Wash. state has first death under new suicide law

[babylonsister]

Wash. state has first death under new suicide law
AP


By RACHEL LA CORTE, Associated Press Writer


OLYMPIA, Wash. – A 66-year-old woman with terminal cancer has become the first person to die under Washington state's new assisted suicide law, an advocacy group said Friday.

Linda Fleming, of Sequim, died Thursday night after taking drugs prescribed under the "Death with Dignity" law that took effect in March, said Compassion & Choices of Washington.

The organization said Fleming was diagnosed last month with advanced pancreatic cancer. She would have had to have been diagnosed by two doctors as terminal in order to qualify for assisted suicide.

The group said Fleming died at home with her family, her dog and her physician at her bedside.

"The pain became unbearable, and it was only going to get worse," Fleming said in a statement released by the organization.

A physician prescribed the medication, but under the law, patients must administer the drugs themselves.

more...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090522/ap_on_re_us/us_assisted_suicide

[DesertFlower]

1. my husband and i are members

of "compassion and choices" formerly known as the "hemlock society".

[Lars39]

6. Thanks for posting that...

I didn't realize there had been a name change. :hi:

[thunder rising]

2. Godspeed Linda. I don't know if I should feel happy or sad.

[frebrd]

3. Good for her.......

Imagine how grateful she must have been to have that option!

I'm proud to say I voted for it.

[FreeState]

4. May she be at peace n/t

[SeattleGirl]

5. Bless her heart.

I'm glad we passed this law.

[babylonsister]

7. I am, too. I hope other states get with the program. nt

[GreenPartyVoter]

9. Me too.

[Kajsa]

10. So am I, Seattlegirl.

Kudos for WA State!

:applause:

[suffragette]

18. I'm glad we did as well.

[patriotvoice]

8. +1 Washington State.

Almost everywhere else, the state can murder with impunity, but people are too incompetent to decide to do themselves in. :eyes:
Godspeed, Ms. Fleming.

[Kajsa]

11. Death with Dignity should be a right for everyone.

This is very personal for me as my Dad died of pancreatic cancer
twelve years ago.

If he had a choice, he would have ended his life sooner,
sans all the pain and suffering.

Godspeed, Ms. Fleming.

[babylonsister]

12. My mom, too, and she asked. She was in NC, and there was

nothing we could do.

[Kajsa]

17. I know the feeling, Babylonsister.

It's a feeling of helplessness and anger
that we can't help them end their pain
and suffering.

:hug:

[Deja Q]

13. I'm a nerdy geek who's been hated all throughout life. How do I sign up?

Actually, I have plenty to live for, but contingency planning is never a bad thing.

[babylonsister]

15. You've been hated?

I think not. But I also like contingency planning.

[handmade34]

14. what a blessing....

all states need to allow 'death with dignity' it does happen 'unofficially' at times but needs to be allowed without stigma. My husband was terminal and the doctor freely gave him oxycodine and morphine... he died at home peacefully...

[babylonsister]

16. See, you are lucky.

My mom went through a few years of hell before she died. That wasn't right.