Testimonies

Dear Dr. Ferrier,

I wanted to thank you for your very thoughtful article in today's Gazette. It is a topic very dear to my heart and the "news" story on Saturday upset me very much.

I accompanied my father as he declined with Alzheimer's over about ten years. He ended up in care, first at St. Mary's later at the Bayview, because my mother herself was too frail to care for him. We were lucky he recognized us until the end ...

Continue Reading → There is so much more to a person than intellect, physical ability and earning power

In 1970, I was visiting my father in the hospital, when he died from a 'lingering' throat cancer. He had no desire to be killed. In 1988 my mother was dying in the hospital from pneumonia: she 'lingered' for a week in pain: doctors would not give her the inhaled drug that helped her to breathe for fear of scarring her lungs??? Still, she had no desire to be killed. My two sisters interrupted their lives, and one was there ...

Continue Reading → End-of-Life is a chance to say goodbyes and reconcile