I’m appalled at Dr. Thomas Shields’ sanctimonious attitude toward physician-assisted suicide for terminal patients.

He asked: “are these people cowards and can’t do it on their own?”

It’s not that simple.

My husband was a terminal cancer patient who couldn’t even get out of bed, never mind execute any of the methods that Dr. Shields sardonically suggested.

He died of prostate cancer that painfully spread throughout his body. Toward the end he required weekly blood transfusions. Realizing the inevitable, he decided to stop the transfusions. His doctor predicted that he would eventually go into cardiac arrest, due to the lack of blood pumping through his heart and die peacefully in his sleep.

Apparently, his heart was too strong and this expected peaceful ending was not that smooth.

He chose to starve himself to death!

By choice he went without nourishment for three weeks. He developed sores in his mouth due to lack of nourishment. His body literally started to decompose before succumbing to his last breath.

At the end he suffered 2-3 hours of agonizing hyperventilating anxiety. I guarantee you this was not a pretty sight.

He died nine years ago but every detail seems like yesterday. That haunted look and gasping sound is embedded in my mind forever. It would have been more humane to be assisted into a more genteel passing.

I challenge Dr. Shields to experience a loved one going this way.

He should be kinder and more sensitive in his remarks.

Jennie Peters, Lewiston