Comments on: The differences between the Inglis and Gilderdale murder cases

By: Ricky Buchanan

Ricky Buchanan — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 14:13:30 +0000

PS, if you installed the “subscribe to comments” plugin it would be much easier for users to see any replies you make! Ricky Buchanan´s last blog ..Holidays Without Travelling

By: Ricky Buchanan

Ricky Buchanan — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 14:12:37 +0000

Thanks for your comments on my Dreamwidth blog. I was a close friend of Lynne’s and had actually read the post that you referenced - about wanting to die - at the time she originally posted it. So I have been following the case as closely as I can cope with doing. I feel so very very sorry for Kaye, for everything she went through - looking after Lynne, what must have been a hellish decision to help Lynne die, and then this year of trauma after losing her child. Kaye’s still suffering and that suffering won’t ever end - although at least hopefully now she’ll have some small measure of closure as the threat of being jailled has been removed.

The things that happened to Lynne are beyond horriffic, some of them I knew about and others I wasn’t aware of until they were revealed in court. I am bedridden with whatever it is that’s wrong with me (I’ve had a diagnosis of CFS/ME for most of the time I’ve been sick, but there are other possibilities that have been raised and not ruled out) but I’m not nearly as sick as Lynne was and I hope dearly that I never am. And yes, if I was ever in Lynne’s situation then I hope my own family would assist me as hers helped her, and I hope like hell that they wouldn’t get punished.

The whole issue of assisted suicide, especially for those like Lynne whose physical disabilities make them incapable of commiting suicide without assistance, is very complicated and I don’t know that in an imperfect world it can be anything but complicated. I wish it were different.

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By: Safiyyah

Safiyyah — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:04:13 +0000

Salaams Yusuf:

I have a friend with CFS and she had a heck of a time getting a diagnosis, and getting anyone to validate her symptoms. Even her insurance company didn’t want to pay for meds :( Safiyyah´s last blog ..Chronic Pain, Suicide, Physician-Assisted Suicide, Family-Assisted Suicide …

By: Thersites

Thersites — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 04:26:04 +0000

Both M.E. and C.F.S. are diagnosed from patients’ behaviour rather than the presenceof pathogens. Which is diagnosed- or whether another term is used- probably depends on the diagnosers’ medical and cultural backgrounds and attitudes. Psychological conditions are every bit as real and physical as other medical conditions. In Mrs. Inglis’s case the fact that his doctors thought her son had a good chance of recovery or improvement probably affected the jury’s attitude. As I said elsewhere, it is usually the families and friends of disabled people who see often illusory reasons for hope, while professional carers are realistic and pessimistic. Perhaps Mrs Inglis’s experiences working with profoundly disabled people affected her expectations for the worse.

By: Safiya Outlines

Safiya Outlines — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 02:17:40 +0000

Salaam Alaikum,

Computer ate previous comment, so I’ll be brief and say that I agree with the premise of your post, the two cases are very different.

M.E is not linked to CFS though, as sufferers are keen to point out.

I’m really enjoying your foray into disability issues. Safiya Outlines´s last blog ..Back From the S.A.R