I know we've kind of moved on from this topic but just came across this article in relation to the issue of euthanasia.
Basically it outlines a retired school teacher's battle against motor neurone disease and the fact that he's having to spend much of his final time on this planet filling out forms and campaigning for legalised euthanasia.
He'll have to die earlier than he would if it was offered in Scotland and say his final goodbyes in a sterile hospital room in Zurich, rather than at home with his family...
Couple of quotes that I thought were particularly poignant from the man in question :
"If the choice of an assisted death was available to me here in Scotland so many of my worries would have been eased and my remaining time would have been spent in better ways than burdensome and complex admin. Instead, that precious time would be spent with my wife, my family and my friends.
"The current laws (and lack of laws) around assisted dying in Scotland are cruel, outdated and discriminatory.
"I intend to spend the next eight weeks working with Dignity in Dying Scotland trying to change them."
And his wife :
"I am spending the last few months of Richard's life watching him die very slowly before my eyes but, as well as that, I am watching him go through this process which is incredibly stressful.
"I would much rather be with friends and family here when it's his time than in a foreign country that's a transactional business arrangement and it's not with the people that I love."
She also believes it should be a "human right" for individuals to end their life at a time of their choosing.
Mr Selley added: "I think if those who oppose assisted dying could spend just one day in my shoes they would change their view."
The last one is the most important for me, within the context of the discussion we're having here - I'm observing some with quite strong views on the subject without actually having any actual relatable experience of what situations like this can be like to live through...
