Blacks, Whites and Shades of Grey: Smudged Edges

Was watching an episode of All Saints today...yes I know I should have been studying, 6 weeks to revise 8 weeks of neuro is definitely not enough, but alas, I seem to never be in the mood.......

Anyway, the episode is about the controversial topic of euthanasia...which my friends and I were conveniently discussing yesterday - (must be psychic ^_^)
So this 15 year old boy, Kasey, has muscular dystrophy, and it's at a pretty bad stage (he's even lost his swallowing ability). And for months he's been begging his dad to kill him, and finally his dad agrees and even promises. He plans a perfect day, tells Kasey how much he loves him, and then crushes some drugs and puts it into Kasey's tube. The dad is so nervous that he spills half of the drugs. Then, AFTER pouring the drugs in, he decided he couldn't go through with killing his son, calls the ambulance and revives his son. Son wakes up. Son is furious/hates dad.

Anyway, Kasey is very bitter, depressed, angry...all those things you'd feel if you were slowly dying, I guess. But he asks the nurses to kill him. The nurses, although having medical and legal obligation, do have their personal views. And this one line struck me...
"We're more humane to our animals"
And isn't it true???
If a dog/cat gets hit and is definitely going to die, they're put down. As are animals with fatal diseases like cancer. They don't get chemo, and don't receive palliative care and the family don't wait for them to slowly die. But for us, humans, we do. We try everything possible to save lives, and if we can't, we just drug 'em up with morphine, make them 'comfortable'. Then what? To put it morbidly, we wait for them to die.

Is it an act of kindness? or is it cruelty? Maybe it's just selfishness...

Then there was another line that struck me...
"Do you think he'll still want to die if he had some girl that's crazy about him?"
On the other hand...
If you think about it, there is a point. If they had something to live for, do they still want to die?? Most of the people who are going to die and want to be euthanized are depressed, or have given up. It's the relatively easy way out (not that suffering is endorsed....). And sure we have psychiatrists and psychologists and social workers and bunch of medical and allied health staff. But WHO ARE WE to decide? Are we mature enough? Are we emotionally detached enough? Do we know the patient's life and their family's lives and all of their personalities enough to make an educated decision? MOST IMPORTANTLY, how do we know if the patient's intentions are "good"...? Have they just got their prognosis, and have just given up? Even if we only allow euthanasia towards the latter stages of the disease, how do we decide when is the right time? Medically? Physically? Emotionally?

Also what's the difference when a doctor calls time of death after trying to resuscitate every possible way but failing, and trying to treat a disease every possible way but failing and give them a quick and painless death???

Finally, are we game enough to play God? For those who don't believe in a divine presence...are we game enough be make a certain group of HUMANS more superior? To give them the power to decide if the person who wants to die is worthy enough to die????
Most importantly, if we cross that line, WILL WE REGRET IT ONE DAY?

*sigh*
I'm getting a headache...
Must stop thinking...
might go and have some chocolate...
g'night