Hoping for the Best: A British man with Friedreich's Ataxia, a progressive neurological condition that affects the spinal cord and peripehral nerves, but not the brain, has lost his quest to insist that doctors honor his living will should he become unable to speak for himself. Having lost in the British courts, he took his case to the European Union - and lost again.

Former postman Mr Burke said he was "extremely disappointed" at the ruling.

"I only hope that if I am lucky enough to be in hospital, that the doctors treating me will not believe at some stage that it will be in my best interests for ANH to be withdrawn."

He said that "even when death is imminent" the withdrawal of sustenance would be "effectively letting me die of starvation and thirst when I am no longer able to communicate my wishes"

That would be a horrible way to die, and hopefully his physicians will recognize that when the time comes. If a person is in pain, but can't complain, is there suffering? Increasingly, the answer appears to be "no." We act more to alleviate our own suffering than the suffering of others.