Finally, Indian judiciary accepted euthanasia in passive manner. To me, it appears as a decision to be welcomed. I am sure that the learned judges and lawyers must have looked from all angles into the issue of euthanasia, before legalizing the passive form of it. There would be loop holes, there would be people trying to abuse it, just like in any other law.
From the first time I heard of the term euthanasia during college days, I have been thinking of the ethics behind such an act. I know there are countries like the Netherlands, where Euthanasia is legal. In India, it was illegal so far. I always struggled to come to a conclusion, whether it is right or not.
One can never find a unified opinion in this issue. There will always be people arguing that, humans do not have the right to take one’s life. They would say, life and death are the events handled by the almighty. We should not be interfering in that divine act.
I prefer to disagree on this. Let me explain.
We all know that death is the final destination for all of us. The moment we are born, the clock ticks towards our final moment. No matter what modern medicines, anti-ageing therapies and other procedures can claim, death is inevitable. But still people are afraid of death. (My take on this varies with my state of mind. When I am extremely happy, I feel like living long. But when I am under tremendous sadness, I wish I don’t wake up to see the next morning).
Till the moment we live in this beautiful planet, we would like ourselves to ‘live’ literally. Don’t’ we?
If a terminal illness, makes our life miserable, and nothing can bring that liveliness back into our lives, and even consciousness is deserting us, would we still like to cling on to the so called ‘vegetative state’ of existence? . If I am in a situation like that, definitely I will not prefer to be there even for a second.
When such a trauma happens to a fellow human being of ours, be it our family member or a friend, why do we want to prolong their tragic existence? If that unfortunate person, still has the mental strength to fight back and has the strong desire to live, yes.. we should do everything we can, to help that person. But what if that person has already expressed his or her desire to have death with bit more dignity, bit less pain, bit more comfort? What if that person has already slipped into comma stage, from where there is no return? Do we still want to prolong the existence of that person through artificial life supporting systems? What do we get out of it? Some kind of feeling that our loved one is still ‘living with us’. Can that be called as ‘living’? We should ask ourselves.. Do we want to see them like that?
I understand that the issue is not very simple. But I am thinking of the person’s suffering.
The case of Ms Aruna Shanbaug is thought provoking. First of all, the sincerity and dedication of the medical practitioners in KEM hospital, who looked after her for more than 36 years, without a single bed sore is really commendable. No word of appreciation can be enough for these people.
How many such Aruna’s may be around us? How many of them really want to cling on to the life which is slipping under their feet. How many families will have the required financial capacity to afford a prolonged medical care which can eat up their finance completely? Some lucky ones may have insurance cover. What about those who do not have a blessing like that?
More than anything, the questions to be asked and answered by ourselves are..
If we still resist mercy killing, are we doing the right thing?
If we like our loved ones to be comfortable, will we be doing that by forcing that person’s misery to continue for a long time, by not allowing him a death with dignity?
I have seen paralysis and comma stage situations happening in my family. I have seen a person in the family walking towards such a situation over the years, finally struggling with ‘living-in-hospital’ situation and succumbing to a tragic death. In all those cases, everyone around those persons had a hope that something miraculous will happen. So we all did our best to keep them alive, in spite of their struggle for existence. Definitely there were moments when I prayed…
’Oh God please don’t let them suffer. Please cure them either through a dignified death or a good recovery and a dignified life ‘.
As I said earlier, if such people have even a slight desire left in them to live, mercy killing is out of question. The medical support should be given till last moment. But if they do not want to live or they will never be able to express their wish anymore, we should think of euthanasia.
Active euthanasia or passive euthanasia? ..It’s again a big question. For people in comma stage or other vegetative state, simple withdrawal of medicines and life supporting systems (passive euthanasia) can give them comfort. But, for people who are not in that stage, and suffer terribly, who wish to end their lives active euthanasia (like injecting lethal medicines with the help of a medical practitioner) is a solution.
It is difficult to comment on that. Indian Apex court has clearly mentioned that the active euthanasia is illegal. Those lawmakers are fully aware that fraudulent usage of any such legal option would be easily practiced in our country by ill minded people. From that view point, our Apex court is correct. But I empathize with those who wish for active euthanasia. If I happen to be in such a situation, I won’t hesitate even for a second to ask for it. The day I stop living with dignity, I would be dead already, mentally and emotionally. So why exist as a dead meat?
