Physician-assisted suicide

Physician-assisted suicide is a fatal medication prescribed by doctors to some one that is terminal ill. Currently it is legal in Oregon, Washington, and Montana. It has been conversable in the United States due to religious and other prohibitions. In order for the medication to be prescribed the patient must meet the following criteria:

1. The patients condition is intolerable with no hope for improvement.
2. No relief is available.
3. The patient is competent.
4. The patient makes a request repeatedly over time.
5. Two physicians have reviewed the case and agree with the patient's request. (Kail and Cavanaugh, 2007).

I personally do not no of anyone who has used this method to commit suicide. I personally was against it because of religious beliefs, but after researching the internet of personal physician-assisted suicide stories I had a change of heart. One personal story was of a women suffering from emphysema for 20 years. She underwent several treatments only for her condition to worsen and to become finically broken. The pain was intolerable, she was gasping for every breath of air, and she weighted less than 100 pounds. She was hooked up to IV's to keep her hydrated. I could see how someone wouldn't want to live anymore having to deal with these symptoms for 20 years. People that decide to go this route have often been through more than the average person could imagine

If I could do more research I would like to no more about the people that decided to go this route and than had a change of heart after receiving the medication. I wonder if they are glad they didn't follow though and what there quality of life was like at the end stages of there disease.  

THE AGING BRAIN; Alzheimer's Vaccine

I was really surprised in the article this week about the aging brain that there could possible be a vaccine for Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's affects 1 out of 10 people over 65. It is a degenerative brain disease that causes mental and physical decline in brains ability to function.  A foreign intruder, beta-amyloid, causes plaque to build up around the neurons. This is the cause of Alzheimer's disease. In 2001 research had came up with a vaccine that causes the body to create antibodies to remove beta-amyloid. This vaccine could possible halt or cure Alzheimer's disease. The article also goes on about how anti-inflammatory, estrogen, and diet also may help prevent the disease, but I was amazed to find out that they could possible have a vaccine. Especially because I have never heard of it and this research was done 12 years ago.

I have worked with many adults and have seen my grandparents suffer from Alzheimer's disease. It is a sad situation when someone that is suffering from the disease does not recognize there own children or grandchildren. In my grandmas sittution I noticed the disease was a lot more noticable when she was under stress of tying to also take care of my grandpa. He was also suffering from the disease. After he passed away she was able to think a lot clearer, and had less clinical signs of the disease for a few years. So I think stress can progress the disease faster.

If I could do more research, I would investigate further on foods that may progress the disease. I think nutrition is key problem to a lot of disease that we see and could possible be a trigger to Alzheimer disease too.