Monday, November 14, 2016

Woman dies by euthanasia, may only have had a bladder infection.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director - Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

I was contacted by a person, whose Aunt died by euthanasia, even though she may have only had a bladder infection. The person emailed me the following letter explaining what happened, outlining how the supposed safeguards in Canada's euthanasia law are ineffective and ignored by euthanasia doctors who are deciding who lives and who dies. 

The letter is edited for privacy:

My Aunt ... was just Euthanized today Nov 9, 2016 by Lethal injection at ... Retirement Home ... in BC. We were called to a meeting at ... Hospice on Nov 7, 2016 to be told for the first time that our ... Aunt had requested to be Euthanized. We were told it would take at least 10 days. My sister and I argued that our Aunt appears to only have a severe Bladder infection. The Hospice Doctor said he would look into having her urine tested for this before they proceed with Euthanasia. 
The same day we were sent over to our Aunts apartment to witness the doctor (that is going to give our Aunt the Lethal injection) having our Aunt sign the document to give her the permission to do the euthansia. After the Doctor read out the document to My Aunt; the doctor went and got a woman that works in the kitchen to initial all the questions for my Aunt. The Doctor brought two people to be witnesses into the room that had been witnesses for other Euthanizations. 
When we mentioned the urine tests we had asked to be done; the euthanizing Doctor said it would make no difference because my Aunt has already signed permission for her euthanasia. The euthanizing Doctor said she is going to put a rush on the Euthanasia. To my even more shock the Doctor gave My Aunt the lethal injection today. It all took less than three days from start to finish. The Doctor did the three Doctor visits to my Aunt in three consecutive days. I am so upset. 
This was so wrong ... name withheld.
This letter indicates that the euthanasia doctor was not concerned that the woman may only have had a bladder infection and the legally suggested 10 day waiting period was simply ignored so that the lethal injection occurred within 3 days before the woman could change her mind.

Sadly this letter proves that EPC's assessment of euthanasia Bill C-14 was correct


Bill C-14 required a 10 day waiting period unless the doctor waived the waiting period, meaning it was a false safeguard. 


Bill C-14 required the person's "natural death to be reasonably foreseeable" but at the same time the bill stated that the doctor or nurse practitioner who does the lethal injection must only be "of the opinion" that the person fits the criteria of the law. 


In other words, the law provided legal cover when a physician or nurse practitioner mistakenly kills someone.

The Aunt is dead and now it is too late to suggest that after 10 days her bladder infection may have cleared up and her request for lethal injection may have passed.


For more information read: New assisted dying law will claim unintended victims.


7 comments:

Maureen said...

I shared this on Google and on my FB---This is tragic and I feel that it will become the norm for older people--God help us and thank you Alex for all that you do!!

gadfly said...

Why was the family over-ridden? The woman was their aunt. Surely the power of attorney should have gone to family first. This doctor (And I can guess who it was) has blood lust, pure and simple. So a bladder infection is enough cause to kill now. That was a fast downward ride.

Jule Koch said...

My deepest sympathy to the family. I hope that they also storm the bigger newspapers and Go Public with this story, demanding an investigation. Perhaps the unbridled media enthusiasm for killing will wane a bit when they see how the supposed "safeguards" have been broken.

Unknown said...

When you contacted the retirement facility and the physicians about this case, what did they say? It's only fair to report both sides of this story, not just one.

Robert M. said...

That question is moot, SUP. It doesn't matter what anyone said, they didn't do the tests & rushed it thru in 3 days instead of 10. Makes them automatically wrong, & now they are murderers to boot.

Alexander said...

Of course it matters, Robert. You prove SUP's in that it doesn't matter to you what the other side's story is. You're a man given to confirmation bias. Carry on.

B. Botts said...

I am so sorry for your suffering of losing a loved one this way. Suicide is awful enough without knowing that someone helped them do it. What anger and anguish you must have gone through.

The Euthanasia effort is growing because people are not making efforts to stop it. For example, I was shocked when I scrolled down and there were only a few comments here since 2016. People need to voice their concerns more. Notice that first comes the government paid health care followed by the push for euthanasia. Of course the government would rather pay $5 to kill someone vs. thousands and thousands to save them or make their life comfortable while they follow the course of their life to its end. And they will influence and push through that decision to that person in their weakened condition. I don't live in Canada but Canada is making a way for progression here in the US with the flood gates of lessening their criteria. What I would look into is that if your doctors are or, will start, getting kickbacks for performing euthanasia like they get here for pushing drugs at you. You go to the doctor, he questions you and is so eager to write out that prescription for anything. I told the doctor I had a few episodes of heartburn and he immediately diagnosed me with acid reflux and tried to give me a prescription to take the rest of my life and put that into my records forever. This is just a small example. Life or death should not be in anyone's hands except the Lord's. The push for euthanasia is partly because of the push for abortion. There are not enough younger people now to pay for the older and infirm. They were all killed because of the hardness of our hearts. We need to stop playing God.