I OFTEN read the letters sent to you, mostly about the important current affairs and sometimes about the most trivial of matters.
Today I write to you as someone who is broken, broken from the double loss of a grandmother and mother in the space of five months.
I first watched as the most gentle, loving and supportive of grandmothers died of a stroke in June last year.
Following 3.5 weeks in hospital and six weeks of the most painful to endure (for her and us) home care, despite the best efforts of family and carers.
While being of an advanced age and with death therefore on the horizon, the end was most certainly not worthy of the life most lovingly lived.
Followed by the relatively unexpected death of my mother in November, following three weeks in hospital and a week at home.
Her dying wish granted but not the beautiful wish we would have hoped for given the circumstances.
We watched for a week as she slowly passed away, mostly asleep and in excruciating and screaming pain when moved and cared for.
I write today to encourage your readers to sign the Dignity in Dying’s “official record for support assisted dying”.
As someone who has watched two loving, caring and strong people pass away in the worst of and most cruel of circumstances. I know it would have been their wish to have not done so.
And without going into the most personal of details as to save their memory and protect my loved ones. I hope their loss may bring some good.
Please all sign the register and ensure that when you get to the end, and we all will, it is quick, with dignity and when we decide.
Before the pain is too much, as the NHS can only do so much and pain relief does not always do enough and no amount of love or care will help.
Visit https://action.dignityindying.org.uk/page/75798/petition/1
Our Government must take action today to resolve this gravest of issues that affects us all.
STEPHEN BUDDEN
Bournemouth