Friday saw one of the most votes on a social issue in a generation. As is usually the way in the UK, MP's got a free vote and the motion was passed by a far larger percentage than expected. MP's from all parties made impassioned speeches both for and against the motion. It is not unreasonable to say that we see Parliament at its best in these sort of votes. How would I have voted, had I been an MP. My natural inclination was to support the principle, for the simple reason that I believe it is immoral to criminalise the loved ones of people who are at their wits end watching a relative suffer. I also understand the fears of people who worry that it's the 'start of a slippery slope' and that within a generation, all manner of inconvenient people will be being bumped off. My response is very much that you have to judge proposals on what is being proposed, not on what it might lead to in thirty years time.
The sad truth is that people already kill themselves for all manner of reasons. Many teenagers and young people sadly do this when they have everything to live for. For me, that is a far more serious issue than a person my age, in unbearable pain, with no prospect of recovery and the knowledge that tomorrow will be worse than today. My sister is a retired palliative care nurse. I've often discussed the issue of people with terminal illness and their last weeks and hours with her. She worked in Florida and her role was to do palliative care in the community. Her job was to ensure that people could die in their own home, surrounded by the people they love and not be in pain. For me, this is one of the options that should be open to everyone. As should hospice care. I do not understand why hospices in the UK are funded by charity. It should be an NHS service and open to all.
And finally, a word to all of the religious types, who believe that it is not mans job to 'interfere with Gods plan'. I have two things to say. The first is, the God I believe in does not want people to suffer unnecessarily, and the second is that all medical intervention could reasonably be deemed 'interfering with Gods plan' if you are going to be silly about it. When I was offered treatment for prostate cancer, I didn't say "Oh no, it was Gods plan that I had cancer. It would be Satan's work to interfere with this". I believe that wanting anyone to experience unnecessary pain is evil.
My wife and I signed power of attorney that allow each other to switch off life support machines, etc, if the situation arose. We know each others wishes. When it was clear that I needed an operation to resolve my cancer situation, we got everything sorted. I believe these are decisions for us, not people we don't know.
I understand that many people will disagree with me. We live in a democracy, and that is your right and I respect you views. I just happen to think on this one, you are wrong. I have had to give all of this a lot of thought over the last few years. I wrote this song to sum up my views, although it is a tad overdramatic. In truth, I'd want to be at home with a ghetto blaster and a few pills.
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