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Little Star

(17,055 posts) Mon Jan 14, 2013, 10:45 AM Jan 2013

Euthanasia. Twins born deaf and sought euthanasia after finding that they would also soon go blind. [View all]

Belgian identical twins in unique mercy killing
Identical twins were killed by Belgian doctors last month in a unique mercy killing under Belgium's euthanasia laws.

Telegraph
By Bruno Waterfield
13 Jan 2013

The two men, 45, from the Antwerp region were both born deaf and sought euthanasia after finding that they would also soon go blind.

The pair told doctors that they were unable to bear the thought of not being able to see each other again.

The twin brothers had spent their entire lives together, sharing a flat and both working as cobblers.

Doctors at Brussels University Hospital in Jette "euthanised" the two men by lethal injection on 14 December last year.

David Dufour, the doctor who presided over the euthanasia, told RTL television news the twins who died together had taken the decision to die in “full conscience”.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/belgium/9798778/Belgian-identical-twins-in-unique-mercy-killing.html

Physician-assisted suicide in the United States is legal in the states of Oregon, Montana, and Washington. Here in Massachusetts we failed to adopt this law in November 2012.

Personally, I'm torn regarding this issue tho I did vote in favor of such a law.

82 replies

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Euthanasia. Twins born deaf and sought euthanasia after finding that they would also soon go blind. [View all] Little Star Jan 2013 OP

This one really saddens me... but in this country, without a lot of personal resources... hlthe2b Jan 2013 #1

It's heartbreaking. Little Star Jan 2013 #11

They made a personal choice in a country that allows such humanity tavalon Jan 2013 #22

Yes... as much as I am conflicted on this one, I agree on that basic point hlthe2b Jan 2013 #23

This would not be even close to legal under the Oregon law, just fyi. Bluenorthwest Jan 2013 #2

So sad. dipsydoodle Jan 2013 #3

agreed... GETTINGTIRED Jan 2013 #8

Slippery slope marions ghost Jan 2013 #4

Yes, people will find a way to die if they really want to... Little Star Jan 2013 #9

For me the issue is marions ghost Jan 2013 #14

And therein lies the problem. Little Star Jan 2013 #15

Other than on an episode of Law and Order, I think the likelihood of that happening is very slight. progressoid Jan 2013 #18

Happens more than you think marions ghost Jan 2013 #19

How do you know? progressoid Jan 2013 #21

Let's just say marions ghost Jan 2013 #25

OK progressoid Jan 2013 #28

Sometimes marions ghost Jan 2013 #41

This isn't a case of depression though, wickerwoman Jan 2013 #54

That's my thought tavalon Jan 2013 #24

Right marions ghost Jan 2013 #26

I don't want *any* state assistance in suicide, period. Very slippery slope, especially in these HiPointDem Jan 2013 #65

We agree marions ghost Jan 2013 #68

i don't like it. & oregon isn't really very progressive. HiPointDem Jan 2013 #82

i'm not sure... smackd Jan 2013 #5

I could imagine that losing both my hearing and my eyesight would be a deal killer tavalon Jan 2013 #27

You speak for me too. Auntie Bush Jan 2013 #32

Deafblind people use sign language KamaAina Jan 2013 #42

+1 Gormy Cuss Jan 2013 #44

Yes, there's an extended family in Louisiana that has a genetic disease in which Lydia Leftcoast Jan 2013 #61

This is so very sad. WinkyDink Jan 2013 #6

What a heart-wrenching story. polly7 Jan 2013 #7

People that want to die theKed Jan 2013 #10

Everything you said is why I am so torn about this & why I voted in favor of this law for MA. n/t Little Star Jan 2013 #12

You won't get an argument from me on the comparison tavalon Jan 2013 #29

I wonder if they believed in the afterlife. sadbear Jan 2013 #13

Why do you wonder? (It's likely not; the Dutch are pretty secular.) WinkyDink Jan 2013 #35

Being secular has absolutely nothing to do with spiritual beliefs. It only means people don't belong KittyWampus Jan 2013 #37

These guys were Belgian. sadbear Jan 2013 #40

I don't, and I would end it. RedCappedBandit Jan 2013 #62

You would end it if you were blind and deaf? sadbear Jan 2013 #71

There are things worse than death. siligut Jan 2013 #16

The only point I would want to know is how much time they were given to rethink their decision. randome Jan 2013 #17

I think Helen Keller showed that being blind and deaf doesnt have to mean a bad life. She had stevenleser Jan 2013 #20

I don't think mine would and especially if I was going to lose the other in midlife tavalon Jan 2013 #30

But Helen Keller was very young when she went deaf and blind JI7 Jan 2013 #52

I think the opposite. JimDandy Jan 2013 #58

No, Keller had it way harder than these guys. JVS Jan 2013 #63

Good points. n/t ChazII Jan 2013 #75

Easier, but not impossible Gormy Cuss Jan 2013 #76

Pretty simple. Their lives, their decision. That's how a truly civilized society must see it. dmallind Jan 2013 #31

+1000 I was going to post the exact same, "Their lives, their decsion". sinkingfeeling Jan 2013 #33

actually, no it's not that simple. cali Jan 2013 #34

Not necessarily, unless you include very tangential involvement. dmallind Jan 2013 #36

Want to shuffle of the mortal coil? You have my blessing. go for it. cali Jan 2013 #70

Why should "society" have a voice? dmallind Jan 2013 #81

agree completely Budgies Revenge Jan 2013 #46

While not really that simple, still a good rule-of-thumb. Hoyt Jan 2013 #56

They made their choice Aerows Jan 2013 #38

If I were in their shoes I might be inclined to follow the same path. LiberalFighter Jan 2013 #39

neighborhood woman is deaf & blind, lives a full life, participates at board meetings Liberal_in_LA Jan 2013 #49

The neighborhood and daily interactions would have to be right. LiberalFighter Jan 2013 #50

This is downright scary to people who live with significant disabilities KamaAina Jan 2013 #43

Possibly that's true, wickerwoman Jan 2013 #55

Yes. And such laws are a very slippery slope, imo. HiPointDem Jan 2013 #66

I agree. The lower the bar gets set for euthanasia, the more it becomes expected that the... JVS Jan 2013 #67

Agree with your comments ChazII Jan 2013 #78

Why do we say they were "euthanized" rather than saying that got help Bonobo Jan 2013 #45

Yep. There's one side of the coin. Little Star Jan 2013 #47

Rest in peace. I completely understand. forestpath Jan 2013 #48

They were in control of their lives to the end. Deep13 Jan 2013 #51

This was wrong JimDandy Jan 2013 #53

The law shouldn't require people to be heroic. wickerwoman Jan 2013 #57

The law can, JimDandy Jan 2013 #60

What judgmental bullshit! forestpath Jan 2013 #73

One of my very dear friends chose assisted suicide in 2007 HeiressofBickworth Jan 2013 #59

I am sorry for the loss of your friend. LisaLynne Jan 2013 #72

ALS is truly horrible. I'm glad that your friend had the choice of assisted suicide... Little Star Jan 2013 #74

I can't see myself losing that much independence RedCappedBandit Jan 2013 #64

Ultimately I agree but they still had each other Puzzledtraveller Jan 2013 #69

Wisdom, strength, courage, opportunity DreamGypsy Jan 2013 #77

I hope they got a second and third opinion ecstatic Jan 2013 #79

When someone without a disability expresses a wish to die, we offer them counseling KamaAina Jan 2013 #80