I am not a proponent of suicide. I do not condone it. I accept that it is out there and believe that suicide amongst the more seasoned population is more problematic than society realizes.
The other day started with a phone call from someone I did not know. I was asked to explain the Living Will of the spouse of the caller. The document named the caller as the decision-maker for the spouse who was currently in the ICU wing of a hospital. This patient took a handful of painkillers the day before because the physical pain was so great that the person could no longer take it. Obviously the attempted suicide failed. Both persons were now in great emotional turmoil.
The two legal issues that stood out in my mind were 1) this Living Will is ten (10) years old and if the doctor does not like the spouse, the doctor may ignore this document. There are two estranged adult children from a previous marriage who would make things difficult during this time simply because they could. If they knew the patient was in the hospital. Living Wills MUST be re-executed at least once every five years or they are considered stale and invalid.
And, 2) this should never have happened. Doctors should be allowed to treat their patients for their medical needs without the threat of going to jail. Arizona Legislators are supposed to do the will of Arizonans. The majority of Arizona residents believe that physicians should be allowed to legally prescribe a lethal dose prescription. Yet the Arizona Legislative branch will not allow a bill of this nature to have a hearing and the bill dies every year. Currently HB2313, which requires two doctors to confirm that death to the patient is expected within six months before a prescription of this sort is written, has been given its own lethal prescription. Republican Representative Doug Quelland, Phoenix, will not allow a hearing for this bill.
The Arizona Legislative Branch is supposed to be serving the people of the State of Arizona. They instead force their morals upon the residents. Funny thing is that two of the most “powerful” lawmakers in the Arizona Legislation have their own moral issues. One has been accused of quieting down the victim of a sexual predator and another has a son who has been accused of physically harming / hazing others at camp. Strange. And reprehensible.
Please contact your legislators and urge them to allow a hearing on this bill. Our parents and grandparents should not be forced to live with pain that they can no longer tolerate. They should have the right to make medical decisions with dignity, comfort and their doctors’ counsel and care.
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