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Discussing one’s death is not a typical conversation for most of us, however, it is relevant for all of us. When we invite this conversation, it opens doors to learn and explore, address concerns and options, and simply provides us that human connection when it is needed most. Being able to share with friends and family your wishes ensures you have plans that they can carry out for you upon your death. Many times, families find themselves having to make those difficult decisions without knowing one’s wishes and then have to live with their grief. Terminally Ill residents of 10 states and the District of Columbia have the medical aid in dying as an option to manage their end-of-life care. Oregon was the first state in the country 23 years ago to pass such legislation and New Mexico was the most recent state to join them in 2021.
In February of 2020, I was agonizing over end-of-life decisions with my wife who was in her last days on this earth. Monica K. Schliep, daughter of Barb and Jerry Schleip, died 2/15/20 and the very thought of planning her service was the most difficult thing in my life. She had been a middle school health teacher, an athlete, and an outdoor enthusiast all her life. Running, skiing and hiking marked her days as complete. Monica survived for 8 months following her cancer diagnosis, bravely and always giving of herself to others.
Monica’s final wish was to have enough control over the pain so that she could enjoy – a quality of life for as long as possible. Hospice staff from Mayo were fantastic and so helpful to us, however, in her last two weeks the pain became intractable, and her quality of life suffered. It became a life far from quality. She had lost all ability to go outside and could barely walk without assistance.
A legislative proposal in the Minnesota Senate (S.F. 1352) and House (H.F. 1358) would have given Monica the option to die at peace. The End-of-Life Options Act, modeled after Oregon’s Death with Dignity law, would make it legal for a terminally ill adult of sound mind and with a six month or less prognosis to self-ingest medication, prescribed by their doctor, that would allow them to fall asleep and gently stop breathing. Ten states and Washington D.C. have legalized this process, known as medical aid in dying, and it has been practiced safely for more than 50 cumulative years.
In honor of Monica’s memory, I’ve become involved in advocating for the End-of-Life Option Act. I live in Grand Marais and co-facilitate a Compassion & Choices Action Team of volunteers from across Northern Minnesota. We are a group of like-minded individuals each with a personal reason to be involved. We meet monthly by zoom for support and to discuss ways in which we can make a difference by providing education and awareness in our community. Currently, we are reaching out to our legislators for a meeting to ask for their support of these bills. If you agree that all terminally ill Americans should have access to a peaceful death, no matter where they live, I welcome you to get involved. Visit www.compassionandchoices.org/volunteer.
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