Unfortunately, we often do this to ourselves. A doctor once published a book on ways to off yourself without making a horrible mess. A woman friend killed herself with a gun but instead of the usual way she put the gun in her mouth and pointed it downward. The police found the book in her apartment. She was once a professor of political science at UC Berkley. She got involved with LSD and it messed up her mind. She suffered with severe depression and was in treatment for a while. Just before she did this she told me she was on Lithium for her depression and it was no longer working.

Here in Colorado, you have to have cancer and less than 6 months to live so it is pretty restrictive. One of my asshole relatives took my dad to a religious hospital when he was nearing the end. When I got there he told the staff he wanted euthanasia and let's just say that a rather forceful discussion ensued when they admitted that they forced their own religious position on the issue onto their patients. Anyway, my dad didn't last long after that but at least he got to see me in action one last time!

@LovinLarge When my dad was dying in Alabama his cancer was first detected due to low blood count with to many white blood cells. Once they knew the extent of his colon cancer the doctor told him to either keep comfortable or he could authorize chemotherapy which famously lowers your blood count. Everyone in that room knew what they were talking about and my Dad chose chemo on Friday and was dead by Monday. As I understand it this only happened because he was in the VA hospital, otherwise thoughts and prayers and maybe a month of torture and agony.

@Willow_Wisp Interesting, no one has told me a story like that before, thank you. I hope he had a long and happy life. Family is always difficult in one way or another. My father did not like me but guess who it was that was there alone with him at the end.

My favorite posts of yours are when you talk about personal stuff and how you are coping. You are very much appreciated here and clearly have a lot going for you as a human being. I hope things are getting easier for you and becoming more tolerable.

Well, I didn't only grow up in MN, I chose to live here. Now that the state senate is controlled by the Democrats we're going to have legal weed. Social services for those of us who are poor are better than anyplace other than CA and that's a big plus for me. Trans rights have been written into the law for decades so I don't have to worry about that.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of people in that boat. It seems to be getting worse in these times. A lot of crap is spewed trying to get people from committing suicide but there is little about trying to end suffering. As people her may know my late partner opted for the Death with Dignity option (it is available in the whole west coast and Canada). It was an amazing process but one glitch in the program seemed to have been a doctors assistant holding up the final paperwork. We were able to get around that but she missed the medication by only a few hours. The Netherlands have a euthanasia program for citizens and the Swiss have it for everyone that wants it. The site 'Final Exit' (once known as the Hemlock Society) has information on how one can avoid their own suffering. With the world overpopulated to the point of creating the sixth great extinction (including possibly our own) why do we want to simply increase more suffering.

@LovinLarge That happened to a neighbor whose husband was at the final stage of Parkinson's. He had fallen and ruptured his bowel. The Catholic hospital put him on an induced coma and were actually going to operate and install a colostomy bag. His wife was furious and threatened to call a lawyer and get him transferred. They removed the coma drug and he died, peacefully a few days later.

@LovinLarge, @Theresa_N The Death with Dignity movement is increasing. Every year a few more states that make the program legal are added to the list. Once, I was told it is illegal in Arizona but the state does not prosecute people who use the program.