100% agree, west coast has some excellent options. In the Midwest it is a massive uphill battle. I hope as the boomer generation ages and more and more of their children have to experience just how long we can prolong life that it will be a turning point. It’s why having an end of life plan and advanced directive is so important to everyone.
Admitted a 102 year old women weeks back who had fallen and broken her hip. She had already made her peace with dying, said her goodbyes and for years had been telling her family she was ready. She had spent her last 80ish years living in her home where she had raised her kids mostly independent. Because of the nature of her injury instead of dying peacefully in her home without pain through physician assisted death she spent her last two weeks in hospice, struggling to breathe and slowly deteriorating.
Once she passed the family showed up to the ED with a card thanking us for her care and saying it was some of the last time she was truly comfortable. She seemed religious so I don’t know if she would have even taken the option but the fact remains that she should have had a choice and the same thing is true for millions.
