"Whose Life is it Anyway?" I remember watching it and I thought it would be good to watch it again to see how I felt about it since I am now pro life and write about assisted suicide and euthanasia. I have a different viewpoint now.
Here is the plot line.... talented sculptor has a terrible car accident that leaves him paralyzed from the neck down. He spends 6 mos. in a hospital and has daily dialysis. He is married but has no other relatives. He tells his wife not to come and see him and go with her life and she agrees referring to him as the late Ken.
When he realizes that this will be his life going forward with no hope of ever using his arms, hands and legs...he sues to be allowed to die. The judge sides with him. The main doctor vehemently opposes his application to die. He says that the man is clinically depressed and will eventually come to accept his situation and make a new life for himself in a rehab capacity. So when the character played by Richard Dreyfus wins his lawsuit, the Dr. asks him what he intends to do now that he is free to leave the care of the hospital...Dreyfus says he will go get a room someplace and just wait until death overtakes him. The Dr. offers for him to stay at the hospital so his pain can be controlled. The Dr. says he will be taken off daily dialysis and can refuse food and drink if he wants to. "You will be in a coma in a few days and dead within a week", says the Dr. "You aren't thinking of trying any resuscitation on me are you?" asks Dreyfus. "Not unless you ask for it" answered the Dr. Dreyfus asks why would you agree to this since you fought so hard not to allow this? "
"Because you might change your mind." said the Dr.
That is how the movie ended. You never saw him die. You were left to wonder if he changed his mind. He had a sharp mind and made many friends in the hospital. Now the movie was slanted to get you to agree with the right to die of the paralyzed man who did not want to live that way. Everyone can sympathize. But since watching that the first time I have had the opportunity to meet people in that situation who went on to have a life with quality...yes, a different kind of quality. But as I watched the movie the second time....it caused me to ask. Is this the same thing as euthanasia or assisted suicide? No one made an assertive action to end his life. He made the decision to discontinue dialysis and we don't know if he decided to forgo hydration and nourishment. Isn't that more like someone with a terminal illness who makes the decision to discontinue treatments?
What do you think?
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