British eventer Caroline March passes voluntarily

[Natalie_A]

Susanna Hext, a fellow equestrian with an SCI, had an incredibly nuanced take on this:

Suzanna Hext- Para Dressage and Para Swimming

As someone born disabled, I cannot imagine the added complexities of their being a before and an after to a disability. I’ve struggled with the complexities of growing up and being disabled (it sucks! society treats you like shit sometimes because they perceive you as less than, accessibility is questionable.) I watch a lot of paradressage and the fact that many of these riders are coming back after horse injury is incredibly moving but also sets up such an inspiration porn, to quote disability scholarship, framework of what it means to be disabled by such an injury.

[applelover]

I did not know of this book, although I love Amy Bloom - I will read it.

[cristalle]

@omare

A person’s quality of life and what they value of life, is such an individual thing.

Amen, indeed, omare. An individual thing, and a personal decision.
And really, I think, the basis of this discussion.

[TwiSedai]

I can see both sides of this.

I do think assisted suicide should be available everywhere. I think suicide in general should be less taboo, and I think people feeling like they can openly talk about it and know they DO have that as an option could be life changing for many. That’s a whole discussion in itself.

It does sound like, for Caroline as an individual, she tried but just couldn’t see any good reason to keep suffering. I respect that. I respect her decision, and I can see that for her, it probably was the best decision.

I can also see how anyone that is disabled could see so many calling it an inspiration, talking about how brave she was and how she made the right decision, and how that can come across as “she was such an inspiration for taking her life so she didn’t have to be disabled”, and just feeling extremely hurt and uncomfortable and even offended. Everyone is getting so caught up on it being her choice and being allowed to make that decision for herself, but not taking a step back and considering how that comes across to others in a similar situation. I know none of you mean it this way, but that low key does look like you are supporting disabled people ending their lives for being disabled.

Again, I KNOW no one is actually saying that, and everyone is just being supportive of her personal choice. But I 100% can see that it comes across as an extremely mixed message to someone who might be in the same situation. And I think it’s a very valid reaction to have. I also don’t think anyone has the right to say, “well it was her choice so you don’t get to have any feelings about it”, especially to people that have been in a similar situation but made a different choice.

Regardless, I think it’s an important discussion that needs to be had. Especially for us that are in such a risky sport/lifestyle. Personally, I think anyone should be allowed to make that choice for themselves, as long as they have given it enough time and discussions with medical professionals, therapists, etc and made SURE it’s the right choice for them. As it sounds like she did in this situation.

[endlessclimb]

@TwiSedai

you are supporting disabled people ending their lives for being disabled

I am, if that’s their choice.

[Bluey]

We need to consider the whole end of life topic is just not one or two, but many sided.

Those decrying this lady’s basic end of life at will right have their point, but is a weak one.

There is an important difference with basic rights of an individual to self determination, those should be, well, universally respected FIRST and all else those rights touches.

Once we agree on that, the rest, how to insure societies/cultures/ governments/each one of us RESPECT them, we can discuss the applications of those rights.

In this situation, to decry that she was letting the disabled population down by not keep trying in my personal opinion is a step backwards for the disabled population.

The disabled population needs to be careful to, in their diligency to be heard, not to trample on their own rights as here by questioning her right to do best for herself as she understood.

Is good to bring other to this topic, how others are impacted, they are in several ways, just be careful to preserve that her decision should be a basic, proper human right.

[TWilson]

@TwiSedai

I know none of you mean it this way, but that low key does look like you are supporting disabled people ending their lives for being disabled.

Again, I KNOW no one is actually saying that, and everyone is just being supportive of her personal choice.

By being supportive of her personal choice, I AM in fact supporting disabled people ending their lives for being disabled, if that is what they choose. I see absolutely nothing wrong with this.

[Eclectic_Horseman]

@TWilson

By being supportive of her personal choice, I AM in fact supporting disabled people ending their lives for being disabled, if that is what they choose . I see absolutely nothing wrong with this.

Yes, this. And I am also strongly in favor of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and other measures to make life more equitable for people with disabilities. People with disabilities should have the same access to public spaces and jobs as anyone else, with reasonable accommodations made as necessary to allow them to do so.

[Marigold]

@TWilson

By being supportive of her personal choice, I AM in fact supporting disabled people ending their lives for being disabled, if that is what they choose . I see absolutely nothing wrong with this.

As long as the reason for that is choice is driven by something unchangeable about their personal, individual situation that they do not wish to bear. If the reason for that choice is driven by the fact that they can no longer access spaces that they enjoy, or they cannot afford their new medical requirements, or they do not have the ability to comfortably modify their home, then that is a failure of society and it must be rectified (to be clear, none of that seemed to apply to Caroline).

Without wanting to put words in anyone’s mouth, that seems to be the very legitimate concern shared by many and in particular in some of the articles shared by @darkmoonlady. Everyone in this conversation seems to agree that assisted suicide should be an option for someone who’s situation is unresolvable and unbearable, but it is important to note that failures of society are in no way unresolvable, and it is completely unacceptable for death to be more accessible than care.

[TWilson]

@Marigold

As long as the reason for that is choice is driven by something unchangeable about their personal, individual situation that they do not wish to bear. If the reason for that choice is driven by the fact that they can no longer access spaces that they enjoy, or they cannot afford their new medical requirements, or they do not have the ability to comfortably modify their home, then that is a failure of society and it must be rectified (to be clear, none of that seemed to apply to Caroline).

