B次元官网网址淗ello. This is Sally Scales. S-c-a-l-e-s. IB次元官网网址檓 in Salmon Arm and I am preparing to die tomorrow,B次元官网网址� said the message on the voice mail.

The message was left overnight Monday, July 3 at the Salmon Arm Observer office.

Sally was one of the more than 400 British Columbians to use the Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) service since it became legal in Canada in June of 2016.

In her voice message, Sally said she was being blocked from using MAiD by her landlord because some tenants at Arbor Lodge seniorsB次元官网网址� residence did not want it to happen there.

Her son Peter Scales telephoned the newspaper July 4 to explain his mother had been moved to Bastion Place care facility where the assisted dying would go ahead.

She died at 11:30 that morning, as scheduled.

Peter says his mother had been in favour of medical assistance in dying since 1993 when Canadian Sue Rodriguez, who was suffering from ALS B次元官网网址� amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou GehrigB次元官网网址檚 disease, took her legal battle for assisted suicide to the Supreme Court of Canada. Although she lost her case in a 5-4 decision, she took her own life in 1994 with the help of an anonymous physician.

Peter says his mom remembered when Rodriguez asked, B次元官网网址榃hose body is this?B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址淪he said itB次元官网网址檚 my own body and I hope the law can change in time for me.B次元官网网址�

He recalls that later Sally read an article by an oncologist who said he hoped to die at 75. As former owner of the Lakeshore B次元官网网址, Sally then wrote a column stating sheB次元官网网址檇 like to die at 85. Peter says people around town, including some from her church, told her quietly of similar wishes.

B次元官网网址淪he knew she wasnB次元官网网址檛 alone in wanting to die at her own time and of her own choosing.B次元官网网址�

Sally underwent open heart surgery 11 years ago, receiving a new valve and a quadruple bypass. At that time, B次元官网网址渟he said again and again that she was never going through that again.B次元官网网址�

Peter said Sally watched both her brothers die and her mother die of heart attacks.

B次元官网网址淪he knew how the story was going to end.B次元官网网址�

The new valve Sally got worked well for about 10 years, but then it wore out B次元官网网址渢hrough no fault of the medical profession.B次元官网网址�

Although she was offered another valve, she refused.

B次元官网网址淪he was done. She was 79. She didnB次元官网网址檛 make it to her 85th.B次元官网网址�

Her heart was operating at a maximum 20 per cent efficiency, so she was short of breath, B次元官网网址榩uffingB次元官网网址� and anxious a lot, Peter says.

B次元官网网址淚t would scare her as maybe this was the time she was going to die.B次元官网网址�

As is required under the MAiD process, Sally filled out the application. She was assessed by a Salmon Arm doctor on June 23, says Peter. Then on June 28, a Revelstoke doctor assessed her in her room at Arbor Lodge. Later they agreed on a date of 11 a.m. July 4 to carry out MAiD in her room.

Peter says Sally was anxious about the paperwork.

B次元官网网址淭here was less than she probably imagined, but itB次元官网网址檚 certainly paperwork that needs to be done correctly. I think the whole MAiD community, the MAiD providers, are being appropriately extra careful. They donB次元官网网址檛 want to be seen as killing people, but rather ending suffering.B次元官网网址�

Did Sally ever have second thoughts?

B次元官网网址淣o, that wasnB次元官网网址檛 her style. She didnB次元官网网址檛 have second thoughts about anything,B次元官网网址� he smiles.

Peter says her family was supportive of her decision.

The only glitch was being informed on July 3 that she wouldnB次元官网网址檛 be permitted to die at Arbor Lodge, he says.

B次元官网网址淪he was so happy she could die in her home B次元官网网址� which was Arbor B次元官网网址� surrounded by her things.B次元官网网址�

Peter sees the lodgeB次元官网网址檚 decision as hurtful.

B次元官网网址淚t seemed like when we wanted to deal with just our mom and our grief, we had this needless logistical detail that seemed really cruel.B次元官网网址�

A note to Sally from operations manager Christina Lutz stated, in part: B次元官网网址淩espectfully, I do have to take into consideration the general feeling this sets about the house and the opinions of the other residents who live under this roof. Therefore, we will not allow this event to happen here and respectfully request that you find an alternate site.B次元官网网址�

Peter says his family scrambled on a long weekend to change locations and Bastion Place was very helpful in accommodating them.

