1,046 Quotes About Death-and-dying

Nine men in ten are would-be suicides.

Suicide is the role you write for yourself. You inhabit it and you enact it. All carefully staged—where they will find you and how they will find you. But one performance only.

Some doctors who specialize in the care of geriatric patients have told me that there are rare occasions when they have heard a very old, sick, and frail person announce, “I’m going to die today.” And the individual did. But it doesn’t happen often.

However much the drink is loaded with sweeteners, patients say it still tastes awful. Usually observers have noticed that the patients are so desperate to die that they ignore the nasty tasting drink. The Oregon dosage is: Seconal capsules reduced to powder - 9 grams& Pure water - 4 ounces– OR – Liquid Nembutal - 9 grams& Add water to suit

There is a growing moral view that patients should take charge of their own ends now that more sophisticated means of suicide – as described in this book – are available.

Self-destruction of a physically fit person is always a tragic waste of life and hurtful to survivors, but life is a personal responsibility. We must each decide for ourselves.

If you have not already done so, sign a Living Will and have it witnessed, but not by anybody who is going to gain from the Last Will and Testament dealing with your estate. A Living Will, which has nothing to do with property or money, is an advance declaration of your wish not to be connected to life-support equipment if it is judged that you are hopelessly and terminally ill.

Swiss law since 1937 permits assisted suicide by anyone for altruistic reasons, although it has become the accepted practice that first there must be a doctor’s agreement and only lethal drugs can be used, taken orally – no injections. Reporting the “terminal suicide” to the police is normal procedure – nothing secretive. The Swiss do not rule out visitors provided they meet the time-honored criteria – a dying, competent, adult, and a local doctor after examination agrees they are terminal.

The sorrow we feel when we lose a loved one is the price we pay to have had them in our lives.