None of this is up to me to decide for someone else, and I certainly would not tolerate random strangers deciding for me what reasons are or are not acceptable.

I am not an expert on this topic, but I believe this type of care is highly regulated and involves professionals who ARE experts, so I don’t see any need for non-experts to come up with lists of unacceptable reasons for following this course.

[Annie10]

@Eclectic_Horseman

@TWilson

By being supportive of her personal choice, I AM in fact supporting disabled people ending their lives for being disabled, if that is what they choose . I see absolutely nothing wrong with this.

Yes, this. And I am also strongly in favor of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and other measures to make life more equitable for people with disabilities. People with disabilities should have the same access to public spaces and jobs as anyone else, with reasonable accommodations made as necessary to allow them to do so.

They absolutely should. And I also am in favor of them ending their life if they no longer wish to live it. I think anyone should be able to do that, disabled or not

[Marigold]

@TWilson

None of this is up to me to decide for someone else, and I certainly would not tolerate random strangers deciding for me what reasons are or are not acceptable.

I am not an expert on this topic, but I believe this type of care is highly regulated and involves professionals who ARE experts, so I don’t see any need for non-experts to come up with lists of unacceptable reasons for following this course.

I have no interest in deciding or regulating what someone else can and can’t do with their body, but if they are choosing to die because society is failing them that is completely unacceptable (disabled or not). I do not mean that I do not accept that person’s decision - I mean that society cannot be allowed to fail someone so completely that they prefer to leave this mortal plane. Not one of us should accept that from society at large.

[Virginia_Horse_Mom]

I hope she is at peace now. I hope her loved ones are at peace with the situation, and relieved that she is no longer suffering.

This is an intensely personal matter. It’s not for the rest of us to comprehend. Her journey wasn’t/isn’t our journey. I’m just sad reading how much she was suffering. Peace unto her and her loved ones.

[chestnutmarebeware]

I’ve never understand why euthanasia for animals is considered a kind and loving decision, but euthanasia for humans who are mentally capable of making that decision for themselves (for any reason) is an anathema to most people.

[AmmyHour926]

I think the reason people are putting their opinions our here so readily in this case has less to do with the announcing of Caroline’s death and more in response to the publicly posted letter. I think the letter is what people are tending to interpret controversially vs what actually happened with Caroline.

[aregard]

@Marigold

but it is important to note that failures of society are in no way unresolvable, and it is completely unacceptable for death to be more accessible than care.

That’s a great way of putting it.

[Annie10]

Maybe sometimes it has nothing to do with accessibility but rather the way in this case she wants to live her life.
I’m probably going to need a transplant of a particular organ. Once that happens my barn and outdoors time will be mostly over. I told my doctor there is no point in being alive if I cannot live. I totally get where Ms March was coming from

[Bluey]

I don’t know, I think that is different for each one of us, we ourselves won’t know unless there first.

I made that change after a life outside and with animals a year ago and reinvented myself, anyone can, we should not count ourselves short but leave all options open.

Saying that, to have the option of on demand for those choosing it as here, that is imperative.
Without it, no dice.

There was a story in the news last fall talking about Japan and how end of life can be misused by governments putting societal pressure asking some demographics that are a financial burden to choose an early death.

Yes, the ethics of letting the genie granting that ultimate choice is fraught with all kinds of good and scary questions.

[skydy]

Not related to C. March however, there is a very big problem in the U.S. that is contributing to suicide.

As an unintended consequence of the crackdown on the over prescribing of opioids (the over prescribing done by greedy pharma and physicians), patients in chronic pain are suffering and it has a terrible impact on their lives.

The biggest issue now, is fentanyl illegally sold on the streets, but the pendulum has swung too far and patients with chronic pain are now suffering needlessly.

I know of a young (in his 20s) man that shot himself because he could not bear the cluster headaches that plagued him. He had medication prescribed but it was ineffective. I probably shouldn’t refer to his case as an example because it seems that his pain was intractable.

However, I feel terrible for the people who are suffering and only have the choice to keep on in misery or to shoot themselves (or chose another method of violence to end their lives) because they can’t get help due to the misuse of opioid medication on the underground market by people who just want to get high, or by people who are actually suffering and can’t get relief from their physicians.

I think most people would choose to have medical help to end their lives and not have to off themselves in a gruesome manner and have someone shockingly find their body and have to deal with the mess.

Patients trying to live with chronic pain should be treated and that would help to reduce the suicide rate due to chronic pain . Suffering people are not covered under most assisted suicide laws in the U.S., you must be facing death imminently. Quality of life is not a consideration under most U.S. laws.

Here is a NYT article: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/17/opinion/opioids-chronic-pain-patients.html?ugrp=c&unlocked_article_code=1.hU0.3Zve.wOHQogYYlH9x&smid=url-share

This is a gift article. Please let me know if it doesn’t come through as such and I’ll try again.

[cayuse]

Thank you so very much for this post skydy. I have chronic pain. I cannot get pain medication thanks to the “opioid crisis”. To be honest, I have wondered what I’ll do when the pain gets worse and suicide is the only option. And yes, I have had days that are “that bad” if anyone is wondering. They are few and far between, but they are an indicator of what is to come.