MPs to get vote on assisted dying

Eddie

Poppy is adorable, I often prefer animals to people and on our walks might if truth be told know the dogs name and not their humans.

I read your profile and can see you have been through it, all those tests and waiting for results is difficult enough but the anaesthetic and pain relief is a biggie. I had to look up the courses you have been on as I hadn't heard of them.  I do think everyone on this forum will have found mental and physical strengths they didn't know they had just but to cancel 90 percent of pain is amazing. I use the three a day approach, look for three things that make you feel good like a cuddle from the dog or a good view that you are glad to be around to see, just the little things that make a difference. 

Well windy and wet here today (who would have thought!) but a little warmer.

Hope everyone is having a settled week end.

Xenax

Yes Eddie, my house and garden are really important to me, as is living in a lovely quiet area. I would really not want to live in a built-up area again.

But....it isn't the best place to live if you want choice! Of hospitals, of places to receive palliative care, of specialists.....

I am thankful that my immunotherapy stabilised my cancer, so I no longer have to travel for treatment. And I don't have to travel too far to have scans to monitor this situation. I'm very fortunate really, compared with others who need more medical intervention than me.

Best wishes to everyone on this rollercoaster ride!

Kate

Hi  Xena, Poppy's a  nutter,  I know what you mean about dogs and their owners, many times I've seen them without their dogs, and have no idea who they are, just to be clear, Poppy, is not in my house LOL 

You read my profile, I hope you only read the first bit, it's due an update, but can wait and the anaesthetic issue has been helped with nerve blocks, recently had a hernia Op with them, what a difference.

I know you can do relaxation online at www.maggies.org not sure about the others, and yoga and meditation is popular with some of my female friends, and I agree with you regarding the strength we have, we all have more than we think.

Well Xena, there used to be a thread called three nice things, on here some time ago, maybe you could start it again, I recently tried to on the prostate cancer forum,  but as there are few "treatables", they missed the point, only a couple of guys, who weren't curable understood, as you say, it's the little things that matter, lovely here in Yorkshire, not so much tomorrow.

Eddie xx 

Hi Puddock, they always say the middle of nowhere is a wonderful place to live, until you need something.

I live in Bentley, a large village next to a big ish town and many support services are a hour away, which can be a pain, so can imagine how difficult your situation is, 

But good to know your a stable mabel, and hopefully for some time yet, and your monitoring can be done reasonably local, there's always someone worse off, and as you say, we're lucky in some ways. I know you Puddock, there's a plus, take care.

love Eddie xx 

Hi Megan- Macmillan 

I completely understand the need for the guidelines you mention. However I find it sad that you can’t, on a site intended for people with incurable cancer, discuss any plans you may have to speed up the process of dying. It’s sad that we can’t differentiate actions to shorten the phase of dying with those to end life. And, if the assisted dying private member’s bill passes into law, I would hope there is some consideration of how to accommodate discussion of a lawful process within the guidelines. 

Coddfish said:

And, if the assisted dying private member’s bill passes into law, I would hope there is some consideration of how to accommodate discussion of a lawful process within the guidelines. 

Hi Coddfish,

Thanks for your feedback, and we appreciate your understanding. 

Please rest assured that this policy isn't because we want to stifle honest and open conversation. The Guideline is there to ensure that the Online Community site (and therefore its members) remains compliant with UK law as it stands.

You can be sure that if/when the law changes, our policies will also be reviewed and updated to reflect the latest developments.

Hi Coddfish, well said, I'm with you 100%, but there's the law, as it is,  which Macmillan has to abide with, and allowing support and advice on helping another end their life, no matter how you phrase it, is still assisting a suicide,  and I can imagine the ramifications for Macmillan could be huge. Again I too hope, the passing of the bill will allow us to widen our discussions, and hopefully soon,  maybe we are allowed a little more leeway on PMs,

Eddie 

I suspect it’s always going to be tricky with legislators even within the UK moving at different speeds on this - but there is no law against an individual joining Dignitas, it’s just the act of helping someone access it that is potentially unlawful. If any of us, for example, wanted to discuss the practicalities involved in joining Dignitas, I suspect posts would be taken down on the basis they could be seen as helping others. Frustrating. I would be interested in understanding others’ experience of it, even though I am not currently in need. And celebrities seem to be able to openly talk about it in interviews to the national press. 

Coddfish said:

If any of us, for example, wanted to discuss the practicalities involved in joining Dignitas, I suspect posts would be taken down on the basis they could be seen as helping others. Frustrating. I would be interested in understanding others’ experience of it, even though I am not currently in need.

That's correct, we would have to take action to remove those posts, and so we appreciate everyone's cooperation with helping us stay on the right side of the law as it stands at the moment.

Thanks again.

Hi Coddfish, as someone, ex-healthcare who has seen many people with cancer pass, and not all peacefully, and knowing what my end of life will be like, and unable to have pain relief other than paracetamol, it's not something I believe, I should just have to accept, what benefit does it serve anybody.

You probably know a lot more about Dignitas, than I, but I would imagine anyone with experience of Dignitas, Is either no longer with us, or wont say anything for fear of prosecution, but surely deciding to go there, and having to go by yourself means you are forfeiting precious time, to be able to get their while you can, Thankfully like you, I have "hopfully", some time and doing ok, so maybe we will have that talk sometime, and it's good to know your doing ok as well, and maybe we won't need Dignitas, but I'm not holding my breath, best wishes my friend.

Eddie xx