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Terminally ill Missouri woman, 79, taking trip to Switzerland for assisted suicide

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Terminally ill Missouri woman, 79, taking trip to Switzerland for assisted suicide

A terminally ill Missouri woman is planning to go to Switzerland to end her own life in a physician-assisted death while she is still physically capable of making the trip.

Gayle Hendrix, a 79-year-old mother of two from Cape Girardeau, was diagnosed with lupus and interstitial lung disease four years ago and says her lung capacity continues to worsen.

“I’ve had a great life, and I want to have some dignity when I’m going to the next phase,” she told 12 KFVS.

After her diagnosis, she says her shortness of breath continued to become worse and was breathing heavily even on flat surfaces.

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A doctor prepares a syringe with “Thiopental” a barbiturate that is used in the practice of euthanasia in a hospital in Belgium, on February 1, 2024. (Getty Images)

“My friends will say, ‘But you don’t look or sound or act like somebody who is near death.’ But I am dying, and that’s what I want to control,” she said. 

“I don’t want to get to the point of, ‘This is existing, not living,’” Hendrix continued. 

Hendrix must use an oxygen machine and can only walk short distances.

She had lived an active lifestyle before her diagnosis, which included traveling a lot for work, hiking and riding a bicycle.

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“She was always busy, always … She always either had three jobs or she was going somewhere, like to concerts or festivals,” her daughter, Charlene Foeste, told the news station.

Hendrix, who is originally from North Carolina, is now a retiree after having had a career in human resources. She also lived in other locations during her career before returning to Missouri.

“I would love to say I was a poet, a painter and a musician … I have nothing in that arena,” Hendrix said with a laugh. “So, I think that’s why I took up walking because I can walk. I was an avid walker, anywhere from three to five miles a day … every day up until about three years ago.”

Following her retirement, Hendrix grew bored and went back to work during the pandemic as a contact tracer. She recently retired again, as she prepares for her next chapter.

“It is going to be hard, but I know that, and I know sort of what to expect and what the end result is going to be for sure,” Foeste said.

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Hendrix and Foeste will board an airplane this week for a flight to Switzerland where Hendrix will end her life on Sept. 26 through assisted suicide.

“When I started seeing more and more decline, like monthly, I can tell this is not as good as it was last month. I knew then if I wanted to do it when I’m still able to walk in and still make the trip, then I need to do it soon,” Hendrix said.

Physician-assisted death is legal in the U.S. in ten states and Washington, D.C. All but two of these places have residency requirements, with the exceptions being Vermont and Oregon.

A disability campaigner from the Dignity in Dying group holds a placard as she demonstrates in central London, on April 29, 2024, during a gathering in favor of the proposals to legalize assisted suicide in the U.K. (Getty Images)

But Hendrix is choosing to end her life in another country because, among other rules and regulations, a patient must have six months or less to live to undergo assisted suicide where it is legal in the U.S.

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“I don’t want to wait that long,” Hendrix said. “I don’t want to get that sick.”

Even before her diagnosis, Hendrix had spent decades advocating for the right to assisted suicide, including by becoming involved with groups like Compassion and Choices, a nonprofit that works to increase access to so-called death with dignity.

She filled out the paperwork for her assisted death this past spring and was planning to make the trip to Switzerland in August, but she had to push her timeline back due to a lack of open spots for the procedure during that time.

“They put an IV in your arm and the first medicine that goes through puts you to sleep and the second one stops all body functions,” Hendrix said. “They have some kind of button on the IV, you have to be able to push that button and that starts the fluid. In five minutes it’s done.”

When her life ends, she will be cremated and her remains will be shipped back to Missouri in a couple of weeks.

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Hendrix said she is not nervous about the trip, but acknowledges the impact her death will have on her family.

“It’s a huge loss, a huge loss for us,” Foeste said. “It’s not going to be the same. It’s just not.”

Hendrix said she has had tough conversations with friends and family who do not support her decision to end her life through assisted suicide, including some who believe what she is doing is morally wrong.

“Some of them are religious, and, you know, have some views, but I think because I’ve been open about it for so long around people, they weren’t shocked,” Hendrix said.

Her daughter is among the people who do not support her decision to end her life.

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Campaigners from the Dignity in Dying organization rally in support of the right of assisted dying as Members of Parliament debate in Commons proposals to change the law on assisted dying in London, United Kingdom on April 29, 2024. (Getty Images)

“I can’t say I agree with her decision, I don’t,” Foeste said. “But, it’s not my choice. I do love her and support her and there’s no way on the planet my mom is going to do this alone, no way.”

“I love her and support her 100%, no matter what,” Foeste added. “She knows that, my kids know that, and I just wish more people were like that.”

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Hendrix said she is aware she could potentially miss out on more quality living, but does not want to run the risk of ending up in a hospital bed.

“I just am peaceful about my decision, and it’s the right thing for me and my body,” Hendrix said.

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Katie Couric couldn’t remember the year or the president during frightening brain episode

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Katie Couric couldn’t remember the year or the president during frightening brain episode

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Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27.

In a post on Substack titled “The Day I’ll Never Remember,” she detailed a sudden episode that left her unable to recall the current month, year and president.

“I thought it was 2024. And I believed Joe Biden was president,” she wrote.

ONE WALKING HABIT COULD SIGNAL A HEALTHIER BRAIN AFTER 80, SCIENTISTS SAY

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The event occurred while Couric was attending the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado, during which she participated in two public panels — one on AI and one on journalism — both of which she cannot remember at all.

