Terry Pratchett: Choosing to Die Page #4

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Yeah. I think that's probably

really all I can say

without repeating myself.

My wife is not a fan of assisted

dying and would rather not

talk about it on camera.

Like me, she is practical.

Like me, there are some things

about assisted dying

that she is nervous of.

'I think my wife would prefer

to look after me through

my illness until the very end.

'For many people,

an alternative to assisted death

is going into a hospice to die.

'I went to meet a man who, like

Peter, has motor neurone disease,

'but, unlike Peter, has chosen

to spend his days in a hospice.'

Hello, Mick!

Hello, fella. How you doing?

You are a taxi driver, aren't you?

Yeah. You were.

I still am, in me head.

I'm unbeatable. Can you still

drive around London in your head?

In me head, yeah. You tell

me where you want to go.

I'd like to go

to the Athenaeum Club, please.

Woolwich Road... Yeah.

..Greek Bridge,

Jamaica Road, Tower Bridge...

Coming from... Yeah.

..left down the Embankment... Right.

..on the left, Athenaeum Club.

That's right.

LAUGHTER:

Do you have a lot

of happy memories?

Ah, I have a million happy memories.

I don't.

They're disappearing

at a reasonable rate.

I find myself thinking, "Well,

I'm not doing too bad right now."

You're doing great, same as me. I

think that's the biggest compliment,

is when people come up and say,

"Seven and a half year

you've had motor neurone?

Cor, you're looking good for that."

I'm a believer in assisted suicide.

I believe you should be allowed

if you think, and your

family think, it's right,

then you should be allowed to do it.

But I would say to people...

And I actually got in touch

with Switzerland,

before I came to the hospice. Right.

But then I looked at it

on a more positive side...

and I thought, "Well, let's

have another roll of the dice."

And I'm lucky, cos I had the hospice

to fall on. Right.

That's been my saviour. Right.

The hospice came to MY rescue.

So you've got to say to yourself,

"Yeah, come on then,

let's have some of that.

"Yeah, come on, let's see

what you can do to help me."

Well, when IS the end?

Will I know when the end is?

What would you say, then, Terry,

would be your close to the end?

Not being able to dictate any more,

not being able to be a writer

any more. Oh, for sure.

Not being able to communicate.

If someone decides they want to go,

then they should be allowed

to go peacefully and...

So do you think people don't die

peacefully in hospices?

I would not wish to burden my wife.

Your wife might want

to look after you.

She says she does, but I know...

Why don't you believe her?

No, no, no...

She says she does. I know she does.

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