As the mother and primary caregiver for two adult sons with significant disability, the legally responsible daughter for my 87-yo mom suffering from the early stages of Alzheimer’s, and the widow to my husband, who lost his battle with pulmonary disease back in 2012, I’d like to give my perspective on HB 1283 Assisted Suicide.
This bill passed the House by only three votes last month and will be heard this Wednesday by the Senate HHS Committee. The sponsor’s argument is that everyone should have “death with dignity,” and this bill could only be used if two doctors agreed the individual had less than six months to live. Well, let’s dive into those arguments.
In 2002, my sons Ben and Sam were diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a fatal muscle-wasting genetic defect with no cure. Some would call it a fatal fetal anomaly. The Pediatric Neurologist at Boston Children’s told us to “take them home and love them because they won’t survive their childhood”. Ben and Sam are now 26 and almost 28. I’m sure glad we didn’t take that Boston doctor’s advice! Doctors are only human, and even with no ulterior motive or financial incentive, they are often wrong. Ben has a social work degree and works for a non-profit supporting young adults with cognitive disabilities. Sam is a talented writer, speaker, and artist. They live full, meaningful lives not despite their disability but because of it.
My husband died a difficult death at 53 from pulmonary disease. My daughter was only 12 at the time, and for many years, she struggled with mental health issues and was diagnosed with Bipolar II. As a teen, she experienced suicidal ideation and struggled with cutting and self-injury. Fast forward eight years, and she is now a happy, well-adjusted, independent 25-year-old college grad living on her own.
We want to thank Lori Safford for this Contribution – Please direct yours to Steve@GraniteGrok.com.
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My Uncle, who was like a father to me, was diagnosed with bladder and prostate cancer in his early 80’s. I coordinated his medical care at Dana Farber for over two years. Those car rides to and from Boston are some of my most precious memories. Although he could never urinate normally after that and lived with a urostomy bag, he enjoyed several more good years of life. Life with dignity!
Much of my life has been caring for those with physical or mental health challenges. It has been more a blessing than a burden! I can tell you that State-Sanctioned Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. The right to die often becomes the duty to die. And insurance companies will take advantage of this bill because ending a person’s life is much less expensive than actually providing medical and home health care for them.
Ben and Sam know they are nearing the end of their battle with DMD. They have chosen to sign Do Not Resuscitate and Polst Forms, so no extraordinary measures will be taken when their time comes. But life and death should be in the hands of the One who created us, not in the hands of medical professionals or legislators. God’s Word tells us in Deuteronomy 30:19, “I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life,”
