TODAY
TODAY MY
TODAY MY CONSCIENCE DEMANDS IT. I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU WHAT
MY HUSBAND, OUR SONS AND I4@
WENT THROUGH WHEN WE LOST LEE'S
MOTHER 2 YEARS AGO. MO4@RE
IMPORTANTLY, OF COURSE, THIS IS
WENT THROUGH WHEN WE LOST LEE'S MOTHER 2 YEARS AGO. MO4@RE IMPORTANTLY, OF COURSE, THIS IS@
ABOUT WHAT SHE WENT THROUGH.
WHEN MARY WAS DIAGNOSED WITH
STAGE 4 LUNG CANCER AT THE
AGE OF 82, SHE CALMLY TOLD US
THAT SHE WAS NOT AFRAID OF
DEATH.
SHE HAD HAD A WONDERFUL LIFE. 4@
WHAT SHE WAS AFRAID OF WAS4@
DYING. THE PROCESS OF IT. THE
INDI4@GNITIES OF IT.... THE
INEVITABLE PAIN AND SUFFERING .
SHE WAS THE MOST INDEPENDENT,
DIGNIFIED WOMAN I'VE EVER MET.4@
PROUD. FROM THE COUNTY. SELF-
SUFFICIENT. SHE LIVED LIFE ON
HER
TERMS. BUT SHE WAS NOT ALLOWED4@
TO DIE THAT WAY.4@
SHE ASKED EVERY DOCTOR WE SAW TO
GIVE HER AN ALTERNATIVE TO
WITHERING AWAY. THEY SAID THEY
COULD NOT.
SHE PLEADED WITH US TO TAKE HER
TO VERMONT OR OREGON, SO SHE4@
COULD END HER LIFE IN A
DIGNIFIED WAY. WE COULD NOT.
THE RULES 4@
WERE TOO ARDUO4@US FOR PEOPLE FM
4@
4@ OUT
4@ OUT OF
4@ OUT OF S4@TATE. WHEN THE PAIN W EXCRUCIATING, SHE SOBBED FOR TH@
END TO COME. IT DID NOT. NOT
FOR MONTHS.
FINALLY AT HOSPICE, THE WORKERS
WERE SO KIND AND4@
CARING... BUT THE BEST THEY
COULD OFFER HER WA4@S TO EASE H
PAIN AS
SHE STARVED TO DEATH. SHE DID.
IT TOOK 10 DAYS. 14@0 GOD-AWFUL
DAYS4@
OF WATCHING HER SHRINK DOWN TO
NOTHING BUT GRAY SKIN FALLING
OFF 4@
BONE. AND SHE WAS LUCKY.
HOSPICE TOLD US IT CAN TAKE 4@
OFF 4@ BONE. AND SHE WAS LUCKY. HOSPICE TOLD US IT CAN TAKE 4@4@
LONGER.
MY HUSBAND, CHILDREN, EXTENDED
4@
4@
4@ FAMILY
4@ FAMILY AND I WATCHED AS SHE
DIED FROM THE FEET UP... HER BODY PARTS SLOWLY TURNING 4@
4@BLUE.
AND HER LAST BREATH WAS NOT
PEACEFUL... IT WAS DESPERATE AN@
WANTING AND TORTURED.
I SHARE THIS BECAUSE SHE WOULD
HAVE WANTED ME TO.4@
AS A TERMINAL PATIENT, MARY
DESERVED THE RIGHT TO MAKE
HER OWN CHOICES ABOUT HOW SHE
EXITED THIS WORLD. INSTEAD4@
SHE WAS POWERLESS... FORCED TO
FOLLOW SOMEONE
ELSE'S PRE- DETERMINED PLAN FOR
SHE WAS POWERLESS... FORCED TO FOLLOW SOMEONE ELSE'S PRE- DETERMINED PLAN FOR@
HOW HER LIFE SHOULD END. THE
DEATH WITH DIGNITY BILL, NOW ON
THE GOVERNOR'S DESK,4@
HAS SMART RESTRICTIONS BUILT IN.
