Choices — November 3, 2014

On Sunday, November 2, 2014, two women with brain cancer made decisions that could change the way we look at cancer. 

Brittany Maynard was a newlywed of about a year when she found out she had cancer in January, 2014. Nine days after the initial diagnosis she had a partial craniotomy and a partial resection of her temporal lobe. Both surgeries were attempts to slow the growth of her tumor. In April, she learned that not only had the tumor returned, it had become even more aggressive. She was 29 and had six months to live.   After a great deal of research and consultation it was determined that there was little she could do to impede the ultimate victory that cancer would eventually claim.

Young and otherwise healthy, the cancer would destroy her brain while the rest of her body would continue to function. The last months would likely be a horror for both her and her family. The thought of dying in hospice, suffering daily seizures and receiving high levels of pain medication was not how she wanted to live out her life. This is not how she wanted to be remembered.

Brittany wanted to be in control of her own death. She moved to Oregon, one of five states that allow for death with dignity. Brittany would receive a prescription that would end her life and be given the power to administer it when she felt it was time.

Brittany became a spokesperson for death with dignity after she posted a video on youtube explaining her choice. It has received over 10,000,000 views.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPfe3rCcUeQ

On Sunday, surrounded by friends and family, Brittany decided that it was time to end her struggle.

Compassion & Choices, an end-of-life choice advocacy group who had worked closely with Brittany, said she "died as she intended -- peacefully in her bedroom, in the arms of her loved ones."

Having been raised a Catholic, I have always looked upon suicide as a sin. Now that I have cancer and with an understanding of how I will likely die, I have to say that I have to wonder if I have been too closed minded. As would have been Brittany’s, my own death will not be pleasant. Multiple myeloma, when no longer under control, destroys the bones. It starts with the larger bones and moves to the smaller ones. Bones become brittle and eventually break. In my own case, I had 29 areas that had been affected including a tennis ball sized tumor on my pelvis. My kidneys were shutting down and potassium and sodium were flooding my blood stream. I was lucky that chemotherapy saved my life.

I have seen both of my parents die of cancer. It was horrible. I cannot believe that this is what God wants. We have the technology to keep people alive long after they should. Sometimes past the point of cruelty. It is not my plan to end my life when it becomes hopeless, but I can certainly understand why someone would. Is it really suicide when you are already dying?

On the other side of the country, in Cincinnati, Ohio, Lauren Hill was having the best day of her life.  Lauren, too, is dying of brain cancer. There is a good chance she may not see Christmas. But Sunday, she didn’t think about that. She woke up at four in the morning with a terrific headache. It was so severe that later that day she would have to wear sunglasses and headphones to drown out the light and sound. That would not keep her away from completing a dream, the dream of playing college basketball.

It was just a little over a year ago that Lauren announced on her birthday that she would attend Mount St. Joseph’s University and play basketball. Less than two months later she found out she had brain cancer. In September, she was told that she had months to live.

The University then petitioned the NCAA to be able to play their game against Hiram College two weeks earlier than had been scheduled so Lauren could fulfill her dream. The game was moved to Cincinnati so her friends could attend. Forty five minutes after the tickets became available, Cintas Center and its 10,500 seats was sold out. This was for two teams that normally would have 100 family members and friends show up for a game.

Hiram College and its coaches and athletic department were completely on board even working with the Mount St. Joes coaches to allow Lauren to score on the first possession of the game. A backdoor screen was run for Lauren so that she could move to her right which would allow her to shoot with her left hand. Although right handed, she has been forced to shoot with her left hand as the cancer has begun to disrupt her body movements. After scoring, time was called and everyone in the arena celebrated including the Hiram coaches and players. 

Lauren has made it a point to bring attention to the plight of those with pediatric cancers. Tens of thousands of dollars have been raised for this cause. Lauren has issued a challenge to Lebron James and others in her own version of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PF023AEUOtk

Fox Sports Ohio televised the game and it was streamed nationwide on the internet. After the game an emotional Lauren summed up what many were thinking, "To reach and touch this many people is amazing. Not many people knew about DIPG before me, and now that they do, we can get research going to cure this cancer. I won't be around to see that, but it's going to help so many people. That's why the support can't end with this game."

Both of these women have touched millions in their own way. Hopefully, we will see increases in cancer research so that we can experience an end to this killer in our lifetimes.

In my own little world things are going well. I continue to receive good results with my blood tests. I have been in remission without the help of chemo for 16 months. I never thought I would be able to say that. Now the goal is to see just how far I can take it.  The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Light the Night Walk is this Friday. If you haven’t had an opportunity to donate, please do. It will be my sixth walk. I hope to be doing this years from now.

http://pages.lightthenight.org/az/Phoenix14/TeamOutlaws