Die with Dignity: I would never want to experience the emotional turmoil that you must have had to endure, Brittany Maynard. I just need to add my two cents to the phrase Die with Dignity. This week is the 31st anniversary of my mothers death. She died on November 6th 1983. She died in her bed surrounded by her loved ones. Anyone that knew my mom knows she was a fighter. She found out she had a sarcoma when I was a toddler. The best way to describe it is she had a tumor behind the optic nerve. I cant imagine the pain she endured but I can tell you what I remember. I remember her crying when she got frustrated for not being able to things like see or sew anymore. I remember her coming home from her chemotherapy appointments every month and going straight to her room. She had a bucket next to her bed because she was sick all night. I remember when she lost her hair, taste and eyesight. I remember her falling as she lost her balance. I remember her falling asleep and snoring all the time , even at church. I remember hearing her cry because the headaches were horrible. I remember her wanting the pain to end. I even remember praying to God to take her the day before she died..... I also remember her spirit. Her laughter. The way she could find a song for every emotion I felt. I remember her teaching me to cook and sew (although I never got the sewing part down). I remember her sticking up for me, teaching ccd, making ice-cream cone cupcakes, attending my school plays and welcoming my friends into her home as her extended family. I know that when she was diagnosed with cancer she was told she didnt have very long to live. I am glad she lasted 12 years so I could have her in my life. Even though she had serious struggles, some embarrassing, the one thing that didnt change was her unwavering love she had for her friends and family. I thank God for every minute, every second, I got to spend with her -right until the day she died. I looked up the definition of dignity and found the definitions to be quite interesting: 1. bearing, conduct, or speech indicative of self-respect or appreciation of the formality or gravity of an occasion or situation. 2.nobility or elevation of character; worthiness: dignity of sentiments. I believe my mother died naturally with dignity. I also believe it is not right to put assisted suicide on the same level as dying naturally. Dont skirt around the issue. Please call it what it is.... The Right to Die.
Posted on: Mon, 03 Nov 2014 13:31:39 +0000