This letter by a doctor in Oregon about euthanasia and assisted suicide is interesting. It made me think of those women I’ve heard of who wished they hadn’t had a choice because they felt like they were a burden, and were pressured into having abortions:
[The patient] acknowledged that multiple sclerosis was a major challenge and told me that if he got too much worse, he might want to “just end it.” “ It sounds like you are telling me this, because you might ultimately want assistance with your own suicide- if things got a worse,” I said. He nodded affirmatively, and seemed relieved that I really understood what he was feeling. I told him that I could readily appreciate his fear and frustration and even his belief that assisted suicide might be a good option for him. At the same time, I told him that should he become sicker or weaker, I would work to give him the best care and support available. At the same time, I told him that no matter how debilitated he might become, that, at least to me, his life was, and would always be, inherently valuable. As such, I would not recommend, nor could I participate in his assisted-suicide. In response, he simply said, “Thank you.”
Point being, I don’t think offering abortion offers too much hope or love to too many, in particular the very many who feel pressured into not keeping their babies in the first place, be it by boyfriends, spouses, parental expectations or self expectations.
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