IT REQUIRES A
SECOND OPINION TO MAKE SURE
PATIENTS ARE TERMINAL. A4@
WAITING PERIOD BETWEEN THREE
SEPERATE REQUESTS FOR 4@
THAT FATAL DOSE OF MEDICATION,
SO THIS CANNOT BE A KNEE JERK 4@
DECISION, A PSYHCOLOGICAL 4@
EVAULATION TO MAKE SURE THE
PATIENT OF SOUND OF MIND. AND
DOCTORS WHO CHOOSE TO TAKE4@
PART, MAY NOT ADMINISTRER THE
MEDICATION.. THE PATIENT MUST
TO4@
THAT THEMSELVES.
MY MOTHER-IN-LAW WOULD NEVER
HAVE CHOSEN TO HAVE US ALL4@
STANDING VIGIL OVER HER FAILING
BODY, WITNESSING THE SUFFERING
AND INDIGNITIES THAT COME WITH
SYSTEMS SHUTTING DOW4@N.
THE PROCESS OF4@ DYING KILLED H
SPIRIT LONG BEFORE IT TOOK
HER SOUL. IT'S HARD ENOUGH TO
GET A TERMINAL DIAGNOSIS, BUT 4@
THEN TO HAVE ALL CHOICES
STRIPPED FROM YOU. TO HAVE NO
SAY IN
HOW IT ENDS.TO HAVE STARVING TO
DEATH BE YOUR ONLY OPTION... IS
SO
SO WRONG.
SO WRONG. IF THE GOVERNOR SIGNS THIS BILL, NOT EVERYONE STARING DOWN A TERMINAL ILLNESS
WILL CHOOSE TO END THEIR OWN4@4@
LIFE. THERE WILL ALWAYS BE A
NEED
FOR HOSPICE. BUT WHAT
TERMINALLY ILL PEOPLE NEED IN
THE MIDST OF4@
UTTER
UTTER CHAOS, IS SOME CONTROL. THEY'VE ALREADY BEEN TOLD THEY4@ ARE GOING TO DIE. THEY SHOULD
BE ABLE TO DECIDE HOW AND WHEN.
THEY'VE ALREADY BEEN TOLD THEY4@ ARE GOING TO DIE. THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO DECIDE HOW AND WHEN.@
IT'S THEIR LIFE AFTER ALL...
4@
4@THAT IS HOW WE FEEL ABOUT THE
TOPIC... AND WE AGAIN WANT TO 4@
ASK
ASK YOU
ASK YOU HOW YOU FEEL. 4@ ARE YOU IN FAVOR WITH THE "DEATH WITH DIGNITY" LAW IN MAINE?
THIS POLL HAS BEEN ACTIVE SINCE
ARE YOU IN FAVOR WITH THE "DEATH WITH DIGNITY" LAW IN MAINE? THIS POLL HAS BEEN ACTIVE SINCE@
THIS MORNING... AND MORE THAN
700 PEOPLE HAVE VOTED.4@
ABOUT 79% OF YOU SAY YES... 18%
SAY NO... AND 3% SAY YOU ARE
STILL 4@
UNDECIDED.
WE WANT TO KNOW HOW YOU FEEL...
IF YOU HAVEN'T DONE THIS BEFORE,
IT'S
IT'S A
IT'S A VERY EASY PROCESS. 4@ JUST HEAD TO PULSE DOT NEWS CENTER MAINE DOT COM.... AND THE
POLL WILL POP RIGHT UP.
YOU CAN DO IT ON YOUR PHONE...
COMPUTER... TABLET... IF YOU
STRUGGLE, YOU CAN EVEN SEND US
AN AND LET US KNOW YOUR
THOUGHTS. 4@
WE WILL TAKE A LOOK AT THE
RESULTS LATER IN THE SHOW... BUT
THE POLL WILL STAY OPEN FOR YOU
TO VOTE. AND I'D LOVE TO HEAR
FROM YOU AS WELL. YOU CAN 4@
CONTACT ME ON FACEBOOK OR
THRU OUR WEBSITE.
WE WILL BE RIGHT BACK AFTER A
QUICK BREAK.