What Can You Say to Mr. B?

The following is a recent response to the subject of euthanasia on my now inactive "Bioethics Discussion Pages". It is not unusual for a patient to come to the physician's office with a history similar to Mr. B., below. If you were Mr. B.'s new physician what can YOU say to Mr. B.? ..Maurice.




I've been fighting to live for the past 17 years and it hasn't been until the last 3yrs that I've started thinking about how to get it done with.I have periods where I get violently ill the doctors have no clue as to the cause of the spells,nor anything that they can do to help,stop,or treat whatever it is.The only explaination they have is it is a buildup of toxins,or the release of toxins,that are making me so ill.I have just gone through 12-14 weeks of it and more than one nite was spent praying/wishing for the end to come.To get any relief form the nausea,vomiting,aching,and the pain from the tumors/masses from as near as we've been able to determine is some type of bone disease.I've been to Mayo clinic,Johns Hopkins,and the state medical school and every medical facility that thought they might do some good.Not one has been able or willing to do anything to help and several have done more harm than good.I'm no fan of doctors and the games that they play.they should have to live a day in their patients body that are as ill or worse than I have it and then see if they have any doubts about wether they should assist the relief of someone that all they want is relief from the illness they have.I've read the letters from those who think they have any idea of what someone wants that nolonger has any control of themselves,or that is in unbearable pain like I have from the areas of soft bone that the surgeons have described as being like rubber,to areas that have collapsed like the 4 vertabra that partially collapsed 5-6 years ago.I lost 6 inches in height in 30 seconds.I don't dare even discuss the idea of euthansia with any of the doctors for fear that they will take away what little morphine I do get for the bone and tumor pain that I have to deal with 24/7/365.Another problem that I've developed is a resistance to the morphine and every other pain med that I've taken.I may not know what is best for everyone,but from my own positi! on and what I go through every day there needs to be an avenue of some type making availble for those who can't take the pain and sickness they bare some way to get the relief and somekind of end.I would never have let any animal that I've ever had go through the first year of the past 6-8 that I've been through,let alone go this far.We always treat our pets and livestock better than we do our ill family and friends,there is noway that any selfrespecting farmer/stockman would let an animal suffer like we do and those we claim to care about.I'm sick tired and out of any more to say,only that I hope that those who think they know what is best for anyone hasn't likely a clue as to what is best for anyone and sure as hell they've not a clue as what's best for me. B