Tuesday, October 14, 2014

My Better Half

Many people toss around "my better half" as if it's a straight-up synonym for husband/wife/spouse. In my case, it's completely, verifiably, the truth.

Judgey McJudgerson that I am, without even knowing full details of her case, I've reacted with vocal ire to Brittany Maynard's self-imposed November 1st---quite literal---"dead"line. (Try as I might, cannot extricate myself empathetically from her husband's emotions in all this...)

But back to my better half. Here's his response to Brittany Maynard's situation:

"I don't find this whole story to be so dramatic. I get it. It's a quality of life call. If she has no treatment alternatives or access to clinical trials then I get it. I don't know all the details of her case but I would hope she's not throwing in the towel before the fight begins. I've been stage 4 for years with an incurable cancer and have suffered endless nights, miserable weeks and countless indignities but I am a fortunate soul. My treatments have worked and given me the chance to celebrate my 19th wedding anniversary, raise my kids into their teens and receive the love and support of hundreds of people. I'm a lucky guy. I wish her nothing but peace."  

My better half, indeed.

Hoping for Brittany's husband more time with his.
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3 comments:

Anonymous said...

The kind of cancer she has is the kind my brother Bob died of. It has probably the worst statics of any kind of cancer and the death is particularly brutal since the cancer is in the brain. My brother tried a trial drug down at Duke and enjoyed working with them...but only lived about 20 mos post diagnosis and that was considered pretty long....so I see it...He got along pretty well until the last few months which were horribly hard on him.

Cheryl Lage said...

<3 to you and your beautiful family, Mary Ann. Can scarcely wait until a time when these kinds of decisions no longer even need to be contemplated.

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