Terry Pratchett: Choosing To Die
8.82
Ratings: 8.82/10 from 124
users.
In a frank and personal documentary, author Sir Terry Pratchett considers how he might choose to end his life.
Diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2008, Terry wants to know whether he might be able to end his life before his disease takes over.
Traveling to the Dignitas Clinic in Switzerland, Terry witnesses first hand the procedures set out for assisted death, and confronts the point at which he would have to take the lethal drug.
Sir Terry Pratchett has made an emotional plea for the right to take his own life, saying: I live in hope I can jump before I am pushed.
I am watching this in October 2024. Many things have changed since Terry did this investigation in 2011.
On the one hand, an increasing number of NDE-reports (Near Death Experience) are consistent in the sense that death is not what we've been taught. Our consciousness leaves our bodies, but continues to exist as a discernable part of the energy field that is the source and the manifestation of all that exists. This is completely in line with the laws of modern physics, which say that energy cannot be destroyed, only be transformed into another state. When we die, one of the things we take with us is our sense of humour. I am sure that Sir Terry Pratchett was exceptionally pleased when he, after going through the veil, discovered this.
On the other hand, medical assisted death has become an alternative for providing adequate health care. When a patient is not cured after having been dragged through a "one size fits all" protocol, the health care system nowadays tends to "solve the problem" by convincing the patient that choosing an assisted death is the only option that is left. Age and ailment make no difference. For everyone from elderly people with physical ailments to young people with psychological problems, death seems to be considered the ultimate "one size fits all" solution.
We live in a world much, much stranger than Terry's Disc World.
omg crying out loud at the end.. for his wife
Pro-euthanasia.
Americans do not honor their family, elders or the ill. My mom was tortured to death in a CA nursing home, abused, and died a horrific death for no other reason that she was expendable to my family. God forgive me for not forcing her to live with me in NV which she hated or quitting my work to care for her. I will never forgive myself. This is how it should be. Again, read John in the Bible thoroughly. If you are not rich, young or shallow, you are of no value in the US. If you are elderly or disabled, a pariah. God bless Dignitas. Mommy, forgive me for not knowing of them. I hope I can die there with dignity. God please forgive those that know not what they do as Christ always did. God Bless the lovely wife and the great man who were themselves, classy, funny and loving. God Bless Dignitas for a dignified return to the creator for He always understood. Sometimes enough is enough. And it is time to go home. Please forgive me, my family, and the choices I made in the past that caused me not to have a bank account that allowed me to me to be lovable. Crazy world. But great people out there that get it.
A powerful and compassionate story. I experienced the decline of my dear brother, who had Huntington's Disease, and his personal decision to take his own life. I believe assisted dying, in an empathetic environment of educated and caring professionals is a far more humane way to end one's life than traumatic suicide.
How is it that we will put down a sick or injured animal for humane reasons yet we don't allow us humans the same dignity.
Dr Philip Nitschke said “Every person of sound mind should have the option of a peaceful death and it should not be up to others to assess or judge,”
Euthanasia and assisted suicide should be an option to all terminally ill or suffers of chronic pain.
Why doesn't society allow an individual with an incurable condition the right to seek assistance to end their own life?
Thank u for sharing that. It is what we all deserve, if that is what we choose. Done very respectfully. This is what I want....
Espledid... thanks for share it and long live in our hearts to sir Terry Pratchett.... We will meet soon, sir.
Thank you to the uploader.
God gave us the life, our life belongs to him. We can't decide to stop our life.
Disease and pain allow us to follow the path of Christ towards the ethernity!
Let us meditate on all the love of Christ
I just learned today that he is ill. I have been reading Pratchett with delight for many years, it's hard to think about that there will not be any more books from him!
It's so rare to see something presented intelligently, that I find this documentary valuable beyond it's subject matter. Terry Pratchett is sharing his own process, and the processes of several other people as they cope with one of the most momentous life issues, ie how to die with dignity and some degree of consciousness. Must confess I'm a huge Pratchett fan and I hope he's able to write for ages.
RIP Terry, what a wonderful man.
Ultimately its your choice as an individual where, when and how you'd like to go. Whether or not you exercise that right is another matter but when all the accounts are tallied up, you are the only person who gets to decide. Other people's feelings will be hurt, but feelings get hurt all the time such as during a break up.
