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MAiD Approval

 WARNING: this may trigger an emotional response with respect to medically assisted dying or the end of the road for me. 

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Nothing quite says terminal like an approved MAiD application.

 

After being interviewed by two doctors, I am now able to arrange for this procedure. You can see from what’s been checked off by the doctor on the MAiD form, I clearly qualify. One doctor even said MAiD was designed for people with conditions like mine.

 

Decisions that remain are where I would like the procedure to take place (home, hospital, somewhere else) and when. I’m not quite ready to pick a date, but I have decided I would like the procedure to take place in the hospital. Another question is who I would like to be there with me. That’s a hard one.

 

I continue to pursue the possibility of a lung transplant, but the outlook is pessimistic. All the preliminary tests have been completed and while I passed the heart and stress tests, I did not do well on the walking/breathing test. The combination of my weak performance on that test and my age will probably eliminate me from going any further towards a transplant, but I will keep pushing.

 


 

This week, I started with the Pulmonary Rehab Clinic at UPEI. My goal is to regain some strength and stamina through exercise. The clinic has me working with a physiotherapist and a respiratory therapist. I also have access to a dietician and an RN. If nothing else, this gets me out of the house a couple of times a week for an hour of focussed exercise supported by some very nice professionals.

 

I’m also planning what happens with my “mortal remains”. Much as I would like the option of a “green burial” which involved putting me in the ground and planting a tree over me, I think I’m probably going with cremation. Something else I need to finalize.

 

How am I feeling? Good. Having clarity about MAiD and knowing I still have some time to wrap things up, is giving me some peace. And knowing I choose the place and time I go is also good.

 

I would like to make it to my 72nd birthday on December 18th.

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