“As the air filters into my lungs the sharp pain rushes from my chest and radiates rapidly up my spine and rushes into all corners of my head. My eyes begin to fill with tears as the pain radiates through my body. I can only hear a faint whisper of my family gathered due to the rapid heartbeat pulsing through my ears. I glance down at my shell of my once healthy body and see blood seeping from my bed sores, I see ribs that are covered in bruises and ache from the weight of the sheet, I see immovable legs that once ran a sub seven minute mile that now have to be moved for me. I am able to hear the doctor and my family say keep fighting you have only just begun the process. The next round of treatments will focus on your brain and will be able to slow the growth of the tumor so all the seizures might slow down. I realize at that moment I am going to demand dignity. I have no control of my body, my career, or my family. I will, however, have to require that I have control over the pain. This is not an irrational decision this is a decision to save myself from the disease that is ravaging my body, to die as much like myself that I am. To die with dignity”  (Jill).

This is a conversation my uncle had with my mother months before he passed away. His wish was to die like himself, in a peaceful way, surrounded by his loved ones. However, this was not the way his short life ended.
Hundreds of people a year are told they have a terminal illness and only have a few months, weeks, or even days to live. They are told that the future they have left on this earth with their family will involve excruciating pain, unable to eat, unable to sleep, and may even be unable to speak. Family members hearts hurt as they watch their loved one fight so hard and suffer from such pain. All of this heartache and torture could be lessened with assisted suicide.

Assisted suicide is where a terminally ill patient has to ask three separate times for the lethal medication. The patient then must be mentally and physically capable to take the pill themselves. It is illegal for the doctor, or any other loved one to administer the medication to the terminally ill patient.  This is typically done in the patient's home surrounded by their family and loved ones. This process is extremely peaceful and the patient gets to feel at peace and comfortable with their final moments on this earth.

In the book, Tuesdays with Morrie, by Mitch Albom, goes into detail about how important family is. “If you don't have the support and love and caring and concern that you get from a family, you don't have much at all. Love is so supremely important” (Albom 91). Morrie feels that is one of the most important aspects of life is family. Thus, while you are on your deathbed you would want to be surrounded by your family in your home. You would not want to be in an uncomfortable hospital room surrounded by doctors and machines. This is another reason why I believe assisted suicide should be legal in all states. People should be able to die with dignity with their family and loved ones in their home they are most comfortable.

Although most people see more harm than good with assisted suicide I feel they are missing the bigger picture. Ryan Anderson feels that doctors are only mistreating the patient and not helping them ease the pain that they are suffering, “The merciful thing would be to expect doctors to do no harm and ease the pain of those who suffer and support families and ministries in providing that care” (Anderson). The doctors can only do so much for a terminally ill patient until they run out of options, at this point in the treatment the doctors and loved ones have to sit and watch the patient suffer while the doctors attempt to ease the excruciating pain they are in. Sometimes, the best option is for a doctor to medically end someone’s life through assisted suicide as opposed to living in horrific pain for an unknown amount of time.

In conclusion, assisted suicide should be made legal in all fifty states because at the end of the day it is not about what the family wants, what the doctors think, or what the courts feel is right, it is about what the patient wants. If the patient feels it is route they want to take for their treatment it should be granted once they reach the circumstances that have been set for assisted suicide.  In the end, the simple resolution is true, love is all the matters.