Sir, – Peter Cluskey’s very moving piece (Opinion, December 7th) about the death of his wife Adrienne Cullen in the Netherlands by euthanasia set me thinking.
My own wife Joan died 16 months ago having fought cancer for 22 years with many “good times” and towards the end many “not so good times” as the cancer spread to her lung and her liver.
On May 29th, 2018 we met her oncologist consultant for a private discussion and very bravely Joan asked him what would happen if she stopped taking her drugs and ceased her chemotherapy.
His words were clear, “You will have months not years”.
“Okay,” she said in a firm voice, “Take me off all drugs other than those which will alleviate the pain”. And so it happened.
Little did I know that my wife of 53 years would pass way within two months. A form of euthanasia? Yes I think so, and much better than watching our nearest and dearest go through awful pain, discomfort and ever more difficult living. After her passing I perused Joan’s daily Bible reading notes and on the morning of that meeting she had underlined these words, “Because you believe in Me as your Saviour God, you will have everlasting life. Let this amazing promise fill you with joy and drive out fear for the future”. – Yours, etc,
DAVID McCABE,
Blackrock, Co Dublin.