Lutz reiterated in a telephone interview that some residents didnB次元官网网址檛 like the plan.

B次元官网网址淪ally was saying what was happening and the other people who lived here were not comfortable with it.B次元官网网址�

Lutz said the lodge was happy to have Sally as a resident for nearly a year.

B次元官网网址淪he brought spice and laughter and good feelings to our home and we wish the family well.B次元官网网址�

SallyB次元官网网址檚 three children B次元官网网址� Peter, Richard and Linda, and three of her five grandchildren were present during her final hours.

He says a nurse and physician attended, the nurse inserting an intravenous (IV) line.

B次元官网网址淪he arrived and made sure that Sally was comfy and well-positioned on the bed. She stayed with Sally until the doctor was ready,B次元官网网址� Peter says.

Peter and his niece then watched the doctor prepare the syringes, labelling them to have them in the right order.

When it was time to administer the drugs, Peter and his niece left the doctor and Sally alone in the room.

B次元官网网址淢y mom was an old nurse; she said only professionalsB次元官网网址�, the rest of you be somewhere else.B次元官网网址�

He said SallyB次元官网网址檚 family was allowed to go in after 12 minutes.

Peter describes MAiD as compassionate and efficient.

B次元官网网址淚 am so glad it was available. I think we were all gladB次元官网网址� We had watched mom suffer for far too long.B次元官网网址�

He said Sally thanked all the staff, but also asked them their life stories.

B次元官网网址淪he was true to form, right to the last minute.B次元官网网址�

Peter is a historian by occupation and one of his greatest personal interests is religion and beliefs.

B次元官网网址淚 think itB次元官网网址檚 a measure of a compassionate society,B次元官网网址� he says of assisted dying. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a tough moral quandary for each person and for society. Is it more compassionate to extend life or to end suffering? In SallyB次元官网网址檚 case she saw it as ending suffering, not ending life.B次元官网网址�

Peter says heB次元官网网址檚 grateful his family could prepare for SallyB次元官网网址檚 death and spend time with her, knowing what was coming. On the practical side, he says it allows families to put papers in order, to learn important details such as where the will is located.

Interior Health provides statistics for B.C.

From the start of MAiD in June 2016 to May 31 this year, the BC CoronerB次元官网网址檚 Service has recorded 66 MAiD deaths in Interior Health and 435 in B.C. IH states it cannot provide numbers of individual communities because of small numbers and privacy concerns.

IH also states there is no designated location where MAiD can occur. To date in IH, itB次元官网网址檚 been provided in individual homes, in hospitals, in residential care facilities and in hospice locations.

B次元官网网址淭here may be times, given this is still a relatively new service in IH and in B.C., where there are challenges in accommodating MAiD in a specific locationB次元官网网址�,B次元官网网址� wrote an IH spokesperson in an email. B次元官网网址淚n those cases, we would work with patients and families to find the best possible alternate location.B次元官网网址�

Trailblazing was not new to Sally Scales. Peter recounts a favourite memory of his momB次元官网网址檚 nursing career.

When she came to Salmon Arm from St. PaulB次元官网网址檚 Hospital in Vancouver, he says, she discovered that all the nurses were wearing skirts and starched caps, rather than the more practical pants the St. PaulB次元官网网址檚 nurses were wearing.

Peter says the administrator shouted at her. He referred to the nurses as B次元官网网址渉is girlsB次元官网网址� and said he liked them in the uniforms.

B次元官网网址淭hat gave my mom her first crusade in Salmon Arm,B次元官网网址� Peter says. B次元官网网址淪he hated being called a girl, especially by a hospital administrator. I think she might have taken it from a doctor.B次元官网网址�

In speaking publicly about medically assisted dying, Peter hopes his motherB次元官网网址檚 story will help reduce the stigma about death and MAiD.

B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e separate but interwoven. A lot of people have trouble talking, not necessarily about MAiD, but about death. ItB次元官网网址檚 part of life and itB次元官网网址檚 inevitable.B次元官网网址