The Pros And Cons Of Death With Dignity

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I am a nursing student at Penn State University. I study diseases, and what they do to the body. I make flash cards to help me memorize the symptoms. This year I started my clinical rounds at a local nursing home. I had never seen a nursing home before. In my head, I pictured a hotel-like place, with old people rolling around in wheelchairs saying “good morning” to the nurses. I pictured a big room where they would go to play checkers and watch black and white films. I pictured a nursing home like they are depicted in movies. It was not like that. Many of the residents are no longer able to communicate. Many need help eating. Many are confused. There, I saw those small, flimsy flash cards come to life. I live a happy, healthy life alongside my happy, healthy family. I knew that there were diseases, and that the diseases can be terrible. But until this year, I had …show more content…

But not all people, and the Death with Dignity Act can provide relief for them,” (“Assisted Suicide” 2013). Death with Dignity is not for everyone. It may not even be for most people. But it is for some and they deserve the right to have control. I, personally, do not know what I would do if I were terminally ill. I have no idea, and I’m sure many of us are the same way. There is no way to know how we would feel or what we would want. In the end, I think all we really want is comfort. We want to feel like we have some sort of control. Sandeen said, “I think it’s a peace-of-mind thing. You’re terminally ill and you’re facing the possibility of some pretty tremendous suffering, and just the idea that you have this [prescription] and tomorrow you can take it if it gets really bad provides some comfort,” (“Assisted Suicide” 2013). I believe that the Death with Dignity Act needs to be adopted nationwide. Thank

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