Let’s not get in way of terminally ill Brittany Maynard’s dying with dignity

With Nov. 1 — the day Brittany Maynard originally said she was planning to end her own life if her suffering became too great — quickly approaching, the terminally ill 29-year-old has released an emotional video addressing how she’s feeling now that it’s so close.

In the video, she said she’s not ready to go “just yet.” Maynard said she feels she has some more of her life to live.

I applaud the fact that she wants to go on her own terms, not cancer’s. I support Maynard’s right to die with dignity.

Maynard has terminal brain cancer. Last spring, she was given six months to live, and in June, she, her husband, Dan Diaz, her mother, Debbie Ziegler, and her stepfather, Gary Holmes, moved to Oregon so she could get access to its Death with Dignity Act.

Earlier this month Maynard and her family crossed the last thing off her bucket list — a trip to the Grand Canyon. Although she had a wonderful time, the trip took its toll on her body. Maynard said the following day she had a terrible seizure which left her unable to breathe for hours.

I’ve heard many people say that Maynard is selfish and not thinking about what her death will do to her family. I completely disagree. What she has said was that she wants to die on her own terms, in the arms of her family, and not put herself through unnecessary suffering.

Each week she says her body gets weaker and the seizures get worse.

I honestly can’t imagine being diagnosed with a terminal disease. I can’t put myself in her shoes and tell you what I would do in her situation. The only thing I know for sure is that it’s her life and the least we can do, as a society, is let her die in peace — her way.

Instead of criticizing and judging her decision, we should be filling her last days on Earth with love and support.