Annalise Holland, from Adelaide, has lived with Autoimmune Autonomic Ganglionopathy (AAG), a rare condition in which the immune system attacks the body, since early childhood. "I’ve been sick since being a child really,” she told news.com.au. "I lived in and out of the hospital ever since I went in for nine months.” Her diagnosis was only confirmed after she moved to an adult hospital.
Over the years, multiple operations have led to the removal of large portions of her bowel. Although AAG is not always fatal, doctors have told Holland the damage to her body is irreversible. "My stool would back up so much that I would throw it up or drain it out my tummy,” she explained. She now relies on Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN)—nutrition delivered directly into her bloodstream through a line in her chest. "If this vein gets blocked, then basically there’s no way of giving me hydration or food… you basically starve to death,” she told *A Current Affair*.
Given less than a year to live, Holland has applied for Australia’s voluntary assisted dying (VAD) program, which requires a prognosis of six to 12 months, verified by two trained doctors. She has already chosen her death date, though she is keeping it private. "The most important thing is protecting my family,” she said.
Rather than dwell on the end, Holland has created a "f*** it” list—experiences to enjoy while she can. She has already rented her own apartment, taken a helicopter ride, watched a friend give birth, and tried on a wedding dress in front of her father.
Speaking on the *Hack* podcast, she described her decision as unexpectedly uplifting. "When you’ve been sick for such a long time, it becomes something that’s not so scary,” she said. "It sounds strange, but it’s incredibly empowering.”
