After discussions with her husband, sons, pastor and local doctors; Janet Adkins decided that she did not want to suffer the prolonged mental deterioration caused by Alzheimer's disease (Uhlman 111). She began to realize that she had the disease when she began forgetting songs and no longer recognizing notes when playing the piano (Filene 188). "She read in Newsweek about Dr. Jack Kevorkian and his ŒMercitron¹ machine, then saw him on the television show ŒDonahue¹² (Filene 188). With her husband's consent but over the objections of her sons and doctors, she called him to arrange a suicide (Filene 188 She still had a life expectancy of at least ten years with the disease, but she wanted to die She wanted to die before the disease stole her skills (). Larson 229). Kevorkian later killed Adkins and faced the consequences boldly (Hendin, "Suicide in America ² 247). The background, process, and effects of Dr. Kevorkian's first questionable patient, Janet Adkins, contain a story. very detailed Janet Adkins led a very productive life until and even after she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, but she could not bear to lose control of her brain (Filene 188). years old and lived in a wealthy Oregon suburb with her stockbroker husband, Ron. She was also the mother of three sons, taught English and piano, hang-glided, hiked in Nepal, climbed Mount Hood, and generally behaved with great energy (Gutmann 20). She and her husband were longtime members of the Hemlock Society, which advocated euthanasia in certain cases (Betzold 22). “Doctors at a Portland hospital told her that eventually she would depend on her husband for food and bathing” (Gutmann 21). She didn't want to kill herself in case she ruined everything, and her own doctors didn't want to help her (Hendin, ³Seduced by Death² 132). Even though she was still able to hold clear conversations and demolish her son at tennis; her husband explained that if she had to go, she would probably prefer to go early rather than too late (Gutmann 21). After hearing about Kevorkian, Ron Adkins contacted him for his services (Wolfson 56). Her husband complained to Dr. Kevorkian that he had to remind her about the times for her tennis lessons and that she always left her purse at home. After the brief conversation, Kevorkian agreed to meet with her (Gutmann 20). ³Dr. Kevorkian was a retiree... middle of paper ... which ended her medical condition. The method with which he committed suicide has also raised questions (Hendin, ³Seduced by Death² 130). Among supporters of euthanasia, he became something of an anti-establishment here (Larson 230). This was the first of about a hundred assisted suicides he would perform (Uhlman 111). Works Cited Betzold, Michael. “The sale of Doctor Death.² Nouvelle République May 26, 1997: 22-28. Fessenden, Ford. “Questions of life and death”. Newsday June 10, 1995: 7. Filene, Peter. In the arms of others. Chicago: Ivan R. Dee, 1998. Gutmann, Stephanie. “Death and the young girl.² Nouvelle République June 24, 1996: 20-22. Hamel, Robert. Must we suffer until death. Texas: Southern Methodist Press, 1996. Hendin, Herbert. Seduced by death. New York: WW Norton and Company, 1997. Hendin, Herbert. Suicide in America. New York: WW Norton and Company, 1995. Larson, Edward. A different death. Illinois: Intervarsity Press, 1998. Uhlman, Michael. Last rights. Washington DC: Center for Ethics and Public Policy, 1998. Wolfson, Adam. “Killing the dying”. The spring of public interest 1998: 56.