The following is in response to "Compassionate Choices for the Terminally Ill" which appeared online Friday, April 12.
 
Ms. Storey-Welch. I am terribly sorry for your loss and for the suffering your mother endured. If my last letter was too glib, I’ll be purely serious this time. I apologize for hurting you. Thank you for your heartfelt thoughtful rebuttal.
 

During Superstorm Sandy my grandmother fell down a flight of stairs and shattered her vertebrae, instantaneously becoming paralyzed. In NYC during the chaos of the emergency she was unable to access treatment due to triage and laid in a hospital hallway for hours.
 
Over the following years Grandma died an excruciating and extended death, going through painful invasive surgeries which failed to restore her. She lost her mind from constant agony.
 
As a child I could hear her in the night screaming that she was being assaulted. It wasn’t true, she just had no idea where she was or what was happening. Caring for her condition meant a lot of feces, tears, and trauma for all involved.
 
Sometimes the clouds would lift. She would remember who I was, smile, and be with me. I am grateful for those moments.
 
In  “The Future of Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia”  now Supreme Court Justice Gorsuch distinguishes between a person’s right to refuse life extending care/food and the desire to immediately end human life. I soberly endorse the former. I can’t condone the latter. 
 
People on the doorstep of death and those entrusted to make decisions on their behalf have every right to recognize recovery is impossible, attempt to ease pain, and refuse to needlessly prolong agony. 
 
But Ms. Storey-Welch with fear and trembling I must reiterate. My conscience protests against handing someone a cup of death in order to assist their suicide.  
 
I wouldn’t cavalierly quote a Shakespeare play about suicide to your mother or my grandmother or anyone else in a condition of intense suffering. Neither would I so quote a Shakespeare play about the foolishness of War to a hospitalized Veteran. It wouldn’t be an appropriate context. Instead, I’d tearfully do my imperfect best to do what’s right.
 
Please also consider that no matter how perfect you believe Oregon’s laws, once the doorway is opened to people killing themselves to ease pain unintended consequences are always possible. I personally do not believe anyone can determine with sufficient accuracy how much pain is enough to legalize suicide case-by-case.

Silas Smith
Norwood