I knew this day was coming to Canada. First reading of a bill to legalize physician assisted suicide was introduced into the Canadian Parliament on April 13 2016. In anticipation of this day, I gave my family doctor a letter at the end of 2015 to put on my file instructing her never to allow or cause me to be euthanized regardless of what I request. The text of that letter is below.
________________________
Dear
Dr. __:
I
can hardly bring myself to write these words but a dark reality in Canada requires
it. I am referring to legalizing physician assisted suicide scheduled to begin
in 2016. For over 20 years I have feared
that a time such as this would come to my country and against the Common Good of
society at large. I have spoken across Canada
and America against euthanasia and assisted suicide.
Should I ever
request assisted suicide, I want you to refuse to help me. On this point I am
emphatic. Presume that I am speaking out of depression or that multiple
sclerosis has begun to affect my mental state. I would not make such a request
in my right mind. If, in your judgment, I am suffering from depression please
get me the counselling I need; if the MS is affecting my mind protect me from
myself or others who would take my life before my natural death. Regarding my
end of life care I ask you to provide treatment in accordance with my Roman
Catholic faith (see Catechism of the Catholic Church, Nos 2276-2282) .
I
have such deep respect for you and the proper application of your profession (in
its Hippocratic tradition) I would not ask you to stop being my healer and
become my killer, unless my mental faculties were impaired by depression or disease.
Sincerely,
Mark
Davis Pickup
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