The Desperation Point: Self-Deliverance in Middle Age

open" and that self-deliverance is their option when they choose.

One issue is ethics. In my liberal Jewish tradition, suicide is a respected option when life can no longer be lived with dignity.

Then there is timing. One could, say, temporarily reduce the dose of Aricept to assess one's likely quality of life a few months down the road, and decide whether it is satisfactory. Or test oneself with stress and fatigue.

There is the question of means. There is a moving pictorial record, Gramp_, of a person with advanced AD who stopped eating and died with dignity.

There are a variety of means which don't require cooperative doctors, which don't take a lot of mental ability to implement, and which don't risk getting other people in trouble.

There is the question of social support. Persons who have worked with those with AIDS, cancer, or other diseases can be helpful. I had a number of phone consultations with such a counselor.

There is finally the question of how to move from thought to action on such a difficult issue. There is an excellent book, "The Last Choice", on this specific topic.

This subject is currently on my back-burner, but I've done enough thoughtful planning to be confident I can move it to the front-burner at a later time--it's something I'm glad to talk about."

A Message from Morris Friedell on the subject of Suicide...

Thu, 16 Aug 2001

"I feel this discussion has been valuable. I feel supported in that I'm not alone in my concerns. Some who indicate they might disapprove are candid about coming from a different religious tradition.

With my attitude, how do I avoid being haunted by the question of suicide? Before AD I used to have a degree of fear about what happens after death. I was afraid I'd be recycled to be a part of Nature where I'd have less control. Now I still believe that I'm a part of Nature, but I emotionally live more in the present (despite the way I talk) like a child or animal; and see Nature as more benign. The vast majority of the time, animals are not being eaten or worried about being eaten, and I empathize more with them.

I've more come to an acceptance of the finiteness of life. I'm like a child whose play is not ruined by knowing that in an hour he'll have to go to bed. Further I identify with certain persons and

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