Re: Quality of life
Valerie Brew-Parrish (brew-parrish(AT)juno.com)
Thu, 9 Oct 1997 10:30:41 -0500
Dear Chris,
You gave me the pick-me-up I needed today. Thank you! Life can give a
person so many sour pickles. My family and I have been through a living
Hell these past 4 yrs. in IN. Absolutely nothing has gone right and we
desperately want to leave and we don't care where we go. Lillie tells me
God sent me to IN to save her life. If that's true, I am so glad God used
me in this manner because my nightmare was nothing compared to Lillie's.
It may sound corny, but I think our main purpose in life is to help
others in any way we can. She was so beaten down by society, and by her
doctors. My best asset is my temper. My husband calls it my "righteous
anger." We disabled people have been made to feel like we're burdens with
nothing to contribute. Your mom's story is more the "norm" than not. Her
dying is NOT desirable. I read the book by Michael Betzold, Dr. Death
about Kevorkian. The people he killed were not even terminally ill they
were DEPRESSED! I was so sad, because I kept thinking oh if only I could
have talked to them about modified van lifts, independent living, etc.
maybe they would not want to die. Even more frightening as the book
points out, Kevorkian has plans to open "obitoriums", places where
disabled people can go who have no quality of life (he mentions c'p's and
high level quads) can end their lives and the great Kebvorkian can
harvest their organs for non-disabled people! I have written and
published many articles about this. We all need to ban together and let
our voices be heard. We have quality of life and our lives are as
important as the next person's. The Sept. '97 issue of Reader's Digest
had an article about the very thing you're talking about Chris. I am
sooooooooo glad to know that there are caregivers like you in the world
Chris. You are a wonderful daughter to your mom. You are a shining star!
Val