She said: “On Hamish’s last night, when he said he was in a lot of pain, I said: ‘Would you like me to remove the pain?’ and he said: ‘Yes please, mama.’
From the BBC article. As a parent, the air was not dusty, I properly blubbed when I read that. How can anybody fail to be moved by the very real and painful testimony of somebody who has lived the decision in its rawest form.
I only hope that I never have to make that decision about a child of mine.
My father died of pancreatic cancer 3 years ago. 8 days from diagnosis to death. Brutal. In the in end the palliative nurses knowingly increased his morphine to unsurvivable levels with a nod and a wink. A grey area for sure, but it wasn’t their first rodeo. Nobody in the room objected. He was in a lot of pain after a good innings. He had made his peace with the world and the balance of cruelty swung heavily against keeping him going. He wasn’t going to get better or wake up from his coma.
