This is a beautiful story in the LA Times today - about Gabriella Walsh and her decision to use Medical Aid in Dying  after finding massive tumors from breast cancer.  Her life, her choice and on her own terms.

One Last Trip - Read Here

Aid in Dying - a very loaded subject and comes with a lot of stigma attached to it.  What is Medical Aid in Dying?  From Compassion and Choices:

A medical practice that allows a terminally ill, mentally capable adult with a prognosis of six months or less to live to request from their doctor a prescription for medication they can decide to self-ingest to die peacefully in their sleep. 
Medical aid in dying is sometimes incorrectly referred to as “assisted physician suicide,” “physician aid in dying,” “death with dignity,” and “euthanasia.”  Medical aid in dying is not assisted suicide, suicide, or euthanasia. These terms are misleading and factually incorrect. 
I get asked that a lot. Isn't that just suicide?   
No, it isn't. Suicide is a choice between living and dying.  To even qualify for Aid in Dying, you must have a prognosis of six months or less to live.   

Why would anyone choose this?
It gives the control back to the dying person.  Loss of control and an ability to participate in life is a major concern.  When faced with a painful death that perhaps medication cannot alleviate - or most commonly, fatigue.  Dying is hard work and at some point the person is just done.  

I chose to certify and learn all I could about this because I believe it is every persons right to decide if they want this option or not.   Because of the stigma attached to this, I also want to be there so they don't have to worry about doing this on their own.  With and End of Life Doula to help with the details, this allows the family/loved ones to be free to walk the dying person to the door and help them cross it.

For more information you can ask me or visit the website Compassion and Choices.