
Jill
In Aug 2021 my dad, Captain Jack, opted for MAID at age 90.
Jack had participated in a longitudinal study on aging for many years and was extremely proud when told that his biological age was 10 years less than his chronological age. He attributed this to his briskly walking 2 to 3 km every day come rain or shine.
That all came to an abrupt end when he was walking up the carpeted stairs from the basement in smooth soled slippers with an item in each hand. Dad had macular degeneration, missed a step and fell backwards onto the concrete floor. He cracked his head resulting in a brain bleed and temporary loss of consciousness.
While he recovered his mobility over the next several weeks, he was plagued with nausea and dizziness 24 hours a day 7 days a week for the rest of his life. My dad tried every treatment he could find – acupuncture, massage therapy, vestibular rehabilitation, medication, physiotherapy and nothing made a difference. He had EEG scans, CT scans and MRI scans, all to no avial.
He became a shell of his former self, now shuffling when he walked using a cane, the wall or a banister for support. This vibrant man became frailer each day. Dad lost all interest in life and was so disappointed when he awakened each morning. “Not another day!”
He asked my brother if he could have some of “Ben’s pills” – Ben, being the black lab that had been put down. We are so much kinder to animals than people…
Dad was keen to explore MAID and so grateful when he was approved on the basis of a chronic medical condition with no effective treatment, death in the foreseeable future (age 90) and the absence of quality of life.
He was approved on a Thursday and had MAID the following Monday. Dad’s sense of relief was palpable. He was so at peace with the world. He called and informed friends of his decision and invited a few to visit him to say goodbye.
Dad’s favourite time of day was cocktail hour at 5 p.m. We gathered on the Monday at 3 p.m. for an early cocktail hour. He chatted with each family member and said his goodbyes, then lay down on the couch in the sunroom where he napped every afternoon and departed on his final flight.