This is my personal view. I do not intend to prove anyone right or wrong.
Jose
Bangalore
13-March-2011
From the first time I heard of the term euthanasia during college days, I have been thinking of the ethics behind such an act. I know there are countries like the Netherlands, where Euthanasia is legal. In India, it was illegal so far. I always struggled to come to a conclusion, whether it is right or not.
One can never find a unified opinion in this issue. There will always be people arguing that, humans do not have the right to take one’s life. They would say, life and death are the events handled by the almighty. We should not be interfering in that divine act.
I prefer to disagree on this. Let me explain.
We all know that death is the final destination for all of us. The moment we are born, the clock ticks towards our final moment. No matter what modern medicines, anti-ageing therapies and other procedures can claim, death is inevitable. But still people are afraid of death. (My take on this varies with my state of mind. When I am extremely happy, I feel like living long. But when I am under tremendous sadness, I wish I don’t wake up to see the next morning).
Till the moment we live in this beautiful planet, we would like ourselves to ‘live’ literally. Don’t’ we?
If a terminal illness, makes our life miserable, and nothing can bring that liveliness back into our lives, and even consciousness is deserting us, would we still like to cling on to the so called ‘vegetative state’ of existence? . If I am in a situation like that, definitely I will not prefer to be there even for a second.
When such a trauma happens to a fellow human being of ours, be it our family member or a friend, why do we want to prolong their tragic existence? If that unfortunate person, still has the mental strength to fight back and has the strong desire to live, yes.. we should do everything we can, to help that person. But what if that person has already expressed his or her desire to have death with bit more dignity, bit less pain, bit more comfort? What if that person has already slipped into comma stage, from where there is no return? Do we still want to prolong the existence of that person through artificial life supporting systems? What do we get out of it? Some kind of feeling that our loved one is still ‘living with us’. Can that be called as ‘living’? We should ask ourselves.. Do we want to see them like that?
I understand that the issue is not very simple. But I am thinking of the person’s suffering.
The case of Ms Aruna Shanbaug is thought provoking. First of all, the sincerity and dedication of the medical practitioners in KEM hospital, who looked after her for more than 36 years, without a single bed sore is really commendable. No word of appreciation can be enough for these people.
How many such Aruna’s may be around us? How many of them really want to cling on to the life which is slipping under their feet. How many families will have the required financial capacity to afford a prolonged medical care which can eat up their finance completely? Some lucky ones may have insurance cover. What about those who do not have a blessing like that?
More than anything, the questions to be asked and answered by ourselves are..
If we still resist mercy killing, are we doing the right thing?
If we like our loved ones to be comfortable, will we be doing that by forcing that person’s misery to continue for a long time, by not allowing him a death with dignity?
I have seen paralysis and comma stage situations happening in my family. I have seen a person in the family walking towards such a situation over the years, finally struggling with ‘living-in-hospital’ situation and succumbing to a tragic death. In all those cases, everyone around those persons had a hope that something miraculous will happen. So we all did our best to keep them alive, in spite of their struggle for existence. Definitely there were moments when I prayed…
’Oh God please don’t let them suffer. Please cure them either through a dignified death or a good recovery and a dignified life ‘.
As I said earlier, if such people have even a slight desire left in them to live, mercy killing is out of question. The medical support should be given till last moment. But if they do not want to live or they will never be able to express their wish anymore, we should think of euthanasia.
Active euthanasia or passive euthanasia? ..It’s again a big question. For people in comma stage or other vegetative state, simple withdrawal of medicines and life supporting systems (passive euthanasia) can give them comfort. But, for people who are not in that stage, and suffer terribly, who wish to end their lives active euthanasia (like injecting lethal medicines with the help of a medical practitioner) is a solution.
It is difficult to comment on that. Indian Apex court has clearly mentioned that the active euthanasia is illegal. Those lawmakers are fully aware that fraudulent usage of any such legal option would be easily practiced in our country by ill minded people. From that view point, our Apex court is correct. But I empathize with those who wish for active euthanasia. If I happen to be in such a situation, I won’t hesitate even for a second to ask for it. The day I stop living with dignity, I would be dead already, mentally and emotionally. So why exist as a dead meat?
This is my personal view. I do not intend to prove anyone right or wrong.
Jose
Bangalore
13-March-2011
(Pictures courtesy – Google)
