Eurika Strotto has always led an active life.
Growing up in South Africa, Eurika played field hockey for her high school and college teams. She also became a judo champion.
This is the midday edition and I am Maureen Cavanaugh . The new end of life law. Kenny Goldberg introduced us to Eunika Strotto who suffers from ALS. Eunika Strotto has always had an active life. Growing up in south Africa, she played field hockey for high school and college teams. She became a judo camping -- champion. So her wife need a was not surprised when it came to remodeling their University Heights home. She decided she wanted to knock out a load bearing wall but we had to leave the post. So she figured all well it is just as good looking as well but then she started to tackle on the bathroom. During this project, she suddenly develop problems with her feet. We finished the bathroom and we got married and a week later she was diagnosed with ALS. Last year when we met Eunika Strotto she was using a wheelchair but she could breathe on her own . But now she has to use oxygen. Eunika Strotto sufficient -- physician goes through the protocol on administering the lethal drug. By close friends are getting married on the 11th. Eunika Strotto was planning to take advantage of California end-of-life act as soon as it went into effect . She said she is going to fill the prescription and take her own life. It will not be doom and gloom until the final movement. --- Moment. There is a trip, dinner with friends and family. Sure they will not be able to do everything they want to do but who does? Need -- Nita said they never really talked about death before Eunika Strotto was diagnosed with ALS. And Nita does not have the bandwidth to deal with things right now. I am a full time -- taking on passing of my life partner, my wife, the love of my life, I best friend. That is why they are spending a lot of their remaining time together. I have done a lot in my life and we have done a lot together since we have been together. Life was just cut short. But life has been fantastic. Kenny Goldberg joins me right now. You captured some very emotional moments. What was the overall atmosphere at her home? Was a somber? I would say it was not. They were watching nature documentaries around the fireplace. They have a wonderful backyard patio. We interviewed Nita out there in the trees. They are not always in two years. The adoption of this law was so drawn out that it grabbed a lot of peoples attention. This new law, allows people 18 years and older with a terminal disease to have a lethal injection. But they do have to drop through -- jump through a lot of hoops. You have to be declared mentally competent. They have to be diagnosed by two physicians. There are so many things that people have to do in order to use the law. What I recall about it there was a significant opposition for the right to die in California. What were some of the concerned? Some of the religious groups especially the Catholics. They said it was the role of God or something like that. Do you think they would be manipulated into choosing? There is a lot of extreme observation --. As I recall, the push for the right to die in California. It has been in the background for a long time. It started with Courtney Meaner. She moved to Oregon so that she could have the option to end her life. Are you saying that this is based on Oregon? Yes, Oregon was the first. Washington has the law now. Now California. What did the state find out -- because I was reading something earlier about Oregon. Apparently people have requested the medication and actually used it. For example in 2014, 155 people in the United States -- in order again, took advantage of the life -- end-of-life mitigation. They make the decision but they do not have to take it. We heard that the doctor was reading Eunika Strotto the procedures. What else needs to happen? The patient has to make two verbal request at least two weeks a part. And they have to be deemed competent. They have to have a psychological exam. You have to sign sums -- some forms in front of witnesses. They have the option of not feeling the prescription, once they fill it. They do have to self administer the medication. If someone is to Acetate at two -- incapacitated to take that drug, no one else can administer it. So they have to take it themselves? So they have to be healthy enough. That is why she is struggling because she does not want to get too far long gone where she cannot take the medication herself. She does not want to lose her faculties to the extent that she cannot even administer the drug herself. As I said Kenny this is a very emotional piece. Did they tell you why they want this personal event to be public? They did not. And we did not ask. But they gave us permission. And we identify Eunika Strotto through her doctor. I was speaking with 89.5 KPBS health reporter Kenny Goldberg.
So her wife, Nita, wasn’t surprised that when it came time to remodel their University Heights home, Eurika did most of the work herself — starting with the kitchen.
“She decided she wanted to knock out the load-bearing wall, but we had to leave the post," Nita Strotto said. "So she figured out, well, why don’t we just put the post in the middle of the bar counter, and it ended up looking really good.”
Then Eurika tackled a bathroom.
“And she actually, herself, tore out all the old bathroom, and then rebuilt the walls up to the sheetrock," Nita said.
It was during this project in 2013 that Eurika suddenly had problems with one of her feet.
"We really thought that it was just a sprain, or some sort of weakness thing," Nita said. "We finished the bathroom, and got married. And then a week later she was diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis).”
When we first profiled Eurika last fall, she was living in a wheelchair. But she had no trouble breathing.
These days, because her diaphragm muscles are so weak, Eurika needs a machine to help her breathe most of the time. The way she figures, it won’t be long before she’ll lose the ability to swallow.
“This advance directive states, I’m choosing to self-administer medication to bring about my peaceful and humane death under the California Aid-in-Dying Act, end-of-life option ..."
The Strottos listen intently as Eurika's physician, Dr. Sunita Shailam, fills a requirement of the new law by reading them a statement that Eurika will have to sign before she can get a prescription for a lethal dose of drugs. Sitting in Shailam's office, the couple hold hands as the family medicine doctor describes the different medications Strotto will be advised to take on that final day: an anti-nausea drug, an anti-anxiety pill, and then a handful of barbiturates crushed up and dissolved in a glass of water.
Eurika was planning to take advantage of California’s End of Life Option Act as soon as it went into effect. But some close friends are getting married June 11.
“The law takes effect the ninth. And then, ah, well, if it wasn’t ... if it wasn’t for their wedding," she sobbed, "I probably would have exercised my right sooner. But I don’t want to spoil their wedding.”
Right after that, Eurika said she’ll fill the prescription, and take her own life.
However, it won’t be all doom and gloom until the final moment. After all, she and Nita still have a lot of living to do.
There’s a trip to Morro Bay. Some dinners with friends and family. Sure, they won’t be able to do everything they’ve wanted to do. But who does?
Nita said they never really talked about death before Eurika was diagnosed with ALS. Since then, the topic has been unavoidable.
“And it’s weird, how it hasn’t diminished the beauty of life at all," Nita said. "In fact, if anything, it’s highlighted how awesome our lives have been, independently and together.”
Nita said even though her father is dying in an assisted living center, she just doesn’t have the emotional bandwidth to deal with that right now.
“I’m full-time taking on the passing of my life partner, my wife, the love of my life, my best friend," Nita said. "And it’s really becoming close to the end now, and I’m still not really thinking about her dying. I’m thinking about her being alive right now and in the living room. And that that’s where I want to be.”
So that’s where they’re spending a lot of their remaining time together — in the living room in the house that Eurika remodeled herself.
"Yeah, I’ve done a lot in my life, and we’ve done a lot since we’ve been together," Eurika said. "And I don’t regret any of it. It’s been cut a little short," she cried. "But it’s been fantastic.”
