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

I'll get to my point in a moment!

I carry a donor card leaving all my bits and pieces to whosoever wants them as and when I leave this mortal coil.

Personally, and you can call me selfish if you want, I intend on living sufficiently long enough that they will be utterly burnt out and useless to man or beast. If I shuffle off before my kidneys, for example, have done all they're going to then I can't think of anything better than giving someone a chance of a normal life by leaving the bits I don't need behind. As I said though, I fully intend to get the most out of them.

It's for the same reason that I give blood and am on the bone marrow register: I've got it (blood and bone marrow) and don't have issues with the making of it, if someone needs some then what harm can it do for them to have some of mine.

These, I reckon, are quite major decisions - ok the giving blood involves a needle in the arm, a cup of tea and a biccie but the rest can be quite traumatic, for you (in the case of bone-marrow) and for nearest and dearest in the case of organ donation. I've told my folks and siblings and clearly anyone who reads this posting that everything is there for the taking if necessary.

So to the point. Here I am, young(ish), healthy(ish), of sound(ish) mind and body ... I would like to be able to carry a card or sign something that says that if I am struck down with an uncurable debilitating condition that I don't wish to be sustained on life support for whatever reason. Current donor cards merely express your intention and can be over ruled by those closest to you ... could not the same hold with Euthanasia?

There's a difference between keeping someone alive but to all intents and purposes without actually having a life, and killing them outright ...

Not entirely sure if this gets across what I'm trying to say ... I did say I was only sound(ish) of mind ...

I agree with you totally, I would carry a card with no hesitation.

I am in my early 30's and my husband and I have an agreement that if either of us ever end up incapable of looking after ourselves the other will assist with suicide. This agreement has not been made lightly and is as a result of both of us experiencing the long (and pointless) suffering of very close family members in the name of prolonging life.

I watched my mother die over several months and one of the last things I remember her saying to me was "If I was a horse they would have shot me by now. Why are they making me suffer like this?"

I knew my father in law for the last 4 years of his life and in that time he had no idea who I was. He suffered from several major illnesses, couldn't walk, had no memory and couldn't even feed himself. What dignity did that leave him with?

To be kept alive in this manner is my idea of HELL!

I am not scared of death but I am terrified of being kept alive!