House Health and Human Development Committee
June 7, 2017
Daniese McMullin-Powell, Delaware Not Dead Yet
OPPOSE HB 160, End of Life Options
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| Deniese McMullin-Powell Delaware Not Dead Yet |
Diagnoses of terminal illness is too often wrong, leading some to give up on treatment and lose good months or years of their lives. A pro suicide group will become your best friend to help you Doctor shop for a second opinion or even a first one if you want. Less than 5% will receive counseling.
A woman I helped get out of a facility came to live with me. She had less than 6 months to live, so had hospice services. She moved to her own apartment 7 months later. She still lives in Wilmington 15 years later. Cheap physician assisted suicide wasn’t available.
My Mom and Dad were both on hospice. My Father exceeded his expiration date by a few months. He had good meds to control pain. When he passed, my Mom moved in with me. She remained on hospice for another year or so. She even went on vacation twice to Florida. She passed away in my home 8 days after baking cookies and having a wonderful Xmas with all the great grand kids. If this poison was available in 2011 she may not have had those last good times. She always thought she was a burden… she was not.
Pain seems to be overrated as a reason to die sooner than later. In a 2015 report from Oregon, the top reasons for PAS are loss of ability to do things you enjoy, loss of autonomy and dignity, loss of control of body functions and dependence on others and… feeling to be a burden, all disability issues like some of us face every day. Down the line, pain or fear of pain is listed as a reason.
Society underrates quality of life for people with disabilities. Will we have suicide prevention or suicide assistance?
Calling this a choice or a right is false. It is the state and doctors that will determine who is eligible to die. Besides we have always had choice, suicide is not illegal in the United States and there are many methods.
Insurance companies, including Medicaid in Oregon, have indeed denied expensive treatments for some, yet offer to cover cheaper assisted suicide.
There is a potential for abuse or coercion. Not all relatives, friends and caregivers have loving concern, and who would know? All the so called safe guards are hollow and not enforceable.
There are no resources or authority to investigate assisted suicide cases in Oregon. Hence, “there are no problems in Oregon.”
Vote NO to HB 160, so we can sleep at night and have a peaceful summer
Note: The Delaware house will vote as early as this week on HB 160. Delaware residents can find their legislators here.
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