This is really moving Anna. So lovely you had such a warm and funny and involved step dad and how interesting that he prepared you for that moment of his death, almost like a premonition. The work you do with Wendy is so important xx
This truly spoke to me, Anna. My mum and elder brother and sister had to make the hard decision to turn off my dad’s life support. They were 19 at the time. I was just 7. And I can only imagine how hard it must’ve been. The circumstances that led him to be there were very different but, still, we all wish he didn’t have to go 💛
All of this, Anna, is so impactful and affecting. Really feel for you and the relationship you have nurtured with Wendy over the time you have worked together. It sounds absolutely life-changing for both of you. I am so sorry to read about your dad and all you went through at that time, so unexpectedly. It never leaves us, that sudden shock and the grief that inevitably follows. It just morphs into something else. Something, arguably, with the potential to be beautiful too. I was thinking about Clover's piece on Nell as I finished reading, actually. Sending love. xx
Wow. I’ve never read your Mail piece before. Just wow. I mean, there’s not a single utterance there I don’t wholeheartedly agree with; assisted dying MUST be legalised. Strange isn’t it that Dai was in some small sense switched on to that throughout his life and kept bringing it up? As if to drive home the point? My only surprise in your piece is that it took a doctor a few days to affirm your choice, which to me should have been instantly corroborated. It’s about time I found out more about Wendy’s story, but when it comes to dementia - my thoughts are the same. If I can simply apply it myself; if I became engulfed with dementia, I would want the choice to end my life to be made for me. On MY terms. I mean, even the fact that places like Dignitas are still tainted with such taboo just seems so archaic. Haven’t we passed all of that? A sick individual choosing the way and time of their own death shouldn’t even be a ‘thing’ nowadays. Would I get arrested if a family member needed my help to pass away at ease? Throw on the handcuffs. Perhaps one dynamic day, we’ll see Last Testament and Wills containing a section to opt in or out of the choice. We’re nowhere near that - but here’s hoping.
It is ridiculous that we cannot even have the conversation. In the course of writing the book we interviewed opponents of assisted dying as well as advocates, nothing they said changed our minds. But the point is that individuals should be able to choose how much adapting they are willing to do, and what suffering looks like to them. That will not perhaps what it looks like to the next person, but we are all individuals.
This is lovely, Anna x
😘😘
This is really moving Anna. So lovely you had such a warm and funny and involved step dad and how interesting that he prepared you for that moment of his death, almost like a premonition. The work you do with Wendy is so important xx
Thank you, Lily xx and for sharing
This truly spoke to me, Anna. My mum and elder brother and sister had to make the hard decision to turn off my dad’s life support. They were 19 at the time. I was just 7. And I can only imagine how hard it must’ve been. The circumstances that led him to be there were very different but, still, we all wish he didn’t have to go 💛
Thank you for sharing that, Sarah. I’m sorry to hear your family went through something similar. ❤️🙏🏼
All of this, Anna, is so impactful and affecting. Really feel for you and the relationship you have nurtured with Wendy over the time you have worked together. It sounds absolutely life-changing for both of you. I am so sorry to read about your dad and all you went through at that time, so unexpectedly. It never leaves us, that sudden shock and the grief that inevitably follows. It just morphs into something else. Something, arguably, with the potential to be beautiful too. I was thinking about Clover's piece on Nell as I finished reading, actually. Sending love. xx
Thank you Lindsay... yes, Clover’s piece had an impact this week, in fact a lot of people are writing about death and letting go at the moment. X
Words are not enough so I will just say the two most important ones in response to yours, Anna. Thank you.
❤️
Yes 🤗❤️🪷
Wow. I’ve never read your Mail piece before. Just wow. I mean, there’s not a single utterance there I don’t wholeheartedly agree with; assisted dying MUST be legalised. Strange isn’t it that Dai was in some small sense switched on to that throughout his life and kept bringing it up? As if to drive home the point? My only surprise in your piece is that it took a doctor a few days to affirm your choice, which to me should have been instantly corroborated. It’s about time I found out more about Wendy’s story, but when it comes to dementia - my thoughts are the same. If I can simply apply it myself; if I became engulfed with dementia, I would want the choice to end my life to be made for me. On MY terms. I mean, even the fact that places like Dignitas are still tainted with such taboo just seems so archaic. Haven’t we passed all of that? A sick individual choosing the way and time of their own death shouldn’t even be a ‘thing’ nowadays. Would I get arrested if a family member needed my help to pass away at ease? Throw on the handcuffs. Perhaps one dynamic day, we’ll see Last Testament and Wills containing a section to opt in or out of the choice. We’re nowhere near that - but here’s hoping.
It is ridiculous that we cannot even have the conversation. In the course of writing the book we interviewed opponents of assisted dying as well as advocates, nothing they said changed our minds. But the point is that individuals should be able to choose how much adapting they are willing to do, and what suffering looks like to them. That will not perhaps what it looks like to the next person, but we are all individuals.