Assisted Dying

It's been a tragedy up until now that Canadian citizens who are in the last painful, and debilitating days of their lives had to go to Sweden to be allowed to choose to die with dignity.  I happened to watch a program last night about a Toronto lady who had suffered unbearably for 10 years until her family and friends took her to Sweden, at her request, so that she could pass away comfortably in her sleep on a day of her choosing.  It was a heartwarming and informative program for those of us who are "getting up there" and have no intention of suffering if we can help it.

Then today in the newspaper, I read an article about a group of people in my city who belong to "Dying With Dignity", a national organization that I bet was instrumental in bringing about legal assisted dying in Canada.  I thank them.

I'll be 76 years old in August so my time will arrive in the near future and I don't want my dying to be dragged out in pain or as a vegetable.  I was going to get a living will, too, but forgot about it...I have to get busy with that!

They used to call assisted dying "assisted suicide" but I see that's changed for the better.  I never minded the "suicide" because it is what it is.  I'm just so happy I'll have the choice to stay or go when the time comes.  It also seems that the church, which was the main deterrent against assisted dying, has come around to understanding that it isn't a sin for someone in dreadful and permanent pain or discomfort to make the choice to die.  As the church gradually loses it's power over everyone, we will be released to live, or die, a more natural way.

The lady in last night's program lamented how she would have much preferred being allowed to die in her own bed and surrounded by her loved ones.  Instead, she and a couple of family or friends made the long and expensive journey to Sweden where she chose the moment and died peacefully...but in a strange bed.  I see a near future in Canada when we won't have to go to that extreme to die in peace.

One of the items missing from our assisted dying bill is that it doesn't take dementia into consideration.  By that, I mean that a person must be in sane mind to agree to assisted dying but a person with advanced dementia is incapable of doing that.  Somehow we must be able to include that in a living will while we are of sane mind.  I don't mind being a little demented (might already be) but the end days of dementia are days not worth living.

None of us know when our time will come and that's why I take every chance to tell my loved ones how much I love them.  I want them to be able to bask in the glow of their mother's, grandmother's, greatgrandmother's love long after I've gone.

I am proud of my country for finally taking the step to make assisted dying legal.  It's better late than not at all.