I understand exactly what Gaile is saying and I also agree with her about understanding that pack animals have a certain system of their own. Not only is and injured one shunned from the pack, but they also realize when it is their time to go and go choose a place to die.
I used to have a great support system and, where once I would have disagreed with Richard Dreyfuss's character in the movie *Whose Life Is It Anyway* I now understand completely. I am now 36 1/2 years post, and prior to January of this year. I had the support system of family after living with my beloved husband who passed away unexpectedly in June of 2012. I used to have a great support system but not any more... sadly enough. My family could have very well kept on "shearing the care" when I moved to the East Coast and were with them 3 years and hiring both morning and evening caregivers... but they took the opportunity to find a couple of excuses where they want me to "move on" so, for the first time in my life, I have been completely out on my own. That, coupled or tripled with unexpected and not yet diagnosed urinary problems... has me looking at life through a different lens. ~Lori On Thu, Jun 2, 2016 at 11:12 PM, Gail Overton <[email protected]> wrote: > The decision to live is a personal one, and humans should not be > criminalized for committing suicide if they choose. Everyone has different > levels of disability and deals with them differently. In the wild, injured > wolves are shunned by the pack. Humans say they are different, but should > they be? Not everyone has a great support system and living can be more > painful than dying in many cases. The right to death should be judged no > more than the right to life. > > > > *From:* Lori Michaelson [mailto:[email protected]] > *Sent:* Thursday, June 02, 2016 5:53 PM > *To:* Ben Mattlin; quad-list > *Subject:* Re: [QUAD-L] quad movie-You Before Me > > > > The movie Whose Life Is It Anyway? [opened December 1981] starring Richard > Dreyfuss is another movie. I watched it several years ago and still have > it. Plot below: > > > > *Whose Life Is It Anyway? *is a 1981 film adapted by Brian Clark > <https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fBrian_Clark_(writer)&data=01%7c01%7cGailO%40Pennwell.com%7c856a8779866f4c95097608d38b4976ff%7c5bbf75da8a3f493c8343e6cd0cb0e070%7c1&sdata=TcHGHD6oeoe90EtVSM6IhUhF%2b04FCRxfsQQx64TuId8%3d> > and Reginald Rose > <https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fReginald_Rose&data=01%7c01%7cGailO%40Pennwell.com%7c856a8779866f4c95097608d38b4976ff%7c5bbf75da8a3f493c8343e6cd0cb0e070%7c1&sdata=k9ED%2fcdu%2fNXuguHHfQLVOiHoVYRKSEkxqiRq2WSOmgE%3d> > from > a 1972 television movie and Clark's play of the same title. The film is > directed by John Badham > <https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fJohn_Badham&data=01%7c01%7cGailO%40Pennwell.com%7c856a8779866f4c95097608d38b4976ff%7c5bbf75da8a3f493c8343e6cd0cb0e070%7c1&sdata=Li83lLIkaQcYFZc7JMZGP0JoD83Gim5GzTSWw41rTzY%3d> > and > stars Richard Dreyfuss > <https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fRichard_Dreyfuss&data=01%7c01%7cGailO%40Pennwell.com%7c856a8779866f4c95097608d38b4976ff%7c5bbf75da8a3f493c8343e6cd0cb0e070%7c1&sdata=A1%2bE93ccoPvThjeOJNslbbuvAWI9bEj%2fmxxi2iY9dyg%3d> > . > Plot > > After a car accident, sculptor Ken Harrison becomes a quadriplegic > <https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fQuadriplegia&data=01%7c01%7cGailO%40Pennwell.com%7c856a8779866f4c95097608d38b4976ff%7c5bbf75da8a3f493c8343e6cd0cb0e070%7c1&sdata=htoXlO8S45Tx%2br2QR0%2bS35oy6WtoJCobRwW893eDl2E%3d> > who > sues for the right to end his life > <https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fEuthanasia&data=01%7c01%7cGailO%40Pennwell.com%7c856a8779866f4c95097608d38b4976ff%7c5bbf75da8a3f493c8343e6cd0cb0e070%7c1&sdata=w5qwwD0hS%2fWtZur077kBlTtZmNQYX0Dav%2fVcgVCV144%3d>, > no longer able to create art, make love or have any semblance of a normal > existence. He hires a lawyer (Bob Balaban > <https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fBob_Balaban&data=01%7c01%7cGailO%40Pennwell.com%7c856a8779866f4c95097608d38b4976ff%7c5bbf75da8a3f493c8343e6cd0cb0e070%7c1&sdata=sm%2fOMCjj2QQwoF3QNYWZICmpi%2bkkYjcKSJurL%2fO7rnc%3d>) > who, reluctantly at first, represents Harrison while knowing that he is > trying to win his client a death sentence > <https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fDeath_sentence&data=01%7c01%7cGailO%40Pennwell.com%7c856a8779866f4c95097608d38b4976ff%7c5bbf75da8a3f493c8343e6cd0cb0e070%7c1&sdata=APDjzTYIx9ff4id34EA%2fDJe%2bPVDsHAb2Z87T3cvYNR0%3d> > . > > Staunchly opposed to euthanasia is a by-the-book hospital administrator (John > Cassavetes > <https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fJohn_Cassavetes&data=01%7c01%7cGailO%40Pennwell.com%7c856a8779866f4c95097608d38b4976ff%7c5bbf75da8a3f493c8343e6cd0cb0e070%7c1&sdata=7Qk%2fn8FLE4itZSCUWC3ZnHWISqIgujLGlytI345N54Q%3d>), > who is determined to keep his patient alive even against his wishes, and > sympathetic doctor (Christine Lahti > <https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fChristine_Lahti&data=01%7c01%7cGailO%40Pennwell.com%7c856a8779866f4c95097608d38b4976ff%7c5bbf75da8a3f493c8343e6cd0cb0e070%7c1&sdata=MXcr%2bJ7GaJlcyDveQKBIajV3ao3gr0XG7M3QEf6GMQk%3d>), > who develops personal feelings for Harrison. She wants to keep him alive, > even though Harrison's girlfriend has accepted his decision. > > A young orderly (Thomas Carter > <https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fThomas_Carter_(director)&data=01%7c01%7cGailO%40Pennwell.com%7c856a8779866f4c95097608d38b4976ff%7c5bbf75da8a3f493c8343e6cd0cb0e070%7c1&sdata=MSkzINIibFGfKQM8Q4nTHSAQ3psH40Yhzs3KUTsOLLU%3d>) > and nurse (Kaki Hunter > <https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fKaki_Hunter&data=01%7c01%7cGailO%40Pennwell.com%7c856a8779866f4c95097608d38b4976ff%7c5bbf75da8a3f493c8343e6cd0cb0e070%7c1&sdata=BrC%2fDB7V%2bWnMo%2fuqX8iMt7%2bDQl8uW7kY%2baN2BFvw6bo%3d>) > do what they can to keep Harrison's spirits up, even wheeling him to a > hospital basement where they treat him to reggae music and marijuana. In > the end, though, it is up to a judge (Kenneth McMillan > <https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fKenneth_McMillan_(actor)&data=01%7c01%7cGailO%40Pennwell.com%7c856a8779866f4c95097608d38b4976ff%7c5bbf75da8a3f493c8343e6cd0cb0e070%7c1&sdata=Ch6pWJz4ezvzXZgriTz1UzDPbNdJlsHh%2bgpbC0HCRCU%3d>) > whether the patient has a moral, ethical and legal right to choose to die. > -- "Petting, scratching and cuddling a dog could be soothing to the mind and heart and deep meditation and almost as good for the soul as prayer." ~Dean Koontz
