How do you balance the sanctity of life while providing terminally ill patients the right to chose how their life ends?
Almost 50 people gathered Tuesday night at the Durango Library to talk about one of the most difficult subjects resonating through the medical community. Those who disagree with allowing patients the choice to end his or her own life argue society must uphold respect for all human life, and commonly cite fears that the terminally ill could be influenced and manipulated to take their own life. However, advocates for the right-to-die movement – which has been called “assisted suicide” or “dying with dignity” – maintain patients don’t want to die, but their disease has made living impossible.
Different forms of right-to-die legislation have passed in several states, and are under consideration in many others. In Colorado, a bill was introduced in 2015 and did not pass out of committee. However, new legislation is expected to be reintroduced again this year.
Betsy Norton, a member of End of Life Choices, estimated about 80 percent of Coloradoans are in favor of the bill. “The issue is becoming something that people are focusing on more,” Norton said. “We just haven’t got that through to our legislators.”
Barbara McLachlan, a Democrat, set to run for District 59, said she would support right-to-die legislation, and believes people should have choice when they reach that time in their lives. “I truly believe in it,” she said. “There are a lot of people who are asking to die. They are in such great pain. They’re alive but not living.”
Juanita Ainsley, also an End of Life Choices member, said in Oregon, where right-to-die is legal, about 1,300 people were granted the medication last year, but only an estimated 800 patients actually used it.
“It’s in their medicine cabinet till the day comes they might need it, or they may never use it,” she said. “But there’s peace of mind knowing it’s there. It’s a small number but it’s an important number.”
Durango resident Whitey Powers said he was tasked with administering his wife morphine when the pain from cancer became unbearable. One morning, when the pain was especially bad, he gave her a complete vial, and soon after, she died.
“I wrestled with that for quite awhile,” he said. “Did it keep her asleep or did it kill her? If you had this law, people like me wouldn’t have to be in that kind of position.”
Members of the End of Life Choices will hold another meeting on Dec. 2 at the library to explain the new right-to-die bill. Asked by a participant how this legislative cycle will be different from last year’s, member Judy Reynolds was blunt.
“Because all of you guys are going to write your congressman and legislators,” she responded.
jromeo@durangoherald.com
