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From: jayt@ssc-vax.UUCP (Jay T McCanta)
Newsgroups: net.suicide
Subject: Re: suicide for an incurable illness?
Message-ID: <644@ssc-vax.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 18-Apr-85 15:46:21 EST
Article-I.D.: ssc-vax.644
Posted: Thu Apr 18 15:46:21 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 20-Apr-85 06:37:09 EST
References: <3580@alice.UUCP>
Organization: Boeing Aerospace Co., Seattle, WA
Lines: 26

>  
> I found myself wondering if doctors get some sort of sadistic pleasure doing 
> this. Or are the doctors required by laws to do this? Or do they think they
> are doing the right thing?
>  

I was pretty good friends with my doctor back home.  We had both seen "Whose
life is it anyway" and I had asked him how he felt about it.  His reply was
not off the cuff, but had been thought out:  he had asked himself the
question before.  He said that all through a medical career, one is impressed
with the fact that there purpose is to save lifes (read prolong).  After a
while, constantly hearing this, it becomes ingrained on one's conscience,
and after watching some miracoulous recoveries, a doctor is left to believe
that prolonging life may provide a hope.  Death certainly hold no hopes
and is considered a failure by most of the profession.  The decision is not
easy for a doctor no matter how callous you feel he may be. At this time,
there is still a great confict between quality and quantity of life.  
-- 
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            I would never drop in uninvited, but...
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Jay T. McCanta
Boeing Aerospace
Kent, Wa.  

    {uw-beaver|adiron|boeing|cesonix|argus|purdue}!ssc-vax!jayt