Death With Dignity: The Case for Legalizing Physician-Assisted
Dying and Euthanasia, by Robert Orfali is dedicated to the loving memory of
his wife, Jeri Edwards Orfali. Robert Orfali
clearly states his book is not about Jeri, but rather he uses her life and what
she went through as an example to interpret the matrix of laws, cultural taboos
and religious concerns people currently confront when faced with a terminal
illness. Like a 58 faceted diamond,
Robert Orfali shines the light of understanding, logic and honesty through each
of the prismatic cuts on the issue of terminal illness; revealing a spectrum of
colors of clarity of thought, determinations and options. He has an uncanny ability to “peel the onion” of such a complex
situation, layer-by- layer, into meaningful and easily understandable
deductions of reason. What one gets
from reading this book is a sober reality-check on how to deal with the end of
life decisions, events and protocols of caring for the critically terminally
ill, or yourself.
This book is for everyone, not just those currently fighting
a disease, as “we all are only one heartbeat away from death.” Mortality is the common dominator of all
life. If we have self-control granted to
us for how we live, why are we faced with no decision when it comes to how to
die? The concepts of euthanasia, both
self-administered and physician-administered are key discussion points
throughout Death With Dignity. The
States of Oregon and Washington, and the Netherlands prove most pro-active in
their humane approach to administer the drug Nembutal; a 100% effective and
painless drug used to cease life. The
legal pre-requisites and procedures necessary along with the patients’
decisions are clearly identified to result in a lawful self-administered
death. This may be viewed as suicide to some, or if
assisted brought under the umbrella of murder, however Robert Orfali removes
all of the religious and sociological “spin” on the topic.
It is truly beyond the scope of this review to even scratch
the surface of the minutiae of detail, scores of examples and postures of
reason brought forth in this expertly written book. Suffice to say this is the most comprehensive
and thought-provoking current research I have seen on the issue, as well as an
easily assimilated platform for understanding the complexity surrounding
suicide. The humble and sensitive
character of Robert Orfali is revealed “between the lines,” as one reads many
of his transcripts of conversations with his late wife. Can this book help people suffering from
cancer? Certainly; but that’s not only why
it was written. It helps all
people. It helps the patients, their
families, the medical profession and society when the issues within Death With Dignity are openly discussed
and understood.
Professionally footnoted in a scientific literary fashion, the book has appendixes with data on further reading available, helpful organizations, websites and more. Robert Orfali has certainly taken time to bring an expert understanding quickly to those who need to know this information - to some before it is too late.
