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California woman holds party before ending her life
Press Democrat ^ | 11 Aug 2016

Posted on 08/11/2016 1:56:20 PM PDT by rey

In early July, Betsy Davis emailed her closest friends and relatives to invite them to a two-day party, telling them: "These circumstances are unlike any party you have attended before, requiring emotional stamina, centeredness and openness."

And just one rule: No crying in front of her.

The 41-year-old artist with ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease, held the gathering to say farewell before becoming one of the first Californians to take a take a lethal dose of drugs under the state's new doctor-assisted suicide law for the terminally ill.

(Excerpt) Read more at pressdemocrat.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; US: California
KEYWORDS: als; assistedsuicide; california; righttodie; suicide
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To: rey

What a wonderful way to go.........I would do the same.


41 posted on 08/11/2016 2:53:07 PM PDT by Hot Tabasco (If only Hillary had married OJ instead......)
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To: sanjuanbob; Blue Jays; cherry
A picture of Mom from 1947, she was an amazing lady, she knew her way around the inside of a TV or Radio
chassis, probably why she and Dad got along so well, he being an electronics engineer for the Dept of the Army:

Image and video hosting by TinyPic
42 posted on 08/11/2016 2:54:01 PM PDT by mkjessup (The 'RATS are the ENEMY!! From OBAMA-'RAT to HILLARY ROTTEN RAT! GET RID OF THE 'RATS!!)
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To: rey

PATHETIC


43 posted on 08/11/2016 2:54:11 PM PDT by terycarl (COMMON SENSE PREVAILS OVERALL)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

I think that’s about right.


44 posted on 08/11/2016 2:55:13 PM PDT by Rennes Templar (President Trump: It's all over but the counting)
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To: mkjessup
sent to hospice, where I must say those people cared for her with exquisite love, one of the last things she said to me was “we’ve had a pretty good run, but now I have to find the exit on my own

My cousin had a similar story as yours. Her husband was in the last stages of his cancer and asked for hospice. What wonderful people, they helped him though the end stages. They helped him find peace and resolved issues left on the burner far to long.

He died well.

45 posted on 08/11/2016 2:55:59 PM PDT by mware
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To: Blue Jays

>>one can’t blame her too much.

I agree. That’s why I said what I said. People are forced to live far longer than they should in some cases. No one can say when it is time, but when the doctors keep a person going beyond their ability to enjoy life and take care of their own personal needs, I think that this option should be available.


46 posted on 08/11/2016 2:56:25 PM PDT by Bryanw92 (If we had some ham, we could have ham and eggs, if we had some eggs.)
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To: mware

Amen. Not to sound flippant here, but it is true what Kenny Rogers said in ‘The Gambler’ ...

“The best thing you can hope for, is to die in your sleep”.


47 posted on 08/11/2016 2:58:50 PM PDT by mkjessup (The 'RATS are the ENEMY!! From OBAMA-'RAT to HILLARY ROTTEN RAT! GET RID OF THE 'RATS!!)
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To: mkjessup
“The best thing you can hope for, is to die in your sleep”.

Unlike the screaming passengers in your car.

48 posted on 08/11/2016 3:00:18 PM PDT by dfwgator
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To: .45 Long Colt
I suspect she regretted her decision less than a minute into eternity.

I don't, I think God welcomed her into heaven.........

Do you think God regretted allowing a monster to sodomize and kill an infant or did He give His passive approval?

49 posted on 08/11/2016 3:03:27 PM PDT by Hot Tabasco (If only Hillary had married OJ instead......)
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To: Hot Tabasco

Why do you think she was a Christian?


50 posted on 08/11/2016 3:06:37 PM PDT by .45 Long Colt
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To: mkjessup; sanjuanbob; cherry

Very cool post-war vintage photograph!
I can leaf through sepia / b&w photo albums for hours.

51 posted on 08/11/2016 3:07:51 PM PDT by Blue Jays
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To: rey

Betsy will still be voting Democrat in November.


52 posted on 08/11/2016 3:10:16 PM PDT by MeganC (JE SUIS CHARLES MARTEL!!!)
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To: rey

Having seen people I love die of ALS, I am not going to make any judgments.


53 posted on 08/11/2016 3:16:16 PM PDT by Hildy
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To: .45 Long Colt

“I suspect she regretted her decision...”

I do too. The situation was, and is, beyond sad.


54 posted on 08/11/2016 3:27:07 PM PDT by ReaganGeneration2
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To: mkjessup

I got tears from that. Very similar with my mom. She was in her eighties, knew she was past recovery and getting weaker, and did NOT want to waste away in a nursing home. She decided she’d had a great life and was ready to go see her husband and family again (all departed). She got into hospice, we helped get her affairs in order, then she let herself shut down and passed away two weeks later.


55 posted on 08/11/2016 3:27:52 PM PDT by polymuser (Enough is enough)
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To: The people have spoken

It’s a horrible disease. A co-worker of mine died six months after being diagnosed with ALS.


56 posted on 08/11/2016 3:39:52 PM PDT by Rusty0604
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To: mkjessup

My Mom broke her hip about a year ago. Very traumatic. Not the event but the surgery and after effects. She was 86 at the time. We thought we’d have to put her in a care facility, but my brother lives with her and was able to care for her at home. THEN a couple months later, she got sloppy and broke her wrist in a fall.

After long physical therapy and whatnot, she’s able to hobble around a bit with a cane. But she’s fading and getting ditzy. She has no friends or interests, really. It’s a slow downward spiral.


57 posted on 08/11/2016 3:40:29 PM PDT by USMCPOP (Father of LCpl. Karl Linn, KIA 1/26/2005 Al Haqlaniyah, Iraq)
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To: Bryanw92

One can easily chose to not have medical care....purposefully taking one’s own life is a waaaay different story


58 posted on 08/11/2016 3:43:55 PM PDT by Nifster (Ignore all polls. Get Out The Vote)
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To: RatRipper

That is something. Did he take some new drug?


59 posted on 08/11/2016 3:48:59 PM PDT by Rusty0604
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To: mkjessup

I had a dear sweet neighbor that more, or less, decided it was time and quit eating the last couple months of her life. She was 94 and in relatively good health until nearly the end.

What is worse, this, or being kept alive for months on machines with a certain outcome?


60 posted on 08/11/2016 3:52:52 PM PDT by zek157
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