We would’ve chosen assisted suicide
I feel Kristen Hanson’s pain in losing her husband to glioblastoma, as she explains in her column, “Why my husband rejected assisted suicide.” I lost my husband on July 12 to the same disease. He was only 57 years old.
Larry was a top radiologist in Seattle. He knew exactly what he was facing. He lasted 17 months, which seems to be the norm with treatment. Ms. Hanson had her husband for 3.5 years. That’s fantastic — and rare with glioblastoma. While we had the legal mandate for doctor-as- sisted suicide here in Washington, we did not use it, as Larry was never in pain and had a very upbeat personality.
However, we would’ve used it in a heartbeat, should conditions have been different. It’s a blessing to have that possibility for terminal patients, especially those who have immense pain. It galls me when people want to take that option away from others, just because they find it wrong. What works for others may not be feasible for you. We can make up our own minds.
Randy Brown Seattle
I would first like to say that I admire the bravery and hope displayed by J.J. and Kristen Hanson as his cancer slowly and prematurely stole his life.
That said, I cannot agree with Ms. Hanson when she calls death-with-dignity laws a “tragedy” that “prey on terminally ill patients.” Death with dignity gives terminally ill patients a choice to hasten their death rather than face a prolonged and painful decline.
Take the example of someone who has pulmonary fibrosis and faces a slow loss of oxygen due to irreversible lung damage. I don’t believe someone should be denied the choice of hastening his death rather than enduring months of ceaseless coughing and ultimately be- ing strangled by the disease.
Death with dignity isn’t for everyone. In fact, a very small percentage of terminally ill patients choose to use it. Often, the angels of hospice can keep dying patients comfortable until a disease runs its course. But death with dignity should remain a choice for those who wish to use it. The Hansons should not be allowed to limit the choices of others.
Chris Fruitrich End of Life Washington Lakewood, Wash.