I was sitting with my mother when she passed. It was not the kind of death I would have wished for her. She was under palliative sedation, which took away all opportunities to have those final words, those final goodbyes. She seemed without pain, which was a blessing, but it was not easy to watch. I often thought about how much suffering we let our loved ones go through at the end of life. It is painful for the one passing, but just as hard for the loved ones standing by helplessly watching and wishing they could make the suffering go away.

We don’t let our pets suffer. We call the vet and make an informed decision to spare them from any unnecessary pain. Why can’t we do this for our loved ones? It seems barbaric at times because not everyone has the blessing of an easy death.

Years ago, I heard the story of Brittany Maynard, a young woman who at 29 years of age faced a terminal diagnosis and made headlines by choosing the route of Medical Aid in Dying. She captured my heart with her beauty, her bravery in standing up for her decision and in advocating for others. With the time she had left she advocated for the legalization of Medial Aid in Dying, which at that point was only available in four states.

Her story touched me deeply and that is why I am even more excited about this interview.

In today’s episode, I am speaking with Dan Diaz, Brittany’s husband, who carries on her legacy in advocating for a legalization of Medical Aid in Dying. And we are joined by Brandi Alexander, one of his colleagues at Compassion and Choices, a wonderful organization that carries forward the mission of expanding end-of life care options for everyone by going straight to the top and advocating for changes on a federal level.

We will talk about Brittany and her legacy and have a closer look at Medical Aid in Dying and how words like “euthanasia” and “physician assisted suicide” are often stigmatized and weaponized by its opponents.

I really hope this episode reaches a lot of people and opens up conversations at your dinner table, among friends and family about your own life choices.

I remember the day my dad called me to tell me that I should come home. My mom was not getting better. There is something to be said about the mental state one goes into upon receiving a potentially terminal diagnosis. Everything changes in this one instance, when the end of life turns from an if, a possibility far off in the future, to a when with a ticking clock. It goes way beyond the physical symptoms that go along with a disease and has more to do with the feelings and emotions, the worry and isolation one might feel at this point in life.  

Unfortunately traditional medicine pays little to no regard to the mental state of a patient, while all efforts focus on the physical needs.  

But in recent years scientific studies have turned their attention to a humble little mushroom in search of a solution. I am talking about Magic Mushrooms. Their active component, Psilocybin, might be the answer to alleviating emotional distress and depression at the end of life. 

I cannot even explain how exciting this subject is to me. When my mom was in hospital with cancer, I wish we had had that option. It might have made everything a lot easier – for her, for me and my dad. Who knows. 

What I do know is that mental health problems are rising worldwide – not only at the end of life - and we must realize that our current traditional Mental Health models continue to fail our most vulnerable populations. Alternative approaches such as psychedelic psychotherapy with psychedelics such as psilocybin, MDMA or Ketamine have a huge potential and often alleviate symptoms with a single dose in a controlled environment.  

What I find fascinating about human emotions such as grief, is that every one of us deals with them differently. Some people shut down and deal internally with their feelings, others need the support and shoulders of friends and family. But sometimes it is this deep emotional turmoil, that gives birth to some of the most amazing pieces of art because some people work through their grief by writing, painting or singing about it.

It is those songs born out of pure emotions that give me all the feels. Those are the songs that make me cry, give me goosebumps or just allow me to travel down memory lane. It really got me curious about the creative process that goes into writing and performing from a place of grief. 

And I was lucky enough to meet just the right person to talk to.

Gina Harris is a singer/songwriter and actor who has performed in theaters and jazz clubs in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. 

Gina has done just that – she wrote a solo musical called “The Magic of Ordinary Things,” where she addresses her thoughts and emotions of dealing with her own grief after the loss of her parents and her singing teacher Lilian. Her music, grown from her jazz and blues roots, is magical and dreamy. Her lyrics are haunting, nostalgic and deep. 

I was curious to have a look behind the scenes and find out more about her creative process and how she was able to blend love, grief and hope into music.

A big THANK YOU to Reiner Erlings for the music. 
www.reinererlings.com