There was a sudden feeling of guilt and shame when I realized I should have brought Mrs. MacNeil a farewell gift. Maybe some flowers or a teddy bear. It would have been a thoughtful gesture. After all, this was going to be our final farewell.
I was making a house call to see my favorite 93-year-old patient living in a seniors residence in Toronto. We had bonded over the last few years, and it felt more like a close-knit friendship than a professional relationship.
We enjoyed joking around and talking about the beauty of life and all the wonderful places on our lovely planet, and the beautiful people. We also spent a lot of time talking about Nova Scotia, where we both used to live.
This was going to be our last visit. She was about to receive medical assistance in dying, which we refer to as MAID in Canada.
When a cherished dog or cat is old, sick and suffering, we “put them down.” The technical term is euthanasia, which comes from the Greek word “euthanatos,” literally meaning “a good death.” We euthanize our beloved pets because we don’t want them to suffer, and we want them to die with dignity.
