Story Putting a dog down vs ctb, also a friend found a dead body in the river

[its-about-time]

I saw an old friend today, she was in town, I asked how her old dog was and she said she had to euthanize him a few months ago, and it was so bittersweet to listen to her talk about it. The dog was in pain, was anxious all the time and unhappy, and she felt relief in putting him down. Happy for him to be out of pain. She had him euthanized at home and described how wonderful it was to get to say goodbye to him and have closure.

All I could think about was how nobody will get any of that for me, or for any of us. People aren't happy we're out of our misery. People refuse the chance to say goodbye and have closure. I'd love to just throw a party where everyone can come hang out and say goodbye but that kind of thing is impossible of course. There's no closure for anyone. Years ago I thought I was about to kill myself and was on the phone with a loved one and she basically hung up on me through tears. It was a terrible time but man did that hurt. She explained later that she didn't want to say goodbye to me. So she panicked and mumbled something and hung up. I guess that's the closest thing to saying goodbye there can be? I dunno. I put her through so much, I hate myself for it. This now dogless friend also had to put down her kid's Guinea pig and said the euthanasia was 42cents on the vet bill, we laughed about it but I had to zip my mouth and not ask specifically what was in the euthanasia, I mean the kid was right there, wouldn't be appropriate.

When she was talking about how good it was to say goodbye to her dog it just made me terribly sad because I know my death will hit her really hard. She's known me since I was 17, she gave me a job and we became great friends, she's helped me through some of my worst crises, it's just going to really punch her in the gut and sometimes that guilt is enough reason to stay alive. I hate even more the conversation she'll have to have with her kids. I dunno. Maybe my suffering isn't more important. I could suffer a lifetime so that a dozen other people won't have to. But well my mind changes all the time.

Anyways another friend's step-dad was taking a raft down a river earlier this month, he was the first in the river this season, and he found a dead body hung up on the rocks between rapids. He hauled it into his boat then over to shore. Turned out the guy went missing in January while fishing. He'd been in the river for months. Hard to imagine what the body looked like, couldn't have been pretty. He said it wasn't so bad but he was also telling the story in front of his 16yo daughter so I think some details were sugar-coated there. The guy didn't commit suicide he probably just fell in the river, he was an older guy. What a strange random thing to experience.

I don't know why I'm sharing any of this, I guess the dog story is more relevant, these are just two things on my mind right now.

 

[LifeHasNoOptIn]

Yep, it's extremely odd that humans can fully understand and appreciate the value of allowing a peaceful exit for our pets, but insist that their friends/loved ones suffer daily until their natural end unwilling to extend that same dignity afforded our pets. Given enough time, I suspect this attitude will change but we will no doubt be long gone before that happens so we are at least fortunate to have this resource to share ideas and support.

Maybe my suffering isn't more important. I could suffer a lifetime so that a dozen other people won't have to. But well my mind changes all the time.

I suspect this is something many here struggle with trying to balance the value of removing their daily pain with the inevitable pain that will be felt by the friends/loved ones left behind if they CTB. I wish I had an easy answer for this one, but struggle with that question myself.

 

[jimmy7754]

no more me

 

[FuneralCry]

I do wish that we lived in a world where our right to die is respected and suicide is not so stigmatised. I think it would help people with the grieving if they knew about it in advance and they could have open conversations about it and be able to get some understanding as to why the person is doing this. Death is inevitable for us all anyway, and some people do not want to suffer until they die of old age.

 

[symphony]

I've said countless times that if a dog was suffering this much we'd kill it and call it a mercy. Always makes people uncomfortable to hear that.

 

[myopybyproxy]

because everyone knows that humans are superior to dogs - not to mention every other living thing on the planet - and therefore the lives of humans are for some reason intrinsically valuable and purposeful in a way that dogs' lives are not

thus the very notion of a human dying outside of 'natural causes' provokes horror and frantic attempts to prevent this

we bloated-ego humans are so self-important and controlling, it would be comical if it weren't so pathetic

 

[its-about-time]

because everyone knows that humans are superior to dogs - not to mention every other living thing on the planet - and therefore the lives of humans are for some reason intrinsically valuable and purposeful in a way that dogs' lives are not

thus the very notion of a human dying outside of 'natural causes' provokes horror and frantic attempts to prevent this

we bloated-ego humans are so self-important and controlling, it would be comical if it weren't so pathetic

It's definitely a strange ego thing. We are so important that NONE of us must die! Unless it's natural, but really even then it's not celebrated in many cultures of the "modern world" and is still seen as a tragedy. My grandpa was in his 90's when he died of cancer and people were so upset that he was close to having another birthday. Like, what does that matter?

Also, side note, the way you worded your first paragraph, I thought you were saying every other living creature is more important than dogs.. I was like, geez what do you have against dogs? Lol. I understand now though. It gave me a good chuckle.

I think it's kind of odd that we're also driving so many species to extinction, and we're also simultaneously "trying to save them from extinction," I think really it's just a feel-good hobby to try to do anything good for the planet and it's life at this point, we absolutely aren't going to do anything dramatic enough to fix or reverse global environment issues… kinda cute that we're trying though. I like Musk, like well we've fucked up let's get out of here and party on Mars next.

 

[Of The Universe]

I do wish that we lived in a world where our right to die is respected and suicide is not so stigmatised. I think it would help people with the grieving if they knew about it in advance and they could have open conversations about it and be able to get some understanding as to why the person is doing this. Death is inevitable for us all anyway, and some people do not want to suffer until they die of old age.

If you had N,administered by a doctor,would you ctb now?

 

[FuneralCry]

If you had N,administered by a doctor,would you ctb now?

Of course I do not have that option, but the thing that I want the most is to peacefully pass away without the risk of failure. I would choose to ctb, as I see no point to a life which is just meaningless suffering. For me, staying alive is just delaying the inevitable, we will all die eventually no matter what.