Natural Death vs. Life Support

I had a feeling a day like this would come. When I heard about Terri Shievo and her family's extention of her life when she never wanted to stay in a vegitative state for so long (15 years!) if she couldn't enjoy her quality of life has been more compounded now that she has finally been released; and here we are on the edge of having a Pope passing away without any machines keeping him alive any longer than he needed or wanted to be. Maybe we should take this to heart, if people wanted to survive they would, if they aren't going to make it they should be let go. There is a reason for death for the same reason for living. One should not be able to kill themselves because they want to but if they are seriously - I mean deathly ill - and the quality of life is been limited and they request to die they should be allowed to die with dignity. People have a sense of when it's time to go - whether they choose to acknowlege it or not. Machines are great to be able to keep one stable and aid when - in the case of my mom and my niece Sarah - the heart has a mis-beat and needs extra help, but to keep the body alive when the brain is gone or people are in a vegitative state and have to be treated once again like an unprotected child - helpless - there's when things should be rethought. The Pope has chosen to die naturally. The doctors just give him what he needs to go peacefully.

When ma-ma got really bad it was a decision for all of us whether or not she should have her lungs suctioned out to continue her torture of death or just to let her be. Anne and I agreed that she'd suffered long enough throughout her life that she shouldn't have to suffer death longer than need be. I was there when she died. She was conscious and looking around. I would wipe her mouth and stroke her hair and I could see the vein in her head throbing - as if she was still thinking even though she couldn't speak anymore. I knew she wanted someone to talk to her and assure her she would be alright and I soothed her; letting her know we all loved her and she was safe and she would be alright. I am grateful for all the time I got to spend with her even when she started to suffer with infections and pneumonia. She was strong and loving right until the end. I missed out on a lot of her life but I'm glad I could be there when she needed me. I love and miss you ma-ma!

I hope I die with dignity and naturally. I wouldn't want to be on a machine to keep me breathing or keep me alive when I was in a lot of pain. I have been ready for death since my father passed away. I realized that death awaits us all, it's all a matter of when or how we meet it. So many people I loved are gone now too and I am loathing the day that I have to live if my Francesco had to die. I'd rather go before him, I don't need anymore sorrow. I will not talk about it anymore because it already is making me feel weepy. I hear the CBC in the background speaking about the Pope's condition and I know our lives will not be so public when we are at death's door but it doesn't mean that our lives are not as important to others who know us.

May peace and love be with you and be not afraid of what lies ahead of us. We have to bare witness to this world and these passing things and learn from them.

Love to all alive and dead!

Kim