November 1

[sphere]

Brittany Maynard will die on November 1 — a fact she knows with sheer certainty, as it’s the day that she selected to willingly ingest a fatal drug that will allow her to pass away peacefully.

But rather than characterizing her impending act as a suicide, Maynard, 29, is claiming that this is simply the best path forward in coping with her terminal condition.

After experiencing headaches for months, Maynard was diagnosed January 1 with a brain tumor. While she was at first told that she had 10 years to live, the tumor’s rapid growth led doctors to shorten that time frame to mere months, as WTVD-TV reported.

She described her experience in an CNN op-ed published Tuesday, noting that her options for coping with the cancer were limited.

“Because my tumor is so large, doctors prescribed full brain radiation. I read about the side effects: The hair on my scalp would have been singed off. My scalp would be left covered with first-degree burns. My quality of life, as I knew it, would be gone,” she wrote. “After months of research, my family and I reached a heartbreaking conclusion: There is no treatment that would save my life, and the recommended treatments would have destroyed the time I had left.”

Rather than suffer through until the end, Maynard made a decision to move with her husband to Oregon — a state where doctor assisted suicide is legal — and end her life on her own terms.

She chose November 1, as she’s hoping to celebrate her husband’s birthday one last time on October 30.

Maynard’s decision is certainly a controversial one, leading to moral and ethical questions surrounding the decision to end one’s life. But she insists that she wants nothing more than to live and that she isn’t suicidal.

“I’ve had the medication for weeks. I am not suicidal,” Maynard wrote in her CNN op-ed. “If I were, I would have consumed that medication long ago. I do not want to die. But I am dying. And I want to die on my own terms.”

She went on in the piece to argue that it’s important for people in her shoes to be given the option to control their own destinies.

“When my suffering becomes too great, I can say to all those I love, ‘I love you; come be by my side, and come say goodbye as I pass into whatever’s next,’” she said. “I will die upstairs in my bedroom with my husband, mother, stepfather and best friend by my side and pass peacefully. I can’t imagine trying to rob anyone else of that choice.”

I am 100% in support of her (our) legal right to die on our own terms. I cannot imagine circling a date on the calendar and watching it bear down on me. My guess is that she won’t be ready when November 1 arrives, but she’ll go through with it because of what it’s come to represent.

[OakCliffTri]

I saw this story too and could not believe the decision that is forced upon her. I do not know how she or her husband or family prepares for that event. What a horrible circumstance to take a life.

[David_B]

I think that the elderly should definitely have the choice to end their own life, as should anyone with a terminal illness, on their own terms. As long as they are of sound mind and make the decision themselves it is a right anyone should have.

I’ve always told my wife that if I ever find out I have terminal cancer or something like severe Alzheimers that requires years of unknowing care I’d rather just leave than be a huge burden on my family.

[lunchbox]

Wow. I respect her choice, and agree that it’s her’s to make, but that’s a hellish burden. How does she deal with the rage, the dissatisfaction with a life incomplete?

I always had an older person, who has lived a full span of years, faced with a terminal illness in mind when picturing this choice being made.

[jkca1]

It’s a heroic stand for individual rights. I applaud her and feel bad for her and her loved ones too.

[Mike_C]

It’s a heart-wrenching story for sure, and seeing her husband’s and family’s reactions, along with hers, just…there is no proper way to describe it.

From reading the story, it seems as though some of the complications are increasing—seizures, her lack of balance and a few other things–and that may make that easier for her to reconcile that she has made the decision and will follow through. The bittersweetness of that birthday “celebration” just a couple days before…ugh, I can’t imagine.

[Old_Hickory]

Does she have to be a resident of Oregon for this to be legal?

I admire her courage (I guess it’s courage). I would stubbornly fight for my life.

[burnman]

It’s her body, so it’s her choice. Despite the terrible circumstances of her condition, she and her family are fortunate that they have the opportunity to conclude things to the extent of their abilities and wishes.

Ironically, I received word this morning that a friend of mine from high school (whom I’ve been out of contact with for over a decade) committed suicide last night. He wrote a note to his family (apparently) stating his reasons and apologies, and then he took his life. Ultimately, it was his suffering and his decision to make, but I’m sure that his family and close friends would have cherished a final opportunity to say goodbye.

[j_p_o]

We do this for our pets. And if you don’t it is considered cruel.

We just had to put a dog to sleep, we only knew the time about 3 days out. It was still unbelievably hard to go through with it and not find an excuse to extend it out. I wouldn’t pick a date if I were in her situation, I would base it on how I was doing. Maybe decide that some time after November 1st you were going to do it. Picking an exact date and time would just be so hard for the people around you thinking about that clock ticking down.

[jkca1]

We do this for our pets. And if you don’t it is considered cruel.

We just had to put a dog to sleep, we only knew the time about 3 days out. It was still unbelievably hard to go through with it and not find an excuse to extend it out. I wouldn’t pick a date if I were in her situation, I would base it on how I was doing. Maybe decide that some time after November 1st you were going to do it. Picking an exact date and time would just be so hard for the people around you thinking about that clock ticking down.

The only problem I see with your idea is what if she becomes immobilized first? If she goes into a coma there might be a legal fight that could keep her alive for years just like what happened to Schiavo. Better to go while you are still in control.

[OakCliffTri]

Does she have to be a resident of Oregon for this to be legal?

I admire her courage (I guess it’s courage). I would stubbornly fight for my life.

In another article she detailed the extensive steps she had to take and took to become an Oregon resident to ensure all actions were legal. It sounded like a lot of hoops.

[Tri-Banter]

Poor family. I can’t imagine what they are going through. It’s got to be a mental whirlpool. Godspeed Brittany.

[burnman]

If she goes into a coma there might be a legal fight that could keep her alive for years just like what happened to Schiavo. Better to go while you are still in control.

