Today I saw a picture of this prominent Peruvian doctor, who has been bedridden for 2 years now and is a family friend since my childhood. Let’s call him Dr. L. Seeing the picture reminded me of the words of a friend, who when I asked what he would do if he is old and sick and loses the ability to shower and go to the bathroom by himself, said: “Just shoot me when that happens!”
Dr. L still accepts patients for private consultations and from what I can see, his mind is as bright as ever and his love for his work, family and friends are a big motivation to keep going. In a way Dr. L is the Stephan Hawking equivalent on a lower scale. What both have in common is not only a brilliant mind and a passion for life and science but also access to excellent healthcare.
In 2009, as reported by many newspapers including the New York Times, Hawking said:
“I wouldn’t be here today if it were not for the N.H.S (Britain’s National Health Service). I have received a large amount of high-quality treatment without which I would not have survived.”
Similarly, Dr. L has access to the best healthcare Peru can offer because he co-owns a hospital that covers frequent hospitalizations and home nursing services.
Now, this friend who was asking for a most violent form of assisted suicide, will, I believe, be financially solvent for a very long time and afford good healthcare. His reason for making that statement, I am guessing, is more rooted in his passion for physical activities. But what about the rest of us?
There are two important questions to consider here, one ethical and it goes both ways and one philosophical. If we do not have access to good healthcare and we are in bad health we do not want to be a burden to our loved ones. Or if we suffered a mental illness, a disease that affects our cognitive performance, we would probably ask for a gentle way to be lead into the afterlife. Yet, if we have a bright mind in an old body, if we still have a strong passion for life, and close and loving connections to family and friends, we would, I believe, want to live in a society where the advancements in medicine and science can allow us to continue to enjoy those joys of life. While it would be unethical to invest resources in keeping very old people alive while neglecting the young, if both can be taken care of, which is to be expected in a progressive society, then would we not choose to make use of those health services?
The philosophical question is related to the “shoot me” remark: Why would we prefer to die if we had access to good healthcare, our mind was still crisp even if our body was failing us? If our mind was still giving us and others the pleasures of thought, discovery, creativity, and love why would we prefer to die?