VERY SAD-----WOMAN WITH CANCER OPTS TO DIE ON NOVEMBER 1

This woman needs prayers, a bible , Sister White books and and some outreach.

Woman diagnosed with terminal cancer chooses to die Nov. 1

Posted: Oct 07, 2014 6:57 PM EDTUpdated: Oct 07, 2014 7:15 PM EDT

By WFLA.com web staff

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Brittany Maynard with her dog (Photo:KETK/The Brittany Fund)

Brittany and her husband Dan on their wedding day (Photo: CNN/The Brittany Fund)

PORTLAND, OR (WFLA) -After months of debilitating headaches, 29-year-old Brittany Maynard learned earlier this year she had terminal brain cancer.

She had been married for less than a year, but rather than focusing on building a family, her life became devoted to hospital stays, doctor consultations and medical research.

After a number of unsuccessful surgeries to stop her tumor from spreading, Brittany was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme, the most aggressive form of brain cancer.

In April she was given six months to live.

Having made choices all her life, this situation was no different. Brittany is choosing death with dignity. She is choosing to die on November 1, two days after he husband's birthday. She will die at home, in her bed, with her husband, mother, step father, and best friend by her side.

Brittany made the choice for several reasons. Because her tumor was so large, she would need full brain radiation with harsh side effects. “The hair on my scalp would have been singed off. My scalp would be left covered with first-degree burns. My quality of life, as I knew it, would be gone,” she wrote in an opinion piece on CNN.

She also considered passing away with hospice care. “But with palliative medication, I could develop potentially morphine-resistant pain and suffer personality changes and verbal, cognitive and motor loss of virtually any kind,” Brittany wrote.

Finally, she didn't want to put her family through the pain of watching her die a slower death.

“Because the rest of my body is young and healthy, I am likely to physically hang on for a long time even though cancer is eating my mind. I probably would have suffered in hospice care for weeks or even months. And my family would have had to watch that,” she said.

So, after months of research, she concluded there is no treatment that would save her life.

Having chosen death with dignity, Brittany reluctantly moved her family from California to Oregon, which is one of five states that offer residents the right to die. Other states are Washington, Montana, Vermont, and New Mexico.

Once she became a legal resident, Brittany was prescribed the medication she will take to die. She says she, and anyone else who chooses death with dignity, can change their mind at any point they wish.

“I am not suicidal. If I were, I would have consumed that medication long ago,” she says. “I do not want to die. But I am dying. And I want to die on my own terms.”

In the few weeks she has left to live, Brittany has become a volunteer advocate for the nation's leading end-of-life choice organization, Compassion and Choices.

“Having this choice at the end of my life has become incredibly important. It has given me a sense of peace during a tumultuous time that otherwise would be dominated by fear, uncertainty and pain.

Now, I'm able to move forward in my remaining days or weeks I have on this beautiful Earth, to seek joy and love and to spend time traveling to outdoor wonders of nature with those I love. And I know that I have a safety net.”

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Permalink Reply by keith mack on October 8, 2014 at 8:33pm

God bless Brittany,

None of us have the right to judge one another.

I just had a friend die of terminal disease after seven months on ventilators and IV's in ICU.

She finally chose after months of fighting a lost cause to say no more. She went off life support an died in four days, which probably would have happened months ago had not family intervened.

I have no real answer, but as a physician I have seen this scenario over and over.

All I can say is it's in God's hands and between the patient and her God. Every one deserves the dignity to die.

Pray for Brittany and her family, and don't be to quick to judge until you have been in her place.

Brittany needs to be assured of God's never failing love, and reminded that miracles still happen. My she go to sleep in the hope of meeting her savior Jesus Christ.

Keith

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Permalink Reply by keith mack on October 11, 2014 at 10:47pm

My friends sister Pam Rhodes, whom some of you may have heard sing on 3ABN from time to time, in June chose to go off continued life support after a prolonged illness. She was a God fearing Christian, that devoted much of her life in service to God.

Is that choosing to not live any longer, or is that turning it over to God?

Keith

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Permalink Reply by Ross Sawyer on October 11, 2014 at 11:33pm

I think much prayer would be needed before deciding. Illnesses can cause deep depression at times. Personally I feel even a little life is better than none. But again prayer is needed in these cases. Prayer for those who are ill and those who are ill certainly must pray for themselves. Jesus still saves to the uttermost and that includes healing grave illnesses.

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Permalink Reply by Jim A on October 8, 2014 at 9:04pm

She needs prayer and it would be nice if she's even able to read to have the Bible. If I had days to live and someone told me I needed Sister White books I'd be praying for their salvation.

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Permalink Reply by Ross Sawyer on October 8, 2014 at 9:55pm

I think she needs every up lifting resource possible that points her to God, before she leaves this planet including yes, Sister White's books.

I'm not judging her. It's a terrible choice to be faced with, but this is a really serious situation. As far as the bible goes I see no precedent for euthanasia. However, I do see a precedent, for much prayer and the word of God and encouragement in situations such as this. King Hezekiah was terminally ill and he prayed to the lord and was blessed with 15 more years of life. Who is to say this young woman cannot receive the same miracle through prayer?

Personally, I feel it's wrong for one to end their life even in the worst situation, but only God can judge and only god knows what is going on in the heart and mind of a person. However, I do certainly believe that the choice of euthanasia is not a choice that should be chosen without meaningful prayer and council with Jesus. Based on the article I fear that conversation between her and the most high has not been had in depth. That's why I posted my comments and hoped some here might pray for her and others in this very same situation and even send books if possible.

VERY SAD-----WOMAN WITH CANCER OPTS TO DIE ON NOVEMBER 1

Woman diagnosed with terminal cancer chooses to die Nov. 1

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