I'll never tell anyone they can't commit suicide if that's what they feel is the correct option. Its your life, you're free to do with it as you choose. I might not help you put an end to things but I won't condemn you for your choice either.
Life, like certain movies, isn't for everyone. No one forces you to sit through a bad movie and if you want to leave the theater before the credits roll go right ahead, you've got nothing to be scared of. In my view, all this is just an illusion anyway and we're all free to leave it whenever we want. Refusing someone's right to end their life is to take life all too seriously. At the same token, ending it early could also mean the same thing xD
I adore Terry Pratchett's books and it breaks my heart to know what he is facing. My grandmother died of Alzhiemers and now my father in law is facing it. It is the saddest thing to lose your memories of your family.
I 100% believed he died in peace. I went for operation for about 5 times in my life and felt nothing after I was put to sleep by anaesthesia.
In this case it's just an overdose of anaesthesia.
He was a very lucky man to die with this type of dignity. Dignitas is very great for giving him such privilege to die in such peace and condition.
It's a perfect ending of a life.
"I meant," said Ipslore bitterly, "what is there in this world that truly makes living worthwhile?"
Death thought about it.
"Cats," he said eventually. "Cats are nice."
Terry Pratchett, Sourcery
How do we know that the 'patient' is not suffering, that the poison hurts?In the US in order to kill prisoners who were sentenced to death, they gave them an injection . This death was supposed to be painless, but in the end it was discovered that the poison practically burns every organ inside the body and that the prisoner is in anguish..And the gentleman who passed away in the film didn't seem to be dying peace, when he asked for water. He seemed to be in anguish..
As a caregiver in a home for Alzheimer patients and somatic patients, a theology student, and a daughter of a man with severe brain damage. I have seen my share of misery. People waking up scared knowing there is something wrong with them knowing they are acting strange but not stopping it. People who are lonely who tell me in a sane calm way my dear young nurse I think god has forgotten about me and I think it has been my time to get out of this boot.
I know very well what the bible said about ending a life. But there is no glory in struggling to the end.
and often I consider it very selfish of the family to force a loved one to stay because they can’t bare to say goodbye.
I am a great fan of terry and a great fan of this documentary. For it shows that sometimes just sometimes we can take the easy way in the most elegant way. Instead of being humiliated by life it self.
Remarkable courage from all involved. I hope many people see this film.
Autonomy is a fundamentally important feature of any civilised society.
Whilst not everyone may need or want to utilise an assisted death it should be an individual's enshrined human right. I think there's no harm in allowing a terminally ill individual to choose when, where and in what manner they die.
I believe that wanting a peaceful death at home, surrounded by one's loved ones, is entirely reasonable, especially when faced with the alternative of a harrowing, prolonged death in a lonely hospital ward. I see no harm in legalising voluntary euthanasia for the terminally ill, provided safeguards are in place, such as those demonstrated by Dignitas in this film, ensuring that no sufferer has been coerced.
Wow.
When we meet someone who choses to die, we feel helpless, not only because of the awareness of the personal loss, but also by their judgment that some lives are not worth having and we fear that we one day might end up making that same evaluation. This is the only reason why I feel bad.
I am glad however that they could go on their own terms, and when I imagine how Hugo Claus went, you could tell from his wife that it was worth it.
We all know there is no right way to die, but let people at least have the right to die at their own terms. I'm all in favor for responsible and free deaths, feelings will get hurt anyway, why prolong it? In the end it might be the less selfish way to go.
Good one. I'm all for it, except if it was up to me, I would want a lethal opium dose. Pipe and my loved ones.
Here in Norway where healthcare is free and top notch. We often have the debate around just how long one shall have to be keep artificially alive during old age. It's always the religious wing that has the moral higher stance. Doctor willing to give active death help, is unable to do so because the ethic regime set by our Christian roots.
Just look to Japan.
Could someone explain to me how any person, group or government has any right or responsibility to tell any individual how or when their life should end? Please leave out your personal beliefs, I am talking about any real authority in this decision other than that of the individual. Is there any more personal question than when is life is not worth the "cost" of living?