The Afternoon My Mother Said, "I Think It's Time"

Please note: this story includes a chosen end of life and the death of a parent.

Oliver Christen's mother sat down with him after lunch, over a cup of tea. She said, "I think it's time." She had been a member of Exit, a Swiss organization that supports assisted dying, for fifteen years. Now she wanted to call them, and she asked if he would support her.

Oliver said yes. He also told her he would never choose it for himself. They found a slower path that gave her a choice every day, and he moved in to be with her.

In this part of his conversation on The Life Shift, Oliver talks about the stent that gave her two more good years, the day she said "It's enough," and the small things she let go of at the end, from her favorite soup to cross-country skiing.

Full episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EgymlUVA94

Oliver Christen grew up in a small Swiss town. Over two decades he travelled widely and built businesses across four continents. He returned to Switzerland to be closer to his parents, and he supported his mother through her intentional end of life. He wrote As She Chose, his first book.
Website: https://www.choosingtogo.com
Social: @oliverchristen

If you are grieving, or struggling with thoughts of suicide, you do not have to carry it alone. In the US, you can call or text 988 any time.

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