In the documentary “Choosing to Die”, the moments when ALS patient Peter Smedley ended his life by euthanasia resurfaced. Peter’s last moments, walking to his death as painlessly as possible with his wife and friends by his side, are kind of like a cold shower while watching.
in 2011 “Choosing to Die” The minutes that show Peter Smedley ending his own life with the method of euthanasia in the documentary titled, are on the agenda on social media. Those who seem healthy at first glance, but have been struggling with ALS for a very long time and the last moments of Peter, who no longer wants to take part in this war, it has really shocking moments.
You may think why a person would prefer to die, but this method, which is applied in very limited countries in the world, only for people who have been in great pain throughout their illness, for whom recovery is not possible being implemented.
Although Peter chooses death, the water he wants in his last minutes shows that the will to live is still there, which makes the video more striking;
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As you can see from the video, in the euthanasia method applied to Peter, a drug is given that first drags him to sleep and then to death. The medicine given somehow causes Peter to cough violently, and at that moment Peter to breathe comfortably with the urge to live he wants water. Unfortunately, Peter is not given the water he wants, because at those moments Peter has lost his swallowing reflex due to the medicine and if he drinks water, he is not asleep. suffocating painfully it will die.
What is euthanasia?
Named after the Latin eu thanatos (good death), euthanasia is the process of treating a person or animal in intolerable circumstances. end his life voluntarily means. “Doctor-assisted suicide” In this case, which is also described as the disease, two different methods, active and passive, are applied to the patients.
Passive euthanasia, legal in many countries, is machine dependent but notDiscontinuation of life support in patients who do not respond to therapy is referred to as.
If active euthanasia due to an incurable disease or psychological problem It is applied for patients who do not want to continue their lives.
A very long process is required for euthanasia to be accepted.
Euthanasia, which has caused great controversy, is not a method that anyone can apply. For euthanasia, patients just like Peter, having a serious, incurable disease needs.
Of course, it doesn’t just end there. Patients who apply for euthanasia, even if they have an incurable disease, can change their minds. to psychological therapy is subject to. Doctorseven if they know that the probability of the patient wanting to live is 1%. He accepts this chance and helps them first to abandon this decision, and after realizing that the patient is determined, to walk to death in the best mental health as possible.
Euthanasia is legally enforceable in only a few countries in the world today.
The concept of euthanasia is a method that has met with a great reaction, especially in the religion of Islam. For this reason, such a method is never allowed in countries where the majority of the population is Muslim. For example, doctors assisting euthanasia in our country, according to the Turkish Penal Code No. 5237 sentenced to life imprisonment for willful murder being sentenced.
Holland, legally allowing euthanasia first country. Dignitas, the clinic where Peter Smedley was euthanized, is located in Switzerland. Other countries that legally practice this method include the USA, France, New Zealand, Australia, Colombia, Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands.