Courage and Faith
A Facebook friend of mine, Jeff, died recently. He was only 54, younger than I am, and had suffered from muscular dystrophy. Close to the end, he had only 10% of his lung function, and was on a ventilator. I was saddened by his passing, but I'm amazed by his courage. A week ago Saturday, Jeff had a party. Twenty or so of his closest friends were there, as were his parish priest, his two adult children, and his physician and hospice nurse. After feasting on his favorite foods, including large quantities of chocolate, Jeff gathered his friends together to watch as he received Last Rites. At that point, the doctor administered to Jeff a dose of ativan, and, at Jeff's direction, removed his ventilator. With his children at his side and his friends offering comfort, Jeff died peacefully. This is a beautiful story, and I know we would all like to die peacefully at home, with our families and friends at our side. The question is, would I have the courage to make the dec