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["Marie McHarry" <mmcharry AT gmail.com>]

On 6/20/07, Gene GeRue <genegerue AT ruralize.com> wrote:

> I recognize the potential for weakness in carrying out my plan to be
> in charge of my death. I write and speak it to any who will read or
> listen and to myself often, believing that reinforcement will thicken
> neurotransmission lines to the point where there is no feasible
> choice but to follow through.
My late spouse drew some hard lines about what he wanted done to save
his life (he definitely wasn't into prolonging it for the sake of
sucking air). I was, and am, totally in harmony with that approach
(and my sister who has medical power of attorney for me knows my
feelings). Still, none of it is easy. I know the doctors in attendance
thought I was a hard case, and I surprised myself by letting them keep
him going after his first massive collapse. He rallied but his blood
loss topped by a hospital-acquired infection was too much, and I was
for stopping all measures ahead of the doctors. He never wanted to die
by inches.

Mom did it right -- a massive bleed in her brain (and this in a woman
who had the arteries of a 20-year-old) that killed her before the
paramedics arrived. It was a shock for us, but good for her.

Much as we want to control our end, we don't.

Marie