Lane: I support bill for end-of-life decision rights

Arizona End of Life Options, a non-profit organization advocating for passing a medical aid in dying law is attempting to educate the Arizona public about this issue.

So many Arizonans (my husband among them) have had to die agonizing and prolonged deaths because Arizona is one of the states that has not yet passed a MAID bill.

If you have ever had to sit beside a loved one in the final end stages of life and struggle with watching them try to breathe, swallow, talk, etc., you know how gut-wrenching this is. My husband was diagnosed with stage 4 bladder cancer with metastasis to the bone in late March 2021. He was not sick at all and only had some slight pain in his right hip when we received the “C” diagnosis.

We were told he had 4 months to live if he didn’t receive any treatment; 24-plus months with treatment. Turned out he was not able to tolerate the chemotherapy and ended up dying on Aug. 8, 2021 — a mere 136 days from diagnosis. Hospice took care of him from June 27 until his death. Had the MAID option been available to him, he would have taken it. I cannot tell you how many times he asked God to take him.

It was pure torture watching my husband of 54 years suffer in this manner.

Bone cancer is probably one of the most painful forms of cancer that there is. Did he want to end his life like this — no. Did I want him to end his life like this — absolutely not.

There are many safeguards built into this bill so it cannot be abused. Please take the time to read up on this issue at arizonaendoflifeoptions.org.