“I have no idea what we talked about, or of what occurred when the panels ended,” she said.

Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27. (Getty Images)

John Molner — Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels — also shared his account.

After the event, someone told Molner that Katie wasn’t feeling well. When he reached her, an EMT and a doctor were tending to her. “I could tell something was off,” he wrote. “It could have been altitude sickness, but Katie was definitely not all there.”

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At the hospital, when Couric struggled to recall the year, the president and her grandchildren’s names, doctors began checking for a stroke.

An MRI revealed no signs of stroke, which was a relief, but “Katie’s ‘fog’ became a lot more apparent,” Molner wrote.

John Molner, Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels, also shared his account. (Getty Images)

“She repeatedly asked me the same questions: ‘What was I doing before we got to the hospital?’ ‘Why am I at the hospital?’”

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Couric was ultimately diagnosed with transient global amnesia, a sudden, temporary episode of memory loss that prevents a person from forming new memories and may also erase some recent memories, according to Mayo Clinic.

“The cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself.”

It is not caused by a stroke, seizure or head injury, and it usually resolves completely within 24 hours.

“[It’s] just a very weird neural episode that’s pretty uncommon and, at least in most cases, is a ‘one and done’ experience,” Molner said.

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Couric said she finally began feeling “like herself” again around 9 p.m. and went to sleep at 2 a.m.

As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.”

As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.” (Getty Images)

Data shows that approximately three to eight people per 100,000 will have an episode of transient global amnesia, with people 50 years of age and older at higher risk.

The specific cause of TGA is not known, but some experts believe it stems from a “temporary dysfunction in the brain’s hippocampus — the area responsible for creating new memories,” Couric shared.

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“Doctors believe this is driven by brief interruptions in blood or oxygen flow, or microscopic spasm in the blood vessels.”

Episodes could potentially be triggered by intense physical exertion, emotional distress, extreme temperature changes or migraines, experts say.

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Approximately 15% of patients will have a recurrence 10 years later.

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“Why did this happen to me? Was the altitude an issue? Was I dehydrated? Tired? Stressed? The literature doesn’t seem to indicate that these are contributing factors, but the cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself,” Couric wrote.

Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise. (iStock)

“All I know is that those hours will be forever lost. Someone described it as my brain failing to hit the ‘record button.’”

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“While this was a freaky occurrence, it could have been much more serious. So ultimately, I’m relieved — even though several hours of a Saturday in June will always be missing for me.”

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Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise.

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One walking habit could signal a healthier brain after 80, scientists say

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One walking habit could signal a healthier brain after 80, scientists say

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Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers.

That’s according to a recent study led by Stony Brook Medicine in New York, which evaluated the cognitive function of 4,000 adults 80 and over who participated in multiple aging and longevity studies over several years.

Among this group, 6% to 10% were classified as super movers, which means they walk at a much faster pace than others of the same age and gender — at speeds comparable to people three decades younger.

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The super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed.

The findings were published in the journal Neurology on June 16.

Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers. (iStock)

“The study reinforces that mobility and brain health are closely connected,” lead study author Dr. Joe Verghese, MD, neurologist at Stony Brook Medicine, told Fox News Digital. “This suggests that preserving mobility may be an important marker of healthy brain aging and resilience.”

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The most intriguing finding, according to Verghese, was that super movers maintained cognitive function despite having similar dementia-related brain changes as their peers.

In postmortem brain analysis, there was no difference in dementia-related pathologies between the super movers and the slower walkers, the study stated.

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“This suggests they may possess resilience mechanisms that help preserve brain function even in the presence of age-related changes,” he said. “Understanding these resilience factors could lead to new strategies for promoting healthy brain aging.”

As the study was observational, there were some limitations, and it does not prove that walking faster prevents dementia, the researchers noted.

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Super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed. (iStock)

“Other factors, such as cardiovascular health, physical fitness or genetics, may also contribute to both faster walking and better cognitive outcomes,” Verghese said.

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This study adds to growing evidence that what’s good for the heart and muscles also benefits the brain, he noted, adding that “staying physically active remains one of the most effective, evidence-based ways to support healthy aging.”

“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment.”

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“The broader message is that physical activity is important at any age,” Verghese said. “Walking is an easy step-up point because you don’t need any special equipment. You can do it inside or outdoors, and you can do it on a regular basis. You can walk with a dog, you can walk with a friend.”

Any activity is beneficial if it’s done regularly and with the right intensity, he added.

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Rather than just trying to walk faster, the neurologist recommends that seniors focus on maintaining mobility through regular physical activity, strength training, balance exercises and good cardiovascular health.

“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment,” Verghese noted.

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Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking.

Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking. (iStock)

This can be achieved by walking 30 minutes a day, five days a week, or about 20 to 25 minutes most days. Another option is to engage in shorter sessions that add up over the day.

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“You have to do it within your health limitations and medical conditions,” Verghese advised. “So if there are any medical concerns, I would get your physician to clear you before starting exercise.” The good thing about walking, he added, is that you can start at a slow pace and then gradually build up to a brisker pace.

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“And then adding on strength and balance training, whatever age you are, I think is also important.”

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I Tried the Viral Gelatin Weight-Loss Recipe—Here’s My Honest Take

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I Tried the Viral Gelatin Weight-Loss Recipe—Here’s My Honest Take


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I Tried the Viral Gelatin Weight-Loss Recipe: Does It Really Work?




















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