Deborah Ziegler

Ziegler makes a compelling argument for allowing terminally ill patients the right to choose to end their lives with medical help before that life becomes intolerable. Her 29-year-old daughter Brittany was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. The tumor was very large, estimated having been in her system for approximately nine years before being discovered. It was also a very aggressive cancer that was inoperable with tentacles reaching deeply into the various parts of her brain, slowly destroying her. Brittany showed remarkable maturity in handling this grim situation and immediately made plans to end her life before the cancer took it over completely. To do that she had to move from California to Oregon to take advantage of the laws in that state that allowed her to make this very personal decision. In between the diagnosis and her death, Brittany took advantage of every day, living life to the fullest. Her mother, the author of this book, had a much harder time reconciling her wishes with her daughter’s, but she supported this decision as she had supported so many others. It is a though provoking book. I simply hope I am never in the position of having to make this decision or of having to watch someone I care about do so, but I do believe it is everyone’s right to decide when too much is too much.… (mehr)