this post was submitted on 20 Aug 2023
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I have strictly instructed my family, including my wife, that if I ever develop alzheimers I want to be euthanized. If I am sufficiently lucid at the point of diagnosis I will have no problem overdosing on something and going out in peace.
I've come up with the idea of an annual test of basic facts and current events (very basic). Once I get to the point where I can't pass this test with flying colors, off me and launch my corpse into the ocean via trebuchet plz. Game over. Not interested in seeing where the rest of that ride goes. Seen it many times before with family members and I don't like it.
Problem is there's a catch 22. If you're not lucid enough to answer those questions, you're not lucid enough side whether you live or die from a legal standpoint.
Every law I know that allows euthanasia requires that the person have a terminal illness and enough mental faculties to make the decision. You run the risk of a loved one getting tried for murder if you ask them to give you the drugs and you are not competent to make the decision yourself.
With diseases like this you get better and worse days. What one should do is do the test daily and track it. If you see gaps in the test results (like you see that last 2 days you didn't take the test but don't remember why, or failed the test yesterday) you end it. At this point it's clear that the next step will no not knowing where you are at all so there's no point at prelonging it. You should nitrogen gas ready somewhere.