This is key, and I think this is something that scares the hell out of people … the notion of being trapped in a vegetative state, but not knowing, with certainty, that you’ll be truly unaware.

[OakCliffTri]

and that’s why in most normal life situations it is imperative to have a living will. It dictates under what circumstances what actions will be taken. I have prepared many for others but for some reason I have not prepared my own. I don’t know why because I know how important they are. I think I subconsciously just don’t want to make those decisions- decisions that this poor woman is forced to make.

[dhyoung9]

Brittany Maynard will die on November 1 — a fact she knows with sheer certainty, as it’s the day that she selected to willingly ingest a fatal drug that will allow her to pass away peacefully.

But rather than characterizing her impending act as a suicide, Maynard, 29, is claiming that this is simply the best path forward in coping with her terminal condition.

After experiencing headaches for months, Maynard was diagnosed January 1 with a brain tumor. While she was at first told that she had 10 years to live, the tumor’s rapid growth led doctors to shorten that time frame to mere months, as WTVD-TV reported.

She described her experience in an CNN op-ed published Tuesday, noting that her options for coping with the cancer were limited.

“Because my tumor is so large, doctors prescribed full brain radiation. I read about the side effects: The hair on my scalp would have been singed off. My scalp would be left covered with first-degree burns. My quality of life, as I knew it, would be gone,” she wrote. “After months of research, my family and I reached a heartbreaking conclusion: There is no treatment that would save my life, and the recommended treatments would have destroyed the time I had left.”

Rather than suffer through until the end, Maynard made a decision to move with her husband to Oregon — a state where doctor assisted suicide is legal — and end her life on her own terms.

She chose November 1, as she’s hoping to celebrate her husband’s birthday one last time on October 30.

Maynard’s decision is certainly a controversial one, leading to moral and ethical questions surrounding the decision to end one’s life. But she insists that she wants nothing more than to live and that she isn’t suicidal.

“I’ve had the medication for weeks. I am not suicidal,” Maynard wrote in her CNN op-ed. “If I were, I would have consumed that medication long ago. I do not want to die. But I am dying. And I want to die on my own terms.”

She went on in the piece to argue that it’s important for people in her shoes to be given the option to control their own destinies.

“When my suffering becomes too great, I can say to all those I love, ‘I love you; come be by my side, and come say goodbye as I pass into whatever’s next,’” she said. “I will die upstairs in my bedroom with my husband, mother, stepfather and best friend by my side and pass peacefully. I can’t imagine trying to rob anyone else of that choice.”

I am 100% in support of her (our) legal right to die on our own terms. I cannot imagine circling a date on the calendar and watching it bear down on me. My guess is that she won’t be ready when November 1 arrives, but she’ll go through with it because of what it’s come to represent.

You do have the right to die on your terms. Anyone can end their life in a single moment that they choose to do so. Its just not legally sanctioned by the state.

[j_p_o]

If she goes into a coma there might be a legal fight that could keep her alive for years just like what happened to Schiavo. Better to go while you are still in control.

This is key, and I think this is something that scares the hell out of people … the notion of being trapped in a vegetative state, but not knowing, with certainty, that you’ll be truly unaware.

Coma or vegetative state don’t scare me, chances are I won’t know. It is the almost entirely incapacitated state and constant pain that my mom went though before dying from Parkinson’s complications that scares me.

But that countdown bothers me a bit. The last month or so with our dog I said that it would be better if someone just came by and did it at a random time when we weren’t there. And it would have been.

When my mom died we knew it was going to happen soon, just not exactly when. When my sister passed we were all sitting there that night knowing it was happening then. The second was much worse.

[stilltrying]

I did see this story yesterday on several news outlets and wondered if someone would bring it to the forum.
I’ve had a few members of my family pass from cancer. Some were difficult and painful and some were more peaceful.
My first wife was taken by renal cell carcinoma; my father by a sarcoma.
I married a woman several years ago who lost her young husband (36 yrs.) to rhabdomyosarcoma.
Her former MIL developed had what this girl has, glioblastoma, and it took her 2 years ago. A very difficult death.

The decision to end one’s own life especially in these difficult circumstances is something between you, your family and your God.
I applaud her decision and her desire to bring to light her right to move from this life in a compassionate, peaceful and pain free manner.

At 52 and getting kids ready for college, I’m well employed and well insured.
When I read this article yesterday, my first thought was, “What do life insurance companies think of this?”
Do they consider this “suicide”, in which case they would very likely not pay on a policy?
What if I was terminally ill and wanted to leave this earth on my terms. Could I do it? Or would I have to possibly suffer knowing my family would be provided for as I have planned?

There are many moral and ethical questions that surround this topic. I agree with many that the decision should be yours and yours alone.
I applaud her effort to shed light to the topic and send thoughts and prayers to her and her family.

[iBot]

I’m sure insurance companies think its great precisely because they won’t have to pay on the policies.

[JSA]

Wow. I respect her choice, and agree that it’s her’s to make, but that’s a hellish burden. How does she deal with the rage, the dissatisfaction with a life incomplete?

I’ve been ready to die since age 32. I did not want to die then and I certainly do not want to die now. I have a wonderful life with wonderful people around me. But, by age 32, I had done more things, and lived more life, than about 90% of people will ever do. Around that time, I had a brief experience where I thought I could die and the only thing that bothered me was the pain I knew it would cause my loved ones. While it would be hell beyond comprehension to be in her situation, I’m not sure dissatisfaction with a life incomplete rings true with all people.

[chuckhead]

A good friend just died of this same cancer. At the end of 3 horrible months he said he wished he would have ended it way sooner but was to worried about the after effects on his children. It was a very long and painful way to die. I will go her route for sure if I am ever faced with it.