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**Movie: You don’t know Jack** The topic of assisted suicide became a raging debate in the 1990’s with the publicly surrounding the 130 assisted suicides performed by the late Doctor Jack Kevorkian between 1990 and 1998. At the core of this issue is whether or not a person should have the right to choose to end their own life through assisted suicide. This debate not only includes the terminally ill; but those who may have many years of life left, have lost quality of life and are suffering because in constant pain from the debilitating effects of a chronic disease or traumatic injury. You Don’t Know Jack: The Life and Deaths of Jack Kevorkian,” is an HBO biography tells the story of Dr.Jack Kevorkian, the Michigan pathologist who sought out humanity, who believed in a bigger cause, a better quality of life at the end of life. The movie’s opening scene begins with Dr. Kevorkian peering through a glass window into a hospital room, where an old woman tethered to life-support tubes looks despairingly at him moments later he declares to his sister that “it’s not living you know, it’s not being alive” (You Don’t know Jack min.3). Doctor Kevorkian saw assisted suicide as an act of humanity toward the terminally ill patient. He also felt that assisted suicide is a natural extension of patient autonomy. The movie points out that a patient is allowed to refuse life-sustaining medical interventions (ex, life support, artificial nutrition, and hydration); they are effectively permitted to commit suicide by treatment refusal (You Don’t Know Jack min 5.3). There is no ethical difference between terminating life-sustaining care and administering lethal medication for the terminally ill or suffering patient. In both cases, the primary goal can be seen as the prevention of suffering at the end of life through hastening certain death. This movie clearly paints Dr. Kevorkian and the cause in a sympathetic light. Arguments in favor of legalization of assisted suicide are founded on the assumption that requests to die are a rational decision being made by a competent individual based on the inevitable circumstances of the patients terminal illness, pain, increased disability, and fears of becoming (or continuing to be) a burden to family and friends. Patients faced possibility that these symptoms and circumstances may not be relieved, even with aggressive palliative care and social services, the decision to hasten one’s death may seem rational. You Don’t Know Jack exhibits with great detail the heart breaking plight of the terminally ill whose day to day lives are filled with frustration, pain, and suffering with no hope for a better tomorrow. In November of 1998 Dr Kevorkian sat down for a one on one interview with Mike Wallace news anchor with “60 Minutes” a critically acclaimed news program. During this interview a video tape made by Dr Kevorkian was aired that depicted the desperation, despair and determination of Thomas Youk to die (You Don’t Know Jack hr.1min.50). Mr.Youk was suffered from Lou Gehrig’s disease and was unable to move his limbs, was in terrible pain, breathing was struggle and he was choking in his own saliva. His choice to die, with the help of Dr. Kevorkian was aired on national television. Dr. Kevorkian stated in that interview that he was fighting for himself; this was a right he wanted because he may be suffering someday and he would like to think that there is a colleague who would be free come to him in his time of need. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross studied the experiences of those who are dying and ascertained that people go through five psychological stages when preparing to die and one of those stages everyone experiences depression (Lifespan p.551). Several studies have suggested recognition and treatment of both psychological and physical symptoms, such as depression and anxiety are going largely unrecognized in many medically ill patients. Dr. Mark Seedier, Director at the Center for Medical Ethics in Chicago says “we can do better with the end of life care” (60 Minutes). According to a recent review of palliative care in Canada, only 5% of dying patients in Canada receive adequate palliative care; these studies are often cited by opponents of assisted suicide as evidence that until all dying patients and their families have access to skilled and effective palliative care services the legalization of assisted suicide is premature (The euthanasia Debate pg. 40). Through this skillfully written biography and Al Pacino’s brilliant portrayal of of Dr. Jack Kevorkian, we are able to clearly see and understand the hopelessness, terror and agony that those who are suffering feel everyday.This film Won a Golden Globe Award, A Screen Actors Guild Award and two Emmy Awards. It is Dr. Kevorkians relentless fight over the span of nine years that was the catalyst that prompted some states to adopt laws legalizing assisted suicide. Unfortunately there are no simple answers when faced with this crisis; weather or not you are the patient who is suffering or the patient’s family member who is can do nothing to ease their pain and suffering. I do not think that hastening the end of life is the answer. I do we can do better than allowing people to resort to taking their own lives. I think that the primary focus needs to be on improving the quality of palliative care. Quickly identifying the psychological symptoms of depression and anxiety and treating them aggressively and also managing the physiological symptoms of pain and discomfort can make all the difference in the mindset of a terminally ill patient and just maybe change their mind about wanting to die.
 * Assisted Suicide**

References Boyd, Denise Roberts., Helen L. Bee, and Helen L. Bee. Lifespan Development. Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon, 2006. Page 551 Chochinov HM, Wilson KG. The euthanasia debate: attitudes, practices and psychiatric considerations. Can J Psychiatry. 1995;40:593-602. "You Don't Know Jack." HBO: Home. N.P., Web. 03 Aug. 2012. . Staff, Overtime. "Dr. Jack Kevorkian's "60 Minutes" Interview." CBSNews. CBS Interactive, 03 June 2011. Web. 08 Aug. 2012. .

Organization--30%

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=Final Grade: 70/75=
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