h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

yes Z

that is the title of the book. and I believe it is required reading of anyone who might want to 'judge' anyone in a perceived 'vegetable state'. And who might then say this person does not have any quality of life.

This person was SO ALIVE that reading his stuff about that was so painfully painful! He was trapped within a body that could not respond although his mind was totally alive and active. So, in effect, he was a real live person! And also someone who wanted to be alive. He did not want to die, though he did suffer from depression because of his state.

That said, I know it is difficult to judge when people have 'reached the end of their own personal limit' of being alive. When they themselves would rather let go and give up.

How are we to really know this? Me? I would want to have a say about how I died - especially if I was in such dire circumstances that staying alive was more painful than dying. But I wonder how people on the outside looking in can truthfully come to an honest conclusion about this that isn't coloured by their relationship with they dying person.

My mother has worked in one of those places where people spend their last time, hospitalized, like vegetables (her expression) - a place that was seriously understaffed by the way - and she also nursed my father, at home, while he was slowly dying.

She has told me repeatedly that she doesn't want to end up that way, and she has tried to make me promise to help her commit suicide if she would ever become 'a package'. So far I've been avoiding giving her any promise - but I'm not sure what I'd do if I had to decide - I just hope that she'll die quickly and without pain when it's time.