Brittany Maynard- Her Choice To Die With Dignity

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Precious Brittany!  I can’t even begin to imagine what you have gone through.  You attempted to seize each moment with your beautiful family.  When the seizures overtook your body, and you could no longer utter your husband’s name, that must have completely terrified you.

Through choked up words, she said,

If my dreams came true, I would somehow survive this, but I most likely won’t.

There’s no denying Brittany’s strength and bravery.  To hear her talk on her videos, brings tears to my eyes.  She had others best interests at heart.  Everything she said seems reasonable.  It makes sense.  But truth doesn’t always make sense, nor is it able to be comprehended on this side of eternity.

My heart breaks for those suffering with a terminal illness.  I have never walked this path, nor would I wish it on anyone.  Brittany Maynard, the 29 year old with terminal brain cancer, chose to end her own life this past weekend.

She wrote…

“Goodbye to all my dear friends and family that I love.  Today is the day I have chosen to pass away with dignity in the face of my terminal illness, this terrible brain cancer that has taken so much from me.”

When doctors told Brittany that she had only six months to live, she, her husband and mother moved to Oregon.  Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act was the reason for her move.  Washington, Montana, New Mexico and Vermont also have the same law in place.

Upon hearing her diagnosis, Brittany intended to terminate her life (with the help of physicians) when her suffering became too great.  You can read the statistics here.  Since the law passed in 1997, 1,173 prescriptions have been given and 752 patients have died from ingesting these lethal medications in Oregon.

Brittany’s illness sparked a nationwide conversation about  dying in America.  I don’t wish suffering upon anyone!  I’ve witnessed firsthand, loved ones suffer during their last hours here on earth.  It’s not pretty nor desirable.  But,

Expanding the  Death With Dignity Acts nationwide is not a good idea.  I thought about leaving a nice, clean, cliche bullet list of my reasons; but somehow that seemed impersonal and insensitive.  Almost cruel?

For me, on any issue, it comes down to what God’s Word says.  In the Bible, I trust in God as the Sovereign Creator.  He is the giver and taker of life.  In this case, when it comes to the Death with Dignity Act, it goes against my belief and trust in a Sovereign God.

Does that mean that God or I desire that others should suffer longer than necessary?  No.

Does that mean that I believe in and serve a cruel God?  No.

My ways are not His ways, and His ways are far beyond my finite understanding.  I will personally choose to trust Him – for His timing is always perfect.

God always has room for one more miracle.  That miracle just might be you.  Trust Him… until your final breath.