dual complexity, a yin yang, our hearts are not truthful, our emotions deceive us, I can be sad now and happy later, full of despair/full of hope, etc.
Let’s hope for a tomorrow free of shame, pain emotional/physical, …it is possible… concentrate on reading, thinking, hearing the stories of hope and healing.
I am in my 40s, single mom, unemployed professional, … etc but I still hope for a better tomorrow.
Life is like a Red Rose with a sweet smell, beautiful red contrasting the green, but full of painful thorns.
Friends give yourself another chance, daily…think only of anything pure, loving, dignified, that’s what all of you are.
My love and wishes for healing, strength, clarity of mind, hope…