{"id":359,"date":"2014-11-03T12:48:21","date_gmt":"2014-11-03T17:48:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/54.212.39.223\/?p=359"},"modified":"2015-04-10T10:32:45","modified_gmt":"2015-04-10T14:32:45","slug":"brittany-maynard-and-lauren-hill-same-direction-two-very-different-paths","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.barbettespitler.com\/?p=359","title":{"rendered":"Brittany Maynard and Lauren Hill. Same direction… two very different paths… Live it or Leave it?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Lauren<\/a>

Lauren Hill, 19. Also diagnosed with terminal brain cancer<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\"Brittany<\/a>

Brittany Maynard, 29 diagnosed with terminal brain cancer<\/p><\/div>\n

By now you’ve heard about Brittany Maynard. \u00a0She is the 29 year old woman who was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. \u00a0She moved to a state that allows for Death with Dignity, a legal form of assisted suicide. \u00a0She created a bucket list of wishes and scheduled her departure date. \u00a0She was determined to end the journey before a possible massive stroke or other complications could erupt. \u00a0Although there was no promise of these complications, she didn’t want to experience them or have her family witness them. She checked off the items on her bucket list and did so with gusto and dignity! \u00a0 She completed her death this past weekend.\u00a0\u00a0 She chose to leave it when the timing was right for her.\u00a0 She prepared herself and her family.\u00a0 She planned for it.\u00a0 She chose when and how and did it on her terms.<\/p>\n

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Have you also heard about Lauren Hill? \u00a0She is a 19 year old Cincinnati woman who was also diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. \u00a0She is progressing such that her dream of playing college basketball (she is on the team with first game only weeks away) was literally disappearing with each passing week. \u00a0Her coordination is affected such that she can no longer dribble the ball well. \u00a0Her right arm doesn’t always follow her commands making it more difficult to shoot baskets. \u00a0It is expected she will be unable to play basketball by the time the season officially starts.<\/div>\n
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Lauren chose to live it.\u00a0 To make the best of life every day she has yet to live.\u00a0 A few weeks ago the NCAA granted special permission to allow an early game so Lauren could live her dream and play college basketball before she dies. \u00a0A death she knows is soon. \u00a0A death she knows could be clouded with complications. A death she knows could be painful. \u00a0Complications or no, the journey will still be short. \u00a0She isn’t focused on what difficulties could await her. \u00a0She chose instead to focus on the here and now and enjoy every moment as if it could be her last. \u00a0There are times when Lauren is so weak she cannot stand, let alone run. \u00a0Yet, she is present and engaged in the process of living.<\/div>\n
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I have been at the beside of many people as they lay dying. \u00a0Death and dying is the focus for a hospice nurse. \u00a0And during my years as an emergency room nurse, I saw death experiences from car accidents and shootings to overdoses and massive heart attacks. \u00a0Dying is something every single one of us must look forward to. \u00a0It will happen…there is no way around it! \u00a0Yet, so many of us don’t want to think about it. \u00a0Or worse, we don’t plan for it.<\/div>\n
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Both of these young women were delivered a diagnosis none of us ever want to hear, terminal, inoperable, unfixable, brain cancer. \u00a0Both of them chose how they wanted to live out their remaining days on earth. \u00a0Both of them brought their journey public and both of them allowed us to experience a wee bit of their journey with them. Isn’t it interesting their journeys\u00a0paralleled\u00a0in many ways yet they chose opposite endings for their life’s song. \u00a0 Do you know which you would choose if this became the next chapter in your book of life?<\/div>\n
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