Did you know New Mexico is one of only ten states that allows Medical Aid in Dying (MAiD) – also know as death with dignity or euphemistically as assisted suicide or even euthanasia?
I often hear people who've had an experience like that of my family today (giving our pet the dignity of a gentle death with no further suffering) wonder something along the lines of, "If only we could show such compassion to people the way we do our pets." And, we're not wrong in feeling this dissonance between how we treat animals versus our human loved ones.
This topic is not without its psycho-bioethical concerns, questions and problems. We, in the U.S. particularly, live in a litigious country where physicians feel compelled to "save" lives at all cost, where terminally ill people must “wait out” their disease until it has ravaged them, and where conflict remains around what exactly IS bodily autonomy…among many other things.
I am grateful that I live in a state where we’re exploring this frontier; asking the hard questions and doing what we can to best assist people with a life, and death, of dignity. I’m curious how advancements and expanded inclusions (i.e. dementia) of who qualifies for MAiD will unfold. As a general rule, I support MAiD as well as other systems and procedures in place to help one die with dignity. You can learn more about MAiD at the following links:
✓ End of Life Options New Mexico provides support and education for advance care planning to ensure people have a clear understanding of their rights and ALL the options available to them in New Mexico, including medical aid in dying, palliative care, hospice, VSED (voluntarily stopping eating and drinking):
https://endoflifeoptionsnm.org/about-us/what-we-do/
✓ Death with Dignity:
https://deathwithdignity.org/news/2023/03/3-29-23-senior-guide/
✓ NPR: After an Alzheimer's diagnosis, her husband asked for help to die with dignity:
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2022/03/08/1084912553/alzheimers-assisted-suicide-amy-bloom-in-love
✓ The New Yorker, Letting Go: What should medicine do when it can’t save your life? Atul Gawande: