My father’s illness came as a surprise to my family and me. It took 4 months to get a diagnosis and when things progressed that quickly, we knew how severe and terminal his cancer was. From the first doctor’s office visit to his passing was an 8-month process. He did not want to suffer through more pain, nor did he want to burden his children and family. In so many ways, I feel blessed to have been there for my father through his diagnosis. It wasn’t easy as a daughter, a main caregiver.

My father was always a man who made his own decisions and planned out his life, so when he learned about MAID, I could see in his face a relief and sadness all at the same time. More importantly, I knew he decided without saying it out loud. There was little to no information around the process of MAID in 2018, and there definitely weren’t any communities or discussions surrounding this. It was extremely difficult for me to figure out and know what to do on my own.

Did I do the right thing? I would often wonder to myself. Navigating all the pre and post emotions has been difficult for me to process on my own. Since joining MAID Family Suport Society, I only hope to help those in similar situations in any way I can.