I hope you're all managing through the pandemic. Any help would be sincerely appreciated with the following.<p>My situation isn't pleasant. I'm having a difficult time ending my life. I live in Montreal, Quebec. Here in Canada, it's legal to end one's life by suicide and by a physician when the patient satisfies legal criteria for medical assistance in dying.<p>Last year I was diagnosed with cancer. I also have another illness but incurable that makes my life intolerable. I'm refusing treatment for the cancer "besides pain medication" because of my preexisting medical condition. I'm doing well emotionally with coping and I've been starting to end contacts with friends in preparation for dying.<p>From the very start of the cancer diagnosis, I've been requesting medical assistance in dying by speaking with my Oncologist and the request to him isn't being processed. The hospital's complaint commissioner isn't helping as well. I'm spoken to a few lawyers "that I cannot afford" and they've confirmed I do qualify for medical assistance in dying but the problem is a doctor can refuse for personal reasons. So, when I go to other Hospitals, ERs, walk-ins, I'm told "speak with your oncologist" while they're ignoring my explanation of why that's not helpful. They also refuse to let me request on a form for medical assistance in dying. I'm told they don't do that here.<p>I'm starting to get to my wits end and planning a suicide instead in the near future. I really wish I could have my death done by a physician but it seems like my age with how the cancer is currently considered treatable by surgery is making nobody want to help me until the cancer has spread everywhere. I've been told by my Oncologist that without treatment I'm looking at less than a year for life expectancy. Again, any help/advice/opinions I'm grateful to read.
I'm sorry to hear about your situation. My advice would be to stop being so explicit or official. You're probably too used to being an engineer or techie of some sort and we can get trapped in very black and white, explicit ways of thinking and speaking, forgetting that a lot of people work on implication and in a much fuzzier way. "speak with your oncologist" probably means <i>speak to them in the right way</i> and they can probably help. As I understand it the code is "I'm in too much pain" and they'll give you a bit too much pain medication. That's how doctors used to get around the law, the patient's care is their highest priority and that includes trying to treat unnecessary suffering as best they can. Only egregious misuse of this power would be prosecuted.<p>That being said, you should respect your doctor's wishes too, right? They'll have to live with what they've done after you're gone.<p>All that being said, get some counselling, seek mental help <i>of any and every kind</i>. I'm not trying to talk you out of things - your decisions are for you - I'm telling you to do <i>what you should be doing anyway</i>. Even if you get your wish to end things you should still be getting help for your mind, not just your body.<p>All the best.
Google "exit bag"<p>There is also Dignitas in Sweden<p>Sorry if this advice is inappropriate for HN dang, death with dignity is something very important to me.<p>Also, to the OP - I am sorry your life had to be this way. Life is completely unfair and has been quite cruel and cold for pretty much all of humanity. I only wish this was taught a bit more to those who never experience it.<p>Anyways, with some severe physical ailments myself, I may be down your path soon enough