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Linda Fleming's death: An experiment in conscious dying?
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This past Thursday evening, 66-year-old Linda Fleming of Sequim became the first person in Washington state to end her life legally with the help .jpg)
of her physician, using prescribed medication. She died peacefully in her own home, with her family, dog, and physician at her bedside.
Fleming had been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer only last month. Her pain had become so acute that the drugs she had to take for it were beginning to effect her consciousness. She is quoted to have said "The pain became unbearable, and it was only going to get worse." After acknowledging that she was "a very spiritual person," Fleming said "it was very important to me to be conscious, clear-minded and alert at the time of my death ... The powerful pain medications were making it difficult to maintain the state of mind I wanted to have at my death." She added that she "had only recently learned how to live in the world as I had always wanted to, and now I will no longer be there, ... So my fatal disease arrived at a most inopportune time."
I would venture to say that although she was not able to view it this way, Linda's disease may have arrived with a kind of "divine timing" in that she had been able to come to a good conclusion around how she wanted to live before dying. She may not have been able to live out her days in full the way she would have liked, but Linda Fleming was at least able to discover before she died "with her eyes open," the way she would like to live. Perhaps we could say that at the opportune moment, Fleming was able to learn not only about Conscious Living, but also about Conscious Dying in an experimental, rather adventuresome way.
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None of us will really know the outcome this had for Fleming in the Great Mystery that I assume she is now privy to, but we can give thanks for her courage and foresight in facing her death squarely. We can also hope and pray that she is enjoying a wonderful celebration upon her return to her Heavenly Home; we all can look forward to and deserve this.
Honoring the Mystery, and the freedom of choice we have in our country, and when it comes to dying, especially here in Washington state and the Great Northwest! Dancing heart~~~
p.s. For more related info, see: Compassion & Choices Washington, and (WA) death with dignity act.
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