There are too many people in the world theater & a finite amount of popcorn. Don't get me started on the toilet paper situation. I advocate for less life-saving medicine, more life-affirming compassion and willingness to sacrifice.
I'll still get vaccinated because if I passed something on to someone with a shot immune system, that would haunt me. I've already told my nurse neighbors to put me out of my misery if I ever have to go back in the hospital for anything more complicated than a wart removal though.
Grappling on the page. Illuminating, yet not prescriptive. More writers need to bravely grapple on the page for all to see. This is how we solve controversies. I don’t know why it’s so subversive to be a skeptic these days. Dad had a DNR. They immediately inserted a feeding tube when he couldn’t swallow. That started a cascade of extending his life (against his stated wish) to the point of discomfort and decline. We knew he didn’t want that! One month in hospital and one week in home hospice when he’d said, “Take it all out. I want to go home.”
How awful. My dad as well, they intubated him against his directive and once that's done they can't legally remove it. I believe some of the times, attending medical folks are aware, and make their own decisions. Yeah, definitely not prescriptive, I can't presume to make these kinds of emotionally charged decisions for anyone other than myself - it depends on one's belief system, religion, personal trauma and person connections. I just think we should all have the choice and for all the years I was unvaccinated prior to Covid, I always informed folks in advance if they were immunocomprimised (I was on immune suppressants for a decade and hated it) or if there were children, especially newborns.
I get to make decisions for myself, doesn't mean I have the right to impose the consequences of my choice on anyone else.
Without a doubt, unfortunately that also means making decisions based on emotions rather than facts. One way is more compassionate (emotions), one way is more forward thinking (facts). Neither one is perfect.
The older we get the more we want to do, to achieve. We spend most of our life putting things off, and then when it comes to trying it's too late. I've been diagnosed with oncoming dementia. I'm going to fight it, I'm going to go into battle. So much I still need to do because I wasted my youth. I have met some people who have achieved the fight and won and until the die they die they are able, and capable and thinking and doing. This is my aim. Death should come suddenly when we least expect it. Karen Steele.
You know the progression can be very very slow. Mom was diagnosed 13 years ago, she's still healthy, although not so present. They're making advances all the time.❤️
I've long said that humane death kits should be delivered to us along with our Medicare cards. If we're suffering, if we're sick, if we're a burden to others, if we'd rather put our last few pennies toward supporting folks who are living actual lives than stewing in our own fetid juices and being spoon fed by strangers, we should have that option.
I'm with you, but Medicare won't even pay for Ozempic, and end of life drugs are a LOT more expensive. The only country that allows that without a terminal diagnosis (and dementia and its ilk are not considered terminal) is Switzerland (or was it Sweden? One of the cold SW countries).
LOVE this post. Been a gripe of mine for years. Anything to extend life, even if the quality of that life is CRAP. "What if we understood life is short; a gift, not an entitlement." Exactly. And, honestly, if faced with a life-threatening diagnosis, I'm not sure what choice I would make. After years of suffering, my life is finally everything I ever wanted it to be. I'd like to experience some more years of good, of fulfilling long-held dreams. Longer is quantity. We are finite. And ego has a tendency to get in the way of reality. Love you for your honesty, your clarity, and your commitment to telling your truth to your audience. Rock on, sister woman. For as long as that works for you. xoxoxoxo
Ego totally gets in the way, so does emotion. I'm glad I'm not in charge of making the rules, any of the rules. I don't think you really know until you're faced with the thing, whatever the thing is. Do I use my mother as an excuse? Maybe. I believe she used me as an excuse (fear of me getting arrested if I helped her with an early exit) whether she knew it or not. Nothing is written in stone and everyone has to make their own decisions, and give themselves the leeway to change their mind, and then change it again.
Thanks for sharing what's on your mind since your folks passed. ❤️ It's something we've talked about in our family for as long as I can remember. My dad wanted to live forever, no matter how incapacitated. Mom wanted out sooner rather than later, and I decided to let nature decide for me. It's such a personal choice, I think of Stephen Hawking, I don't think I'd have wanted that for myself.
