eugene stickland  

Thank you for your thoughtful response to my post last week about Catherine Mitchell. I know many of us were curious as to what would happen next with Catherine. I received this email today from Catherine’s friend Janine. I think it is self-explanatory:

Hello Dear Friends,

As you know, tomorrow is the day Catherine is scheduled for Medical Assistance in Dying. We have had some very hard days this past week, as Catherine’s health has declined significantly. Today, on the other hand, was really beautiful. Lee and Brian were with Catherine during the day and they both had marvelous visits with her. Jamie and I tucked Catherine in bed wearing a beautiful yellow nightgown her mother made for her when she was about 16 years old. The nightgown is in pristine condition, of course, and Catherine looks like a ray of sunshine in it.

Catherine’s computer stopped working this week, but we were able to access her emails on the internet. We read her the wonderful messages that many of you sent, and told her about the messages left on voicemail. She was so grateful. She said she felt ‘so very blessed to have billions and billions and billions of good friends.’

Jamie and I cried and cried, and recited her favourite prayer with her for the last time—Now I lay me down to sleep…

It was wonderful to see her so at ease.

Catherine asked us to share this message with you tonight:

“Goodbye my dear friends. I am at peace.
I feel how I imagine the young Christa McAuliffe must have felt preparing to launch on the space shuttle Challenger: full of enthusiasm and just a bit of trepidation. Like the beautiful albatross, I hope to be gliding on the thermals with my dear dear Theo.
I leave you with this prayer: please forgive me, I forgive you, thank you, I love you, goodbye.”

Sharing the beauty and sorrow of grief with all of you,
Janine and Jamie

So there it is. Sad day, with the news of Anthony Bourdain taking his life — 61 years old, the same age as me.

We may as well live while we can friends, as well as we can.

Thanks for reading.