Who I am must disappear.

Such is the predicament of consciousness.

Awareness of our mortality, especially as death approaches, creates existential pain.

The ego naturally rails against its annihilation.

Medical assistance in dying (euthanasia) can be used to ameliorate existential distress. But this actually prevents the process of deconstructing one's ego which is an essential part of dying. Such an intervention is more ego, ego expressed through the medical system in its valiant, but sometimes misplaced, fight against death. Not all suffering can be addressed medically.

Two years after I made this photo essay for my father, he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. He quickly went into cognitive decline and lost most of his speech. While often confused, he was still himself right up until the end. He received excellent medical care throughout his illness. Six years after I took these photos, he shuffled upstairs for the last time and stopped taking food and water. He died a few days later on 8 Aug, 2010 in his home with loved ones by his side. It was a good death. It was the first passing I witnessed. He was 74. I finally understood the shortness of life.

captions added  7 Jun, 2019