I'll still get vaccinated because if I passed something on to someone with a shot immune system, that would haunt me. I've already told my nurse neighbors to put me out of my misery if I ever have to go back in the hospital for anything more complicated than a wart removal though.
Grappling on the page. Illuminating, yet not prescriptive. More writers need to bravely grapple on the page for all to see. This is how we solve controversies. I don’t know why it’s so subversive to be a skeptic these days. Dad had a DNR. They immediately inserted a feeding tube when he couldn’t swallow. That started a cascade of extending his life (against his stated wish) to the point of discomfort and decline. We knew he didn’t want that! One month in hospital and one week in home hospice when he’d said, “Take it all out. I want to go home.”
How awful. My dad as well, they intubated him against his directive and once that's done they can't legally remove it. I believe some of the times, attending medical folks are aware, and make their own decisions. Yeah, definitely not prescriptive, I can't presume to make these kinds of emotionally charged decisions for anyone other than myself - it depends on one's belief system, religion, personal trauma and person connections. I just think we should all have the choice and for all the years I was unvaccinated prior to Covid, I always informed folks in advance if they were immunocomprimised (I was on immune suppressants for a decade and hated it) or if there were children, especially newborns.
I get to make decisions for myself, doesn't mean I have the right to impose the consequences of my choice on anyone else.
Most people mean well…
Without a doubt, unfortunately that also means making decisions based on emotions rather than facts. One way is more compassionate (emotions), one way is more forward thinking (facts). Neither one is perfect.
The older we get the more we want to do, to achieve. We spend most of our life putting things off, and then when it comes to trying it's too late. I've been diagnosed with oncoming dementia. I'm going to fight it, I'm going to go into battle. So much I still need to do because I wasted my youth. I have met some people who have achieved the fight and won and until the die they die they are able, and capable and thinking and doing. This is my aim. Death should come suddenly when we least expect it. Karen Steele.
You know the progression can be very very slow. Mom was diagnosed 13 years ago, she's still healthy, although not so present. They're making advances all the time.❤️
I've long said that humane death kits should be delivered to us along with our Medicare cards. If we're suffering, if we're sick, if we're a burden to others, if we'd rather put our last few pennies toward supporting folks who are living actual lives than stewing in our own fetid juices and being spoon fed by strangers, we should have that option.
I'm with you, but Medicare won't even pay for Ozempic, and end of life drugs are a LOT more expensive. The only country that allows that without a terminal diagnosis (and dementia and its ilk are not considered terminal) is Switzerland (or was it Sweden? One of the cold SW countries).
LOVE this post. Been a gripe of mine for years. Anything to extend life, even if the quality of that life is CRAP. "What if we understood life is short; a gift, not an entitlement." Exactly. And, honestly, if faced with a life-threatening diagnosis, I'm not sure what choice I would make. After years of suffering, my life is finally everything I ever wanted it to be. I'd like to experience some more years of good, of fulfilling long-held dreams. Longer is quantity. We are finite. And ego has a tendency to get in the way of reality. Love you for your honesty, your clarity, and your commitment to telling your truth to your audience. Rock on, sister woman. For as long as that works for you. xoxoxoxo
Ego totally gets in the way, so does emotion. I'm glad I'm not in charge of making the rules, any of the rules. I don't think you really know until you're faced with the thing, whatever the thing is. Do I use my mother as an excuse? Maybe. I believe she used me as an excuse (fear of me getting arrested if I helped her with an early exit) whether she knew it or not. Nothing is written in stone and everyone has to make their own decisions, and give themselves the leeway to change their mind, and then change it again.
Really thought-provoking, Jodi. "Longer is quantity, what we’re not promising is quality.
What good is one without the other?" That's been much on my mind since my parents died.
Thanks for sharing what's on your mind since your folks passed. ❤️ It's something we've talked