First woman dies in ‘suicide capsule’ in Switzerland
First woman dies in ‘suicide capsule’ in Switzerland
In Switzerland on Monday, a 64-year-old woman died in a specially designed ‘suicide capsule’ containing nitrogen gas. It is the first time ever that this suicide capsule, called the Sarco, was used. The capsule, an airtight cabin the size of a coffin, offers, according to its creators, a ‘quick, pea...
In a first, an American woman used a suicide pod to take her own life. The process took place in Switzerland. It's done by pumping in only nitrogen gas, so the person will lose goes dizzy, loses consciousness and eventually dies. Enter futurama memes.
Awesome! Good for her. She died on her terms, with dignity. This is how we should see end of life. I want something like this available to me if I get a terminal illness or just age to somewhere past my 70s and wish to die on my terms.
Death with dignity should be the same human right as any other freedom.
On a pet forum people regularly talk about (and suggest to others) how they euthanize their old / sick rodents at home using carbon-dioxide unlike nitrogen like this capsule uses. I looked into what's the difference and it turns out inhaling pure carbon-dioxide instantly causes panic and the sense of suffocation and it's a horrible way to die. They were even able to cause an panic attack on a person physically uncapable of experiencing fear. There are videos online about killing pigs like this and it's not a pretty sight. Suffice to say I no longer take advice from those people.
Several people already got arrested, as the capsule hasnt gone through the medical/clinical testing required and because the gas used, nitrogen, isnt allowed to be used in this way medically. A few days ago a Bundesrat (member of the federal executive) just called it illegal. Now we will see, if the (cantonal, then probably the federal) judicative branch says the same.
We need this in the US.
Suicide sucks, but let people make an informed decision, explain their rationale to their loved ones (if they want), and take the dignified way out. Having sat in a house, tasting the blood in the air from when my father-in-law took his life with a gun to end the pain of his cancer, I don't want anyone to have to go through that. It has been several years and our family still hasn't healed from that trauma - mostly because of the stigma, and my mother-in-law's request that we just tell everyone he died peacefully in his sleep.
I would have much rather given him a hug, shook his hand and thank him for being such a guiding presence in my life... and then know that his last moments on earth truly were peaceful, not violent and messy.
‘The day you die is one of the most important days of your life’, Nitschke says
That’s a chilling way to put it.
It’s great she had the opportunity to end it on her own terms. I hope I also have the same option if I’m ever in a similar situation. Living in daily agony with no hope in sight doesn’t sound like a good life.
