My Thoughts on Brittany Maynard and "Death with Dignity"

"Faith in God means we live with hope.  It means often times hoping even when it seems futile.  It means believing that God can deliver us, and often times, He will.  But it also means that at times, He may not, and if He does not deliver us in the way we desire, it means we still have faith and trust that his plan is perfect and He will make good of it all."  ~Chris Faddis, It Is Well



I wasn't sure if I should even write about this.  It's a controversial issue.  People are very much in one camp or the other.  But from the moment I read about Brittany Maynard's story, and for the next several weeks, I just could not get it out of my mind.



In case you missed it, Brittany Maynard was a 29 year old woman who was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer.  In light of this diagnosis, she decided to end her own life before the disease caused her the tremendous suffering that was certain to come.  She championed the phrase "death with dignity" after moving to Oregon, a state which allows physician assisted suicide.  On November 2, 2014, Brittany took her own life.



I want to start out by asking that everyone pray for Brittany's soul and for her family.  First and foremost, this is a tragic, horrible, unfair situation.  And I cannot imagine being in her shoes.  And because of that, I will not judge the decision that she made.  But, I do want to point out that another choice existed here.

I have watched several loved ones suffer and die from horrible illnesses.  My grandmother died of brain cancer at 67.  My college friend, Pink Boots, died of the same disease in her mid-twenties.  I watched Mr. Franklin wither away from Lou Gehrig's disease.  My family lost one of our own to lung cancer on one side and pancreatic on the other.  I know what suffering looks like.  Others do too, like those who loved Angela Faddis and Susan Spencer-Wendel and Morrie Schwartz, and those of us who read their books.



I know it is hard and painful and so unfair.  But I also know that God blesses during even the worst suffering.  I know that every single time I got to visit Mr. Franklin while he was sick--whether it be when he would drive us around in his golf cart or when he could barely whisper a congratulations on the phone when I passed the bar exam--I was blessed.  I know that I probably learned as much about life and love watching him die as I did watching him live.  I know that Pink Boots' friends and family cherished the extra time we had with her.  I feel certain that my mom and her siblings insistence on the importance of family was solidified in my grandma's hospital room.



And I can assure you, although they greatly suffered, each of them died with dignity.  They died loved, respected, and heroic.  I believe it is important to be very clear that choosing to live your life until God calls you home is not somehow undignified.  It is faithful.





We do not know how God will bless us or those around us.  It may be in mysterious ways.  Ways that we will never understand. And if we question that--if we take the plan away from Him and make it our own--people will miss out on those blessings.  We must remember that in the end, after even the worst suffering, God will be victorious.  There will be no more tears or pain or illness.  And that, alone, is dignified.



Please pray for Brittany, her family, and all those who suffer.