Quote:Sir Terry Pratchett was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2008 and is now been reporting that he has started the formal process which could lead to his assisted suicide at a clinic in Switzerland. He has been sent the consent forms requesting a suicide by the clinic, and claims that he planned to sign them imminently.

The Guardian reports that Pratchett “decided to start the process after making the film Terry Pratchett: Choosing to Die, which shows the moment of death of a motor neurone sufferer, millionaire hotel owner Peter Smedley, in the presence of his wife.” Pratchett goes on to say that “the only thing stopping me [signing them] is that I have made this film and I have a bloody book to finish”

Netto Wrote:It's a shame that a lot of people go through this despite what options we have in life.

Netto Wrote:But alas, suicide. It's a shame that a lot of people go through this despite what options we have in life.

Netto Wrote:But alas, suicide. It's a shame that a lot of people go through this despite what options we have in life.

Eos Wrote:I think the whole point is he feels he doesn't have any options, considering the incurable disease that ravages any sense of identity and all.

JoeTang Wrote:>Alzheimer's

Sure is options in here.

Corn Wrote:My grandmother has Alzheimer's. I don't think she ever contemplated suicide. Even if she did, she'd probably forget about it 5 minutes later >_>.

Tay Wrote:My great aunt has alzheimers. Shes in her early 90s, and is perfectly healthy aside from the alzheimers. She lives in a nursing home now, because it's so bad. She doesn't even know who I am, and she was a big part of my life when I was younger.

I think shes at the point where if she thought of suicide she'd forget about it five minutes later. But really, what's the joy of living if you can't live?

Netto Wrote:Not exactly what I was going for.

Probably should've avoided this thread.

Apparently it was read I was talking about Alzheimer's. I was not. I meant suicide.

Can't comment on how a guy's life is going when I don't anything about him. I think I'm gonna take my leave from this thread.

SaptaZapta Wrote:Indeed. One problem with Alzheimer's is that the point at which the person's life becomes not worth living (at least as Pratchett seems to consider it right now, when he is still able to make movies and write books and give interviews) is the point at which they lose the ability to realize that and commit suicide.

Unless his signing the forms now means giving some trusted loved one permission to kill him when the time comes, he will not suicide.

octopusprime Wrote:He isn't going to kill himself tomorrow, for f'ucks sake.

Do i seriously need to explain the purpose of the consent forms?

Secun Wrote:No. I'm just saying him committing suicide in general is a shame.

octopusprime Wrote:When the time comes, "he" won't really be "him."

Secun Wrote:Which is part of what makes this so sad for me.