My wife, Shirley, and I had discussed voluntary euthanasia, impartially and objectively, on and off for some years.

Given our advancing years, we knew there was likely to be something debilitating if not terminal around the corner for one or both of us. And we felt that voluntary assisted dying (VAD) allowed at least some patients to relieve their suffering and die, as they say, with dignity.

But we never truly believed it would come any closer to us than that — a discussion.

Then my beloved was diagnosed with metastatic serous ovarian cancer.