狗狗Fluffy安乐死 我们心灵得以慰籍

两个星期前，我们家七岁大的爱犬Fluffy接受了安乐死。Fluffy在离世前被不知名重病缠身，出现高烧和大出血等症状，她不停地大口喘气，备受病痛折磨。兽医表示，Fluffy预后不佳，即便进行一些高昂的治疗，她可能还是挺不过去。

 

Two weeks ago, I put down our 7-year old family dog, Fluffy. Before she died, Fluffy had been tortured by an unknown serious illness – showing signs from high fever to severe bleeding. She was panting heavily and was suffering in great pain. The vet gave her a very gloomy prognosis, indicating that even with some costly procedures, she was still unlikely to make it.

Fluffy一直被视为我们家庭中的一员，她的离世让我们全家人心碎。在它病痛难忍之际，我们竭力与它相伴，并为它买了一大块牛排做为告别晚餐。尽管Fluff已虚弱得连摇尾巴的力气都没有了，但仍然努力地舔着我们的手，以表达着她对我们的感激和爱恋之情。

Treating her as a part of our family, we were all struck hard by Fluffy’s death. We tried our best to accompany her going though the pain and bought her a large piece of steak for her final meal. Fluffy, despite having completely lost her ability to wag her tail, made great efforts to lick our hands, trying to show her gratitude and affection to us. 

兽医建议我们立即对Fluffy实施安乐死，以免她遭受更多的痛苦和折磨。但是，兽医的这一建议也在我们家中引发了巨大争议。部分家庭成员强烈反对在兽医的建议，而我两个在加拿大出生长大的孩子则是让它安乐死的强烈支持者。

The vet suggested we put her down right away so she could avoid further pain and suffering. But the vet’s suggestion caused great dispute in the family. Some were strongly against the decision to put her down – through vet assisted death, while my two kids，who were born in Canada， were the strong supporters. 

对Fluffy实施安乐死令我母亲尤为不安。她称：“这是不是意味着在Fluffy病死前我们就要把它弄死？我们怎么能在她还能吃能喝，尚能表达情感之时对她下手？这实在是太残忍了。”

My mother was particularly apprehensive towards putting down Fluffy. “Does it mean we will kill her before she dies of her illness? How could we do that to her while she was still eating and capable of showing her affection to us? It is the cruelest thing I’ve ever seen.”

但我女儿却坚信她坚信对Fluffy实施安乐死才是正确的决定，而我母亲的观念却丝毫不能动摇她的信念。她哭着向大家恳求道：“你们知道Fluffy有多痛苦吗！……别再那么自私，让她舒舒服服地走吧。” 

But her stance had done little to shake my daughter’s belief that putting Fluffy down was the right decision. “Fluffy is suffering in great deal… Stop being selfish and let her die in her sleep comfortably,” she pleaded, while tears ran down her face. 

Fluffy虽然只是以较低级生命形态生存于世的狗狗，但她也是浩瀚宇宙中的一个生命体。从某种程度上说，我们家人关于如何让Fluffy安然离世的辩论在某种程度上也反映出东西方文化在对辅助性自杀之人道性，以及该如何看待安乐死亡等问题上之差异。

Fluffy was a dog, but had lived a life – albeit a lower form of life -- in our universe. The debate in my family over how to let her die has, to some extent, reflected the different cultural views towards the morality of assisted suicide and what is considered a good death. 

东方文化从来都不提倡寻求某种舒适轻松的死亡方式。在面对末期病患时，家属往往认为竭尽一切手段延长亲人的生命是自己应尽的道德义务，但却完全忽视了不堪忍受病痛折磨的患者欲立即结束生命的愿望。根据中国文化，在病患被疾病折磨致死前，人为地结束他们的生命在道义上是无法接受的。

In Asian culture, the value of good and easy death is never advocated. When dealing with terminally ill patients, family members believe they have the moral obligations to prolong the lives of their loved ones by exhausting every single means, while paying little or no attention to the patients’ pain and suffering, as well as their wishes to immediately end their lives. Under the Chinese culture, it is morally unacceptable to end someone’s life before the physical illness wears them out. 

但是在西方，倡权者长期以来一直在努力争取人道善终的权利。目前已经有许多国家通过允许遭受末期绝症折磨的患者寻求医生辅助自杀的法规，加拿大最近也通过了相关法案，这对于数百万正在遭受巨大病痛折磨的患者来说无疑是一个悲剧性的胜利。

While in the West, the right for a compassionated and peaceful death has long been fought for by advocates. Many countries – including recently in Canada -- have passed laws that allow human beings suffering terminal illnesses to pursue physician assisted suicide, a tragic victory for millions of suffering patients.

最终决定让我们的爱犬接受安乐死并非易事。但我的孩子们以其强烈的观点说服我们，只有让Fluffy舒适平静地离去才能充分表达我们对她的深爱，以及对其生命的最大尊重，因此，让Fluffy接受安乐死是一正确的决定。

The final letting go of our beloved dog was difficult. But my kids used their strong arguments to convince us that allowing Fluffy to die in peace and comfort would be the best way to show our immense love to her as well as our greatest respect for life, and thus is a right decision. 

随着一剂麻醉药缓缓注入Fluffy的身体，它慢慢地陷入了沉睡。随着它呼吸越来越弱，生命渐渐离它远去。Fluffy在安逸中渐渐摆脱了病痛的折磨，并在舒适和平静中告别了尘世。

As a dose of anesthetic drug was injected into Fluffy’s ailing body, she fell into a deep sleep, and gradually slowed down in breathing until it came to a completely stop. She seemed comfortable and peaceful, and was totally relieved from the illness she was struggling with. 

看着Fluffy安然离世令我们心碎，但也让我们的心灵得以慰藉。在平静和安详的氛围中，欣慰的泪水不禁夺眶而出。

Watching her leaving us in great comfort was heart breaking, but also provided solace. We dropped in tears as a sense of peace and tranquility washed over us.