Terminal cancer patient chooses how to end her life
Quote:
Brittany Maynard is the beautiful 29-year-old woman who, after being diagnosed with the most malicious and fatal form of brain cancer, has made the terribly difficult decision to end her life with the aid of a doctor,legally, through Oregon’s Death With Dignity Act. Maynard will end her life on November 1st, just two days after her husband’s birthday, surrounded by her loved ones. To do so, Maynard will separate 100 capsules of the sedative secobarbital prescribed to her by her doctor, dissolve the contents in water, and drink it.
On Monday, Brittany Maynard’s representative said she would not be speaking publicly again as she and her loved ones face these final days together.
Maynard did take the time to update her blog earlier this month, posting a heartbreak glimpse into why she has not only made the decision to end her life, but why she bravely went public with it.
Even after Brittany Maynard has made the decision to, as she says, die with dignity and, in spite of increasing pain and debilitating seizures, Maynard and her family are making the most of their time left together.
In a final interview with People magazine, Brittany said that just last week she and her family “took on” Oregon’s Columbia River Gorge. “We had a beautiful day of driving what’s called the Fruit Loop out here,” Maynard said.
And with less than two weeks before Maynard’s chosen date, Brittany’s mother Debbie Zeigler says the Grand Canyon is next on the family’s agenda. “She really wants to see the Grand Canyon,” says Zeigler. “So we’re going to try.”
For the girl who has lived her life adventurously, ice-climbing in Ecuador, kayaking in Patagonia, and climbing to the very summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa, the Grand Canyon should be just one of many in a long line of such trips — instead, her heartbroken mother, who knows she will be losing her only child in a matter of days, calls the hopeful excursion to the Grand Canyon Brittany’s “last hurrah.”
Brittany Maynard has said, “I don’t want to die, but I am dying.” But it also seems as though she makes sure she is living with what time she has left.
Counting down the days till November first sounds like an unfathomable tortuous thing to go through for her and her family members though, I don't know, I couldn't endure just knowing when it's going to happen and watching the days FLY BY.
Because time works like that, whenever you need it most it vanishes before your eyes.
This happens all the time, all over the world. It's just not a worthy story when the patient isn't an attractive white woman. I feel for her and her family though. I can't imagine what it feels like to know you or your loved ones will be dead by an exact date.
I think it is beautiful that she has the right to make this choice. I have the utmost respect and admiration for her, not only for making such a difficult choice, but for deciding to go public with it and bring national attention to the topic of physician-assisted suicide. I think it is appalling that physician-assisted suicide is not legal everywhere. No one should have to suffer needlessly when they can make a calm, rational decision not to have to. I hope she finds peace.
I understand why she's doing it, I'm sure with the cancer it could cause her to have horrible seizures or become immobile, lose the ability to walk or function. I would just be really scared to end my life like that.
I'm happy she can choose but it must be so scary to know when you'll die. I hope Halloween is amazing for her