As at pm on 7 Feb 06, the Dell paperback book “Final Exit: The Practicalities of Self-Deliverance and Assisted Suicide for the Dying” stood at number 7,190 in the sales chart of Amazon.com, out of their stock of over two million titles.
This is the 3rd edition of a ‘how-to’ book which was a New York Times bestseller in l991. The author, Derek Humphry, founded the original Hemlock Society (R.I.P), and today is president of the Euthanasia Research & Guidance Organization (ERGO)
ISBN 0 385 33633 5 $16 US
Purchased from the ERGO bookstore, there is a free Addendum/Supplement supplied also.
I am a hospice nure for the past three years. After observing many deaths now and the recent death of my own mother I am convinced that I wish to take control of this situation and make a plan for myself. I fully respect each individual’s right to make their own plan and I support them (at least philosophically) in the decisions they make even though as a nurse I cannot give them aide. Currently, assisted suicide is not legal where I live and is basically against hospice principle at this time. I do feel that far more people deserve the right and ability to enact their deepest wishes when faced with pain, isolation, months or years of incompetant medical care and an inability to participate in life as they so choose when facing debilitating disease and eminent death from that disease.
I have not purchased the book final exit yet. Does this book offer real options that are truely final and without strange effects like vomiting, seizures, and the possibility of survivial if the emergency medical team got their hands on you before your task was done?
Thanks
Karen