Gemeinsam sterben: Warum ein glücklich verheiratetes Paar beschloss, nicht mehr zu leben

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0jjq2vynq7o

12 comments

  2. Great story, not disturbing (as the article warns). They maintained their agency and dignity, and the dementia patient had a limited time to make this decision. Obviously difficult for their child, but he seems to have understood.

  3. 5% of deaths in 2023. This seems a high percentage and shows the demand to stop “unbearable suffering with no chance of improvement”.

    I’m glad the choice exists, as long as it never develops into a societal expectation to off oneself when one’s life becomes a burden to others.

  4. I’d imagine the days leading up to the procedure are so incredibly painful, but I suppose the silver lining lies in the fact that you can express your love and final thoughts in a controlled environment, rather than letting chance play a role

  5. This is all I want. I do nothing but suffer from overwhelming chronic pain due to severe, incurable medical conditions. I have done what I want to do. There’s nothing else for me here except suffering alone. I have no quality of life.

    I just want for my immediate family to be with me in the room when I go. That’s it. That’s all that I want.

    I could never use more conventional methods because of how much that would hurt my family and other loved ones. I just want my immediate family to be there to send me off. I just want them to be there when I go.

    That would make me happy.

  6. US based here. My mom has been fighting terminal illnesses since she was 19, my step dad will get dementia and has already started showing mild signs. They’ve already made the decision years ago to go out on their terms together after watching my step dad’s father waste away from dementia. It’s not legal or accepted here, but I will fully stand by their decisions.

  7. Good on them. My father suffered and lingered on for 5 years before dying from a form of dementia at age 76. I don’t want that for myself. I’ll do what I have to do to make sure it doesn’t happen. 

  8. Not allowing someone to choose when to end their life is the ultimate disregard for personal liberty.

  9. Some of the lyrics of the song (Idlewild – Travis) that Els chose to listen to before she died with her husband. So much of this could be interpreted literally..:

    “For two years he tried to reach her
    Worshiped the ground beneath her
    She, she was always running
    He, he saw the end was coming
    But now the story takes a turn
    She wakes up and her sheets are burning
    Head down against the fire
    Now, now, now the table turns

    She won’t learn
    Sleep to love and your bed starts burning
    So close to midnight
    Idlewild you don’t know
    You never need to

    Here we lie
    High and dry
    The world will never see you ’till you open your eyes
    Say goodnight
    Kill the light
    The world will never hear you tonight”

  11. With advancements in medical technology and procedures we can prolong life, but at what cost? How much suffering does a person have to endure?

  12. My wifes grand aunt and uncle jumped off a bridge together. Suicide isn’t legal in Japan, but I still think it is romantic in a way. I’d like to do the same if it comes to it. When you’re 85, what is life without the person you’ve spent it with.

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