The euthanasia concept is troubling to me, Gene.  I can somewhat understand your support of the practice providing you're reserving it for someone near the end of the line which I think is your intent.

Kevin, that is my intent, of course.   Over the years, I have become interested in Pain Management.  I think pain is one of the greatest problems for terminally ill patients, if not the greatest problem.   No matter how ill someone is, and even with the knowledge of imminent death, their time is made sweeter with adequate pain control. As care providers we cannot address this issue enough, and yet sadly the statistics show otherwise.  Pain is often undertreated, often because care providers are reluctant to use opiate medications or don't use adequate doses of such, with the unrealistic fear of promoting "addiction". 

It is a troubling issue, I agree with you, but I would like to think of Euthanasia as an option for this difficult time near the end of life, and then, only in carefully controlled circumstances, with standard criteria drawn up by physicians, legal authorities, and thoroughly informed consent by family members.   Compassionate care first and foremost though, as you describe, should always be our first approach.