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New Stories at Death with Dignity: Thomas and Lindzy

June 14, 2017

Our most recent stories come from New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Do you have Death with Dignity story to tell? Please share it with us.

Thomas P.: Let Me Decide

On March 28, 2017, my dignified mother died of cancer. Her name was Mildred Janet Pellicane, and she was a fiercely independent person, right until the end. In her final weeks, she bravely endured her pain and her almost complete inability to move, speak, or eat. But she said she didn’t want to suffer anymore.

I am confident that given the option our mom would have chosen to end her life. Sadly, we were not able to help her, and because there is no Death with Dignity law in New Jersey, where she passed away, she was not able to help herself.

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Lindzy B: Death with Dignity Means Hope

My father was diagnosed with ALS in 2009. I was in 8th grade at the time; my sister was 20. The whole week after his diagnosis we cried as we tried to absorb the information and figure out our next steps. We did a lot of research, trying to understand what ALS was and how we could best support my dad through the course of his illness.

He was such a great dad. He was very loving, goofy, and happy all the time. Everyone who met my dad loved him. Even when he was diagnosed, he was as positive as he could be. He never complained or said, ‘why me.’ He just kept smiling.

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Afterword: Physician-Assisted Death Concepts

Be Prepared for Assisted Dying Requirements

Regardless of which of the aid-in-dying states you call home, be prepared to spend time and work with your doctor if you wish to access medications to end your life peacefully. First, you need to find a physician willing to work with you, and a second to confirm your terminal diagnosis. You will need to make two requests to use the law verbally, then in writing with witnesses at a later date. Your doctors will confirm your eligibility, including that you are of sound mind and are able to take the medications on your own. After the two physicians confirm you meet the legal requirements, you will be eligible for the prescription. Then, it’s up to you when, or whether, you will actually take the medication.