'I'm the one that's got to die
when it's time for me to die, so let me live my life the way I want
to.'—Jimi Hendrix
There’s a lot to be said about Jimi Hendrix’s statement and
how it plays into our society today. We talk about the sanctity of life, but
the sad reality is that sometimes life is just not worth living. And, when you
reach that point, why not just pull the plug?
Often people who are virtually dead are kept alive in
various ways. Modern medicine can keep the body going long after the soul has
departed. Sure, there are isolated incidents where people who were thought dead
or in a coma for decades came back to life, but those are only a small
sampling. By and large, people who are diagnosed with catastrophic illnesses,
those for whom the illness’ track record is well defined and the end an
inevitable conclusion, are left to linger despite the pain and despite the
horrid quality of life.
Is it so wrong, then, for someone to check out?
Not in my book.
Within my own family, I have witnessed the horrors of long
drawn out deaths. An uncle kept alive, well breathing anyway, while his entire
body withered from the effects of emphysema. Long after the man was for all
intent and purposes gone from this good earth, his body was kept functioning
due to medical machinery.
Back in the 90’s Dr. Jack Kevorkian offered to assist people
who for whatever reason were destined to live a life of pain and agony during
their final years. He claimed to have helped 130 people through assisted
suicide. And yet, there was enough outrage by the masses who thought his deeds
were outrageous that he eventually wound up in jail.
Still, I am not convinced that what he did was wrong. For
the right people, in the right set of circumstances, leaving this mortal coil
is the right thing. People who are in pain, people who are suffering, people
whose quality of life has diminished to the extent that quality as we know it
doesn’t exist should have the right to end their lives if that is their only
recourse.
Is it so wrong? Think about it and then think about this as
reported by Fox News:
Brittany Maynard, a 29-year-old woman decided to take
control of her own life when she was diagnosed with a progressive brain tumor
for which there was no cure. At first, the doctors told the newly wed she had a
grade II Astrocytoma while vacationing with her husband. Initially, they gave
her 10-years to live.
That changed rather quickly; however, when Maynard’s tumor
ended up progressing to glioblastoma multiforme. That is the most deadly form
of cancer with a life expectancy of 14 months. In addition, doctors told
Maynard, her death would likely be slow and painful.
What to do, what to do?
Maynard opted to take control of her life, or rather of her
death. She has decided to take her own life November 1st of this
year. Maynard’s family moved to Oregon, because the state passed the “Death
with Dignity Act.” The act allows people to die using medication. Since 1997,
when the act was instated, more than 750 people taken advantage of it.
Maynard plans to raise awareness of end of life rights
during the few days she has left. She is working with Compassion & Choices,
a life-rights advocacy organization, and is collecting donations through The
Brittany Maynard Fund http://www.thebrittanyfund.org/. For sure, this is not an
easy decision for anyone to make, in fact this is what Maynard told People.com
about her situation:
“There is not a
cell in my body that is suicidal or that wants to die,” Maynard told People.com.
“I want to live. I wish there was a cure for my disease but there’s not. …
Being able to choose to go with dignity is less terrifying.”
Years ago, when
my mother had a devastating stroke for which she was in a convalescent home for
three-and-a-half years before she died. At her funeral, my brother offered a
secret pact with me: neither of us would
allow the other to linger like that.
Is it so wrong? Not
for me it isn’t.
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