Today is Wednesday. The last two days have been busy, or at least busy for me, ‘cos with my low energy levels life is quite slow.
Monday:
1. Summer solstice – nice to know.
2. Global Motor Neurone Disease Awareness Day – same, and as it happens I am aware of it.
3. The 21-mile run, walk, cycle, (and unofficial wheelchair) target – nothing really happened: wheelchair and weather limitations and others with dodgy knees.
4. This did happen though: Ellie, from the charity Dignity in Dying, arrived to say hello and to talk about the event planned for the next day, yesterday. We had a most interesting chat. I learned a lot from her experience with terminally ill people, their attitudes and intentions. That’s not the most uplifting of topics, but for me it was very relevant.
Tuesday, yesterday.
In the afternoon Ellie arrived again, this time with Paul from the BBC. Paul brought camera, tripod, microphone and programme-making expertise.
He interviewed me out in the roof garden – chilly, windy, grey, but he thought it would be alright.
In the previous ten days we had exchanged sample questions, agreed on the final set of twelve, and agreed my twelve answers. The texts were then fed through my IPad software, which turned them into sound – the DP e-voice. So out in the garden Paul asked the questions, I pressed the buttons to ‘speak’ the answers. And that was it.
Why? Two reasons:
1. Baroness Meacher’s Assisted Dying Bill was recently introduced in the House of Lords, and
2. August 3 will be 60 years since suicide was decriminalised in England and Wales.
Paul is interviewing a number of people. Whatever he produces will be broadcast in late July or early August. Ellie will let me know, and I’ll let you know. My part might only be a minute or two, but if it adds something to the argument I’ll be pleased.
Well done, David. We can only imagine what tiring work that must have been for you. Let’s hope the broadcast moves people in the right direction. We all have to keep fighting, in whatever small way we can.
As Meriel – well done sir. Very much hope your powerful voice is broadcast.
Sorry we didn’t do the 21 on the 21st – but we will get there… rolling and running, and Dignity in Dying. Thank you for raising awareness everyday.
But today – hope you can take it easy-ish and have a break! x
Your blog is always so uplifting even on a serious matter. It’s good to see the videos too.
The longest day 2021 – at 21.21.21 it was the 21st day in the 21st week of the 21st year in 2021. Useless information!