Asphyxiation

Thursday 26 April afternoon

"I don't fear death; I am afraid of dying." Ideally, she would wish to go a a moment of her choosing, surrounded by dear ones, in style, through a procedure that would be quick and instant. Such a demise would be hard to bring about legally in Belgium, given the circumstances. Whatius clear as a minimum condition, though, is that she wishes under no circumstances to die as a result of asphyxiation. It is not only a recurrent theme in conversations with us, with doctors and nurses, but it is a current source of anxiety. A five miligram morphine pump takes the edge of the anxiety, but it still resurges from time to time.

Right now she she is reclining in het pillow, sitting up, quietly breathing with Janis and Elisabetta stroking her hands on either side, and engaging her in soft exchanges.