When CBS Information visited Barbara Goodfriend’s residence in New Jersey, it was crowded with household and associates — a spot that appeared lively. So it was exhausting to course of that it was additionally a spot the place she was decided to die simply 24 hours later.
“It has been every week of household, associates. We have executed numerous crying, all of us, however we have laughed. We have loved being collectively,” Goodfriend mentioned.
Final April, Goodfriend was recognized with ALS, or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, a illness that assaults the nervous system and robs folks of their muscle management. The 83-year-old widow spent many years working in trend whereas elevating her solely daughter. After a health care provider advised her she won’t reside via the autumn, she deteriorated rapidly and suffered falls that prompted bruises on her face.
Quite than undergo, Goodfriend has chosen what’s referred to as “Medical Help in Dying,” or MAID. A physician prescribes a combination of deadly treatment. The affected person will need to have six months or much less to reside, be of sound thoughts and should administer it themselves. The process is completely different than euthanasia — when a health care provider provides a affected person a deadly injection — which is unlawful within the U.S.
Goodfriend says she would not need to die, however she additionally would not need to proceed dwelling with a terminal illness.
“What am I going to provide this up for? To be in a wheelchair? To have a feeding tube? I want I had extra time to reside, however I do not need extra time as a affected person,” Goodfriend mentioned. “I hope that one thing will get executed, one thing can be completed, in order that others can have the privilege that I am having.”
Dying with medical help is at the moment authorized in 10 states and Washington, D.C., however eight different states are contemplating related legal guidelines this 12 months, based on the nonprofit Loss of life with Dignity.
Dr. Robin Plumer has attended practically 200 deaths in New Jersey, the place MAID was made authorized in 2019. The regulation would not require Goodfriend to have a health care provider at her bedside on her ultimate day, however she wished Plumer there.
“You are going to drink this medication and drift off into sleep and you are going to simply really feel all of the love and assist,” Plumer mentioned.
Goodfriend says nobody tried to speak her out of it. Her daughter, Carol, helped her via the method.
“I feel the toughest half in all of this, for me as her solely little one, is to assist one thing so tough and so opposite to what you need to do. The final word love you could give any person is to respect their want, to reside the best way they wanna reside, and to die the best way they need to die,” Carol mentioned.
Goodfriend’s final day of life was spent together with her family members in a room filled with unmistakable emotion. However the calmest one there was the girl in mattress who’d made the selection to die.
“I am not afraid of dying…I used to be afraid of dwelling,” Goodfriend mentioned.
Extra
Nikki Battiste
