Actually, I was cautioned that if I let too much time go by and my cat knew that it was her time to go, she might just disappear, and that I should make sure she didn't wander away because that is what cats and dogs do when they are dying. They go away alone and stop eating and drinking water, and it is a painless way to go. So it is a totally natural and instinctive way to go like that, just as my mother stopped drinking water and eating when she decided to give up the fight against her cancer.
I am really sorry about Buster. I cried for several weeks when I found out Lizzie had cancer, and I know it will be really sad when she dies.
The reason we don't put people to sleep with euthanasia is that most societies don't believe in this practice for humans, probably based on the fear that it might be misused and people will be killed against their will. Even Oregon's assisted suicide law, where the patient must be lucid and be able to take the medication unassisted, is being challenged by the Bush administration.
Simply removing artificial ways that a person is being kept alive does not elicit the same fierce response. As I said before, it is very common at the end of life to die this way. And I do believe pain medication is available, but as the body shuts down chemicals are released that create a kind of euphoric state, and it is not painful.
I don't have more regard for animals than humans. After reading and listening for several weeks, and looking at photos of the young and vibrant Terri Schiavo, I came to my own personal conclusion that even though her husband has moved on his life, which is natural, she is in a persistent vegetative state, will never recover, has no awareness of herself or her environment, and cannot sustain life on her own. There is lots of evidence that her husband was insistent on her getting excellent care, her court-appointed guardian believes that this is the best course, and more importantly than anything in terms of our disagreement about what should happen now, while you think it is more humane for her to keep living with no hope of recovery, I think it is more humane to let her go. So even though we disagree about what to do in this particular case, we are both attempting to figure out what is best for the patient. Additionally, I have come to believe her parents are selfish more than caring, and probably need some mental health counseling. |
