suicide Archives - The Queer KYD

October 17, 2026October 24, 2026

The MAID is Dead. Clean Up After Yourself.

(Author’s Note: I’m posting this one on my own, partially because my editor is enjoying 3 weeks in Bali, and I would never bug her. The other reason is I forgot to pay her. I have to beg forgiveness. I’m getting worse every day I get older, one more thing I forgot to do.

So please forgive my short-term screwups, typos and run on sentences)

MAID in Canada is not an option for those of us chronically depressed. Not a chance in hell of using that as a solution to mental misery. That is MAID is not an option if mental illness is the only thing that’s destroying your quality of life. I always believed that being clinically and chronically depressed leads to other health issues, as your mind is so focused on being down it forgets the rest of the body. So maybe it’s a moot point.

Parliament recently came back into session this month, and one of the first decisions from the Liberal government was not to expand and extend MAID to those that are suffering from mental health issues only. It was stated to be on an “indefinite hold”.

April 20, 2026April 20, 2026

“If You’re Having That Much Pain, Imagine How Bad it Really Is”

The title above is a quote from my daughter, who was responding to an email I had sent to her last Tuesday.

If you’ve read the previous post you’ll know how bad I was the Sunday night. All the bad actors were waging war at the same time. (One week later I can sit here at the dining room table and try to post. My new goal is to post at least once a week, which is pretty awful.) That Sunday night the pain had reached one of the highest I have ever felt. Ever. That’s a lot of disasters, accidents and stupid mistakes over the last 60 years, all causing major negative consequences. Broken bones, stitches, bruising, gashes, you name it -I’ve had it.

July 27, 2025July 23, 2025

A Must Read on MAID

I receive the New York Times every Sunday so I can take a stab at one of the most challenging crosswords that they publish on the last page. For one, it’s sort of a bragging right if you can complete them, they’re at times extremely clever and difficult. For another, I hope doing this crossword, even though frustrating at times, will help ward off senioritis. You know, growing old and letting your mind go to waste.

A few weeks back, I was struck by an article published June 1, 2025 and actually read it prior to flipping to the puzzle on the last page. The article concerns MAID, or Medical Assistance in Dying. In a nutshell a doctor helps you in committing suicide. No other way to describe it.

Paula Ritchie as photographed by Oliver Farshi

March 19, 2025May 22, 2025

My thoughts on Suicide

There’s a need to hit on the subject of taking one’s own life in this blog. Suicide.

I was watching Bill Maher’s show, you know the comedian that discusses/debates political and social discourse. The show has a short monologue, a special guest, followed by a panel of expert discussion. With a bit of comedy squeezed in, political satire.