In Love by Amy Bloom

Amy Bloom is a well known fiction writer who here pens a story from her own life, which is that of helping her husband to kill himself legally after a devastating diagnosis. This is a very tough read, no matter your age, and for me, almost exactly the age of the author's husband when his early onset dementia has progressed to the point that if he is going to be able to do an assisted suicide legally anywhere, he has to act then and there. There is a lot of anguish here, which is understandable, and it is not the very best writing that the author has produced, which is understandable given the subject. There is a surprising amount of humor, as well as some nuts and bolts information for the reader to follow if they should find themselves in this situation. I did not fully grasp this, but the right to die in the United States, which is only an option in a handful of states, only applies if you have six months or less to die and (this is an important and) can administer the fatal dose yourself. Unfortunately dementia, especially in a relatively young and healthy body, is characterized by the mind (and therefore free will) leaving the building long before the house lights are ready to go down, so to speak, and is therefore was not an option for them. So it is a tale of seeking out the available options, getting in the queue to be evaluated, and being able to afford the expense, all to help someone you care deeply for to end their life. There is a lot of dignity on display here that I am not sure I could mirror in similar circumstances, but it is well worth reading and thinking about.