Posted by DMC on Jul 26, 2009 in
Diary The question of assisted suicide and has raised its head again following the death of the conductor Sir Edward Downes and his wife’s mutual suicide, last week in Switzerland at Dignitas.
The British Council of Nurses, were virtually split down the middle, over the issue with 49% voting in favour of some sort of assistance within rigid guidelines. As a result of the BCN and decided to take a neutral stand on the issue — neither for nor against. The BMA on the other hand is implacably opposed.
It seems that the general opinion in the country is that there are around 75% in favour of assisted suicide in cases of severely diminished quality of life through sickness or terminal illness. It will be interesting to see the House Of Lords judgment in the Purdy case, due to be laid down, I believe, next week. I seem to recall that Mr. Purdy has MS and Mrs. P is seeking immunity from prosecution for assisting him to an early death, presumably to avoid further suffering.
Indeed, recent radio commentaries I have listened to have confirmed that no one to date has been prosecuted for assisting someone to commit suicide, despite the law making it a criminal offence which carries a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison.
(I covered this question of assisted suicide earlier in my diary, when the House of Lords decided on the Diana Pretty case – see 23 May 2009 entry)
Tags: assisted suicide
Posted by DMC on Jul 28, 2009 in
Diary Regular geriatric golf day. Managed to walk round most of the way with it using my shooting stick seat. Lots of fun as usual. This weekly excursion has the merit of taking my mind away from my disability for at least a few hours.
Tags: golf
Posted by DMC on Jul 29, 2009 in
Diary My good friend Dr. Michael Long arrived today with daughter Kate for an overnight stay. It was lovely to see them and we enjoyed a pleasant lunch at the local pub the Axe & Compasses.
The important thing to come out of this visit was Michael’s total commitment to assisting me to go to China in October to give my lectures. As a result I have now made a provisional booking, with my travel agent, which I hope to be able to confirm on Monday.
Tags: China, friends, travel
Posted by DMC on Jul 30, 2009 in
Diary Dropped off my Australian friends mid-morning. Michael heading for Gottenberg and Kate for Paris.
This was the evening of the dinner given for me at the Atheneum Club in Pall Mall, organized by my good friend John Tackerberry QC and the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.
There was a wonderful turnout of 50 plus in a beautiful private room. We had drinks in the garden which it shares with the Travellers Club and one other. The food and wine were delicious and the John’s speech kind and flattering but most important he quite rightly acknowledged Alice’s very important role in my life and therefore her contribution to whatever modest achievements I am said to have made.
My humble contribution seem to go down extremely well, I was lucky, I felt in particularly good form and had a very receptive audience. I cannot resist repeating here the two anecdotes, relating to the Athenaeum, with which I started my talk. I do hope the second one does not give offence to anyone but it was meant to have happened. (Allegedly!!)
“When Sarah, John’s PA, told me that the venue would be the Atheneum and not Willes Road Chambers, which I initially suspected would more than adequately accommodate the number of interested persons, I was reminded of the possibly apocryphal story of F.E Smith ……(who) was the conservative Lord Chancellor and personal friend of Winston Churchill’s, whose habit it was to lunch at Whites and on the way back to the House to drop in to the Atheneum to relieve himself. After the fourth or fifth visit the hall porter said, “Excuse me sir, are you a member?” “Oh,” said the Lord Chancellor,” is this a club too?”
F.E Smith, was a renowned wit, as a 1924 entry in Evelyn Waugh’s diary records. When an English High Court judge presiding in a sodomy case sought advice on sentencing from Lord Birkenhead. “Could you tell me,” he asked, “what do you think one ought to give a man who allows himself to be buggered?” Birkenhead replied without hesitation, “Oh, thirty shillings or two pounds; whatever you happen to have on you.”
It was a lovely evening and I was greatly honoured and flattered by so many kind and important people turning out to acknowledge the modest contribution I have made to arbitration.
Tags: arbitration, dinner, friends
Posted by DMC on Jul 31, 2009 in
Diary The House of Lords have now given their judgment on the Purdy case where Mrs. P was seeking assurance that her husband would not be prosecuted if he assisted her suicide when the MS, from which she is suffering, becomes intolerable. Not unsurprisingly the Lords did not give such an undertaking, however, they did say that guidelines would be set down for such cases. These can be expected around September, so I suppose, in some respects, this is be can count this as a victory for the Purdys. Undoubtedly the mood of the country, and indeed the judicature, seems to be towards some sort of immunity from prosecution in strictly limited cases. Watch this space.
On a more mundane level I went to Addenbrookes Hospital today be fitted with some rigid wrist supports. The occupational therapist made them there and then but I think they are going to take some getting used to. They are rather uncomfortable to wear and most of the time I can manage without them.
The great excitement about this particular visit, however, was that I picked up the feeding frame. I think we have got it pretty well right now and I shall try to out myself for the next week or so before attempting to trial it in hospital or a care home.
Tags: Addenbrookes, assisted suicide, feeding frame, weak hands
