ople die alone with extreme physical pain and mental suffering. How can this belegal? Dr. Puchalski informs us: Spiritual support is essential in the care of the dying. Weneed to help foster hope, love, and contentment with their lives in the final days of living.We need to provide an environment where people can be still, pray, laugh, cry, hold, andbe held as they are dying. (37) Dr. Puchalski, therefore, is talking about humancompassion and providing the dying with a sense of peace and security. The dying need toexpress emotions whether good or bad and because they are human we need to treat themwith the same respect as the living. Sometimes people hold onto life and won’t let gountil they have reached a point when they feel it is safe. We need to provide the dyingwith realistic choices that should be available to everyone. Sadness that surrounds deathneeds to be replaced with peacefulness. Although euthanasia and physician-assistedsuicide threatens the medical profession, we need to change our way of thinking andconsider the needs of the dying. Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide is an issue thathas opened the eyes of many Americans. People will continue to fight for the right-to-die,especially for those who are terminally ill or debilitated with a degenerative disease.People should be able to make their own decisions regarding their death. Yes, physiciansare obligated to the Hippocratic Oath, however; we as loving compassionate humanbeings should be obligated to fulfill the needs of the dying and treat death with as muchrespect as we do living. We have a moral obligation to those whom are dying withunnecessary pain and suffering. We have a right to die with dignity....
