Death with dignity

IN 1958, I married a beautiful, multitalented girl. We worked hard all our lives, mainly in the caring professions, and both of us were successful in our careers.

In June 2010, my wife had a knee replacement and had a very bad reaction to the general anaesthetic, so much so that it triggered Alzheimer’s.

From that point, I had to watch the steady decline of this wonderful girl as she slid into oblivion.

We tried to live as we had done until August 2014 when she was rushed into hospital with atrial fibrillation, and her decline accelerated as parts of her brain began to shut down. I realised that the coming Christmas would be our last together.

the decline then accelerated until she could do nothing unaided.

Our daughter asked for a home visit and our GP told us that if my wife didn’t go into care, I would be in hospital myself within a week. she went into a care home in April.

Unless you have experienced it yourself, you cannot understand what it is like to watch your wife slip away from you. she had no control over anything at all. she did not know any of us for the last two weeks and she died on June 13 with the three people she loved most there as she slipped away.

I don’t fear death, but I do fear having to go into care. What right has anyone to decide that we should linger on with no quality of life?

the argument about possible abuses by offspring — who, when their parents become a problem, want them out of the way so as to inherit — may be valid, but if you have brought them up properly they won’t discard you like an old rag. If you haven’t, then it’s your own fault.

Mr D. MORLAND, Leicester.