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Subscribe to RSSA pair of adult identical twins in Belgium have been legally killed at their request, the men's doctor told journalists.
The 45-years-old men, who were born deaf, spent their lives side-by-side — growing up together and then, as adults, sharing an apartment and working as cobblers together, according to Belgian media reports.
The men’s names have not been released but photographs of the identical twins from the Antwerp region have been made available to some media outlets.
Their doctor, David Dufour, told Belgium’s RTL Television over the weekend that the two men had been losing their eyesight for several years and soon would have been completely blind. The prospect of being blind as well as deaf was unbearable to them, he said.
"They were fully aware of their decision," Dufour said.
After winning approval from the necessary authorities, the two men received lethal injections at a Belgian hospital in December.
Dufour described their last moments: "They had a last cup of coffee and everything was fine. They said goodbye to their parents and brother and all was serene. They waved — and that was that."
Under a 2002 law, Belgians are allowed to end their own lives if a doctor judges an individual has made his or her wishes clear and is suffering unbearable pain.
The case of the twins was unusual because the two men were not approaching the end of their natural lives nor were they terminally ill.
But Jacqueline Herremans, a member of the Belgian Commission of Euthanasia, told RTL that they did meet the legal requirements as their suffering was grave and incurable. When they became blind as well as deaf, he said, they would not have been able to lead autonomous lives, and that with only a sense of touch they had no prospects of a future.
She acknowledged this was an exceptional case.
"Evidently they had a particular destiny. They were two human beings who have lived together, grown up together, worked together and wanted to die together. Their suffering may not have been physical, but there was psychological suffering," she said.
In 2010 and 2011, a total of 2,086 people died by euthanasia in Belgium, according to the country’s Euthanasia Commission.
Belgium is now looking at introducing a legal amendment that would allow children and those with dementia the option of seeking permission to die. If passed later this year, the option of euthanasia will be extended to minors affected by an incurable illness, or suffering that cannot be alleviated.
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Netherlands dispatches mobile euthanasia units
Dutch riled at Santorum's euthanasia comments
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DOCJT - I seem to recall from past posts that you are, in fact, an MD, correct?
(serious question: I honestly don't know) - Doesn't the Hypocratic oath conflict with the whole idea of PAS? Is it up to individual physicians whether they will perform this or not?
I am a psychologist.
No, PAS does not conflict with the Hypocratic Oath. (I am assuming you are talking about, "First, do no harm." There are several other edicts in the Hippocratic Oath.)
Yes, physicians have the choice of whether or not to participate in PAS.
Thanks.
Of course, I can't really imagine a system where a doctor is "forced" to euthanize someone. I was just imagining a hospital or care facility where the majority of the doctors aren't willing to do it on religious or other grounds. I wonder if they have an individual or team of 'specialists" that are called in to do this... That would be a strange career choice.
Mifo - Many,many doctors will be the first to say to "stop the machines" to allow a patient to die, when they know there is no way they will get better. Funny how religion makes a doctor "force a patient to suffer". Religions are so odd!
Agreed. And doctors have also been known to prescribe medications in an amount for a terminally ill patient that are not unreasonable given the terminal and painful condition, but which are sufficient to allow the patient to voluntarily take their own life. These deaths are generally believed to be caused by the illness.
There is no compassion in forced suffering.
i love the lord jesus christ and i try to be religious but i don't think i have to take medicine if i don't want to or be on artificial life supports.
If you think about it, after living life for 45 years like they did, going deaf and blind would be like constantly living alone inside your own head. I think I would want to learn braille or something first and give it a shot. Could always have it done 3 or 4 months down the road.
These twins were lucky to be living in Belgium where they respect people's view point. I too would not want to live If I could not hear or see. Hopefully someday the US will change their assisted suicide laws.
Medical breakthroughs are regularly occuring in both the restoration of sight and sound...because of their fears (and yes I do believe that their fears are justified), perhaps these two have thrown away their lives unnecessarily. Perhaps this year, next year, or even five years from now (who can say for sure?) they would have had their senses restored. It is certainly within reasonable limits of possibility, especially considering the breakneck speed in which technological breakthroughs are occuring. Sure, I realize that they would be forced to wait...but by not waiting, the opportunity...the choice is no longer available to them...EVER!!! For all of eternity, their lives have been snuffed out.
Lucky? If that is luck, you can count me out!
Hey Kolchak,
Easy for you to gudge others but note that due to Republicans fighting stem cell research over the last years any chances of new medical discoveries won't happen for a very long time. Luckily we have the right president in the white house who understands the urgency of stem cell research and what benifets it can bring to our society. In the meantime you expet those suffering to suffer and wait for a medical discovery that may or may not happen, get real! stop drinking the coolaide before it's too late.
Dear "Open minded",
In the politest of ways possible, let me say, NO...it is easy for YOU to judge others! I judge no one! I speak from experience...you see, I suffer from multiple health issues which require me to take several medications every day due to my experiencing intense, chronic pain, 24/7. These medications do not eliminate my pain, they merely make the pain tolerable..and so I go on, day by day in the hope that medical science will one day soon find a cure for my illnesses. But even if they do not, I consider human life to be sacred, and as such I do not consider murder or suicide to be an answer.
I am not in the practice of trying to fool myself or others by using nice sounding words to mask the true word. If I spray gold paint on a turd, then present it to you as a gift, well just because it now may LOOK like a large chunk of gold, it is still only a piece of s--t! And if you use words like "euthenasia, mercy killing etc., it is still MURDER.
Sleight Of Hand... I can plainly see how you avoid the issue that I presented in my previous posting by bringing up a different issue. Magicians use this method in order to "fool" their audience...a distraction intended to steal their attention away from the truth. With this in mind...stem cell research is a different topic, but in answer to that topic as well, I do hold ALL human life to be sacred, male, female, heterosexual, homosexual, black, white, Jew, Muslim, baby, toddler, child, adult, elderly and unborn. ALL human life is sacred. You know, the Nazis managed to convince a lot of people that some human life was not worth saving, so they murdered and incinerated them by the millions. So please, do not try to convince me that some human life has no value, or is not worth redeeming and protecting. Who knows...perhaps one day soon it will be YOUR life that someone will declare useless. And if they should present to me your life as being useless, then tell me that they can cure all of my illnesses by ending your life and harvest your organs to cure me (because like the Nazis did to some people, they have deemed you to be useless)... well, I will then defend your life as being sacred also! I will tell them that they are wrong! DEAD WRONG! I will tell them that you have worth because you are a human being, just like me...just like them! Then I will reject their "cure" and tell them that I would rather continue in my illness and the pain that comes with it than steal your life from you! Because neither I nor they are better than you! and just as it says in our Declaration Of Independence, "...all men are created equal!"
I only hope that I can expect the same from you.
Dear Kolchak,
I'm a big boy and I can take anything you throw my way so no need to be polite on my account. You need to stop being such a martyr as we all have issues that we deal with day to day and if someones's health issues are too much for them; who are you to judge them for wanting to take the easy way out. There was no magic in my message nor am I a magician, just speaking facts on stem cell research, you just don't want to hear it and that's ok as you don't have to do what I say and thats the beauty of my message.
Your respone to my posting was too convoluted and that tells me everything I need to know about you. Please don't take anything I've said the wrong way as we just happen to think differently. Hope you feel better soon and if not remember that you have options which don't have to include a life of pill taking and suffering.
I am happy to know that you are a BIG BOY!
Sorry, but you may think you are clever, but you know nothing about me...or the sanctity of human life. You have been duped. You clearly are SO OPEN MINDED THAT YOUR BRAIN LEAKED OUT!
Listen here you mental midget I'm just trying to help you out so no need to get testy with me, if I were you I would continue to hold onto your ignorant religious beliefs that I'm sure have molded you into the being that you are today as these beliefs are all that keeps someone like you going day to day. I could run circles around you but that wouldn't be fair to pick on someone such as yourself.
I hope you live long enough to prove me wrong but it's me that will end up proving you wrong as stem cell research will flourish under Obama and after he leaves the white house in 4 years Hilary will take over as president and she will also continue to support the advancement of stem cell research which will be a win/win situation for everyone including you.
a sensitive/ tough decision here. what would Jesus or God do or think about this ? i have no idea, however i feel for the people in these matters..........
This is just common sense to me. I realize that the toughest part would be on your loved ones, but if a person is suffering from an unbearable existence thru some sort of illness or disease, then this is a choice that person should be able to make. BTW, this should be mandatory for all liberals as soon as they are found out to be liberal.
Start a petition, I'd sign it.
"Very sad for these twins, but what a refreshing and enlightened approach the Belgians have taken. They're lucky not to be saddled with our conservative "family values" Christians"
Here is a perfect example of why this country is going to sh**. The democrats of this country hate religion and and think that family values are bad. You, your party and your president are disgustingly pathetic.
There are many religious democrats, M6X3. Some even have nice families.
This has been going on for years in the US. ailing elderly purposely overdose on their meds or take their lives in other ways to end their life of pain or in this case no quality of life. I know a very strong man who went deaf and then went blind. He tired eye surgery, but the Doctor finally told him there was nothing else they could do. He had such a horrific experience in a nursing facility of abuse and neglect when he had knee surgery, that he refused to go back. Being shut in a room in a nursing facility without your hearing and without you sight is a life sentence of hell. This man wrote a note, then went outside and shot himself.
When our pets go blind, are deaf or incontinent they are put down, so what is the big deal of being able to choose when it is your time to go?
We are not as caring here in America. When dogs are suffering, we euthanize them. When people are suffering, we make them suffer to the very, very end.
People should be able to choose euthanizing when their lives are too painful. Just my opinion. Again, we euthanize dogs who are suffering. Do we care more for our pets than for human beings?
That is a sick way of looking at things. A dog cannot be compared with the worth of a human being. Suffering is part of life whether physical, emotional, mental, spiritual. It can have a good outcome even when one is in pain, spiritually speaking. If we all said there should be no suffering, then why bother living because suffering is part of life.
It isn't sick at all. You suffer all you want through horrendous pain heading toward death. How sick are you to think you should decide how much suffering another person should go through? You are just stupid! I am talking about extreme suffering for extremely sick people. You are a selfish, two-bit religious zealot.
I think it is a sick way of looking at things to presume that a deity is deliberately inflicting agony or loss of dignity on me and expects me to suck it up endlessly, nay, even to go to hospitals and spend money to try to make sure my misery goes on for longer than it naturally would. I think it is sick to yammer about the spiritual value of suffering for someone who is fated to die of dementia and will, before the end, be less capable than a dying pet of even comprehending what is happening to them, much less why. Sure, suffering is part of life, but it's not what life is FOR. Not in my 'book'.
>>...we euthanize dogs who are suffering. Do we care more for our pets than for human beings?
We stick animals on our grills, frying pans and in our ovens? Why can't we do the same with humans?
OH YEAH! ...now I remember...it's because humans are not animals. (Well, not most of us anyway).
If you don't think humans are animals, it implies that your opinion on this issue is influenced by creationist beliefs - which it is your right to hold, but not your right to insist that I live by.
The very same death panels Obama wants to institute in this country. What a pathetic country. And we are not much better.
Gee, I haven't heard about Obama instituting death panels! Where do you nut-heads come up with this nonsense? Is it in your crazy dreams or what? Do you forget to wear your tin-foil hats when you go to sleep?
There are already "death panels" in the US. Every insurance companies has a staff of people searching for a way to delay or refuse treatment that you might need to save your life.
And you blame that on Obama? Get your head straight! Obama is not in control of everything in America. Where did you get that stupid idea? You just use it to be stupid! Obama did not create America and he did not create all America's problems. What is wrong with you?
Not all of Americas problems, but he is sure adding more at one he77 of a fast pace.
APR - not sure if you posed your last question to me or not. If so - then, no: I'm not blaming it on Obama at all. I'm saying people are worried "the death panels are coming" when they've been here all along. I distrust insurance companies even more than the gov't.
Black Knight said Obama was intituting death panels. Yes, insurance companies, but not, not Obama.
I support their right to die with dignity, on their own terms. Until a person has suffered the same fates as others, they should not be so quick to judge and demand they carry on with a burdened, painful life.
Cynical:
"This is a personal decision that only the individual involved is qualified to make. Too bad our country isn't as civilized as Belgium."
I don't agree with them having themselves killed. Just like I don't agree that killing a baby is a choice. We are living in a very sick world. Perhaps you should move to Belgium so that they can euthanize you. They willingly do it Sweden, if you don't want to be put down, you better have your card stating that you do not wish to be dead. We need to pray for our very souls.....
me -
But you do seem to agree that you have the right to put your delusions ahead of other human being's wishes. You live in "la-la land". You are brainwashed into a mindset that you think all others must follow. You are brainwashed into believing who it is fine to denigrate and keep rights from. You are brainwashed into believing that the rules of a 2000 year old book written by men is to be followed.
Why is your sense of common decency toward others - including a right to euthanasia - including equal rights for gay people - not more important than your centuries old "belief system" that there is a man in the sky dictating the lives for all people?
Why can't your brain actually think, have compassion for others, and understanding for others?
Your name for yourself is accurate - me! Obviously, you can only think of yourself and your 2000 year old strange "belief system".
My sister is deaf blind although not completely... but, without hearing aids and a brightly lit area she may as well be completely deaf/blind. I have been to meetings with her where many can neither hear nor see. They communicate with their hands.
I attended a MN deaf/blind annual meeting with my sister and, it was an interesting affair to say the least... especially during the dinner where no one was speaking, yet communicating just fine. While we enjoyed dinner and companionship a group would all of a sudden start laughing at a joke - of course I had no clue what the was so funny. Felt out of place to say the least.
My point being... there were many among the group who are deaf/blind - I mean completely deaf/blind - who are quite accomplished (one being the president of the organization). I can understand why the twins made their decision, however I've witnessed another side of the story first-hand... I am troubled by the slippery-slope of euthanasia.
This is not euthanasia. It is Physician Assisted Suicide. There are some very distinct differences between the two concepts. This article did a very poor job of making those distinctions.
Probably better than sucking on a gun barrel or sticking your head in the oven! I guess it was a quality of life issue and after all "it was their life and their choice"
Gun barrels are unsanitary.
Sounds like the part of Obuma care they are not telling anyone about ! Read the fine print and ask yourself one question "Has the Government ever told a lie" !
Got a hang nail? Obama would be to blame for that too. Get a f**king brain!
This is very sad. RE: Helen Keller. I have read many times that she was NOT 100 percent deaf. Her eyes were replaced with glass eyes, in adulthood, since one of them protruded-so she was 100 percent blind.
Anyone that don't agree with then is an Idiot !
Hmm. Good for Belgium. I like freedom.
in the US we do not recognize suffering by human being, but we do place high value on the suffering of a speck of goo called embryo.
Personally it's called choice. What is a democracy with out choice.
Do we all have to believe the same thing or agree on the same thing.
They wanted to die CHOICE. Others don't want to die CHOICE.
Our country made the laws on choice. So we can change them if we need to.
End of aurgument
We don't have a problem in the U.S. with ending an animal's suffering with euthanasia, why do we continue to deny it to ourselves?
Geez, we have a president who is blind and can't hear. Suppose he might do us all a favor too?
good one Best of today.
Quite a few US states allow lethal injection with recently passed laws. Doesn't AIDS stand for Anal Injection of Deadly Serum?
To the people that sneer at the extremely DIFFICULT choice these men had to make, please take 2 seconds and imagine living the next 40+ years not being able to SEE at ALL nor HEAR. Then pass your sanctimonious judgement. Some of you people are real jerks.
My first thought went to Helen Keller as well ~ while the onset of her deafness and blindness are different, the story is that she learned to communicate in a sighted/speaking - hearing world. It is hard for us people to accept that other individuals who are "healthy" but due to other mitigating circumstances elect to check out. It is all up to the person; similar argument for abortion. Regardless to what public opinion is, it comes down to the person to make the decision and follow through, hoping that family and close friends understand and there is some level of acceptance on their parts. You have to live for you, not for other people.
I find this story incredibly sad. Although I don't know how they must have felt about spending their lives in silence and darkness (I assume), I couldn't imagine taking my own life either. How does one come to this conclusion and how does one's family accept this? I understand and don't understand all at the same time.
All you have to understand is that it was their choice. Personally, I never want to be in a condition whereby other people have to wipe my nose, etc. It would be my choice to go if I no longer could take care of myself. That seemed to be their concern. We all have our own considerations. Mine is that when I am no longer a productive and self-sufficient human being, I don't want to be here any more. My purpose in life is not to have others take care of me.
From what I read, old Indians would leave the tribe and walk to the forest somewhere that they could die. That is euthanasia too. I may have to take that route one day since euthanasia is not legal in the U.S.
THANK YOU! We have this bizarre expectation that Americans should be quite happy to spend their last years having to have other people wipe their asses for them, and either breaking their caregivers' own health or bankrupting them to pay for it. We are told that we can't have euthanasia because people would feel "pressured" to kill themselves to avoid burdening their families, as if it's unthinkable that people might voluntarily choose to spare their families out of love. Then we are told that committing suicide to avoid the loss of dignity and autonomy is "selfish" and hence bad - but the instruction to go ahead and burden our families is effectively an instruction to be selfish.