Martha Sepúlveda, the Colombian woman who laughs as she prepares to receive euthanasia

This Sunday will be the last day of the life of Martha Sepulveda, a 51-year-old woman with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis who, among many other consequences and indescribable pain, deprived her of the ability to walk and move around on her own. For this reason, he turned to Colombian justice in search of a dignified and speedy death.

He did it just a few days after last Thursday July 22 The Constitutional Court confirmed that, by law, coverage of the fundamental right to die with dignity, also known as euthanasia, was extended to non-terminally ill patients.It is essential to emphasize that previously this procedure was only allowed for people with a terminal illness at an advanced stage.

And although authorizing euthanasia is a fairly complex process, Martha Sepúlveda’s PSE ultimately allowed her to be the first person in the country without a terminal illness to choose the day of her death.

“I am calmer since I received the authorization for euthanasia, I laugh more and I sleep better (…) I am a lucky woman”, she declared in an exclusive interview for Noticias Caracol .

To this happiness is opposed the opinion of the religious community to which Sepúlveda belongs, because it dictates in its principles that only God is the owner of life and, for this reason, it is that although having been a person Catholic throughout his life, he could not receive the holy oils.

However, nothing seems to obscure the joy with which Martha faces a process that for many would be unimaginable, which is why she has devoted herself in recent days to sharing with her family, enjoying the good food and the drinks, as well as finalizing the details of anything you want to keep organized in your last days of life.

“If it is from the spiritual plane, I am totally calm. I am a Catholic, I consider myself to be a very believer in God, but, I repeat, God does not want to see me suffer and I believe no one. No father wants to see his children suffer, ”added the woman in her statement for said media.

Cuando se le preguntó por su madre, pues todavía vive, advierte que ha sido lo más difícil de todo el proceso, ya que se le ha hecho difícil hear que su hija decidió morir al no hallar razón en continuar viviendo con unos insoportables dolores en todo his body.

However, the one who knew how to take it very well is his son, Federico Redondo, 22, because although he admits that it will be difficult to stop sharing with the woman who gave him life, he warns that it was much more difficult to watch her suffer from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis without being able to benefit from effective medical treatment.

“I saw it as the greatest act of love I have ever done in my life, because a priori I need my mother, I want her with me, almost in any condition, but I know in her words she no longer lives, she survives. Now, I focus on making her happy, making her laugh, recovering a bit and making sure that she stays on Earth, whatever it remains to him, that is to say a little more pleasant “, concluded the young man, lawyer in training.

While it is difficult to deal with it, the first step, in addition to being clear about your advance directive, is to engage with the family.

“Being able to communicate our wishes on the last moments of our life, and involve our loved ones, will allow us to strengthen the bonds of trust and love. Understanding the care you want to receive in an open way can make a big difference to you and your loved ones, by not making them responsible for making decisions without sufficient information, ”reads the Guide to Speaking with Your Family published by the Foundation. . for the right to die with dignity.

In addition to dialogue with the family, resolution 2665 of 2018 establishes the mechanisms for advance directive It has legal value and is respected by his relatives and by the patient’s health team, in the event that the decision is made.

The first thing that the person has to do is to fill out the corresponding forms and the downloadable forms on the website of the Ministry of Health or the Foundation for the right to die with dignity.

“This document to be valid, there are three options. The first option is that it be signed by two witnesses, two people who will certify that I make my decision freely, knowingly and knowingly. Option two, my doctor can be my witness, put your medical record. And option three, I can do it at a notary by public deed ”, The director of the foundation indicated in Noticias Caracol.

Giraldo added that the document is not a straitjacket or a paper that does not have an expiration date, as it can be canceled or changed by another that more clearly expresses a new will.

Mónica Giraldo Castaño explained in the news that once you have the document, there are several options to continue step by step:

“First option, that I can give it to my family, my friends, the people who know me, that they know that they will raise their voice for me in case I cannot transmit my will”, Explain.

The second is for the patient to take him to the doctor at each visit and say, “‘Look, doctor, I have an advance directive and I ask you to put it in the history.” So we start to create consciousness. You can send it to EPS and ask to be put in the medical history, ”the director said in the newscast.

Finally, if the person does not feel comfortable with either of the previous two options, they can take the form directly to the foundation and they will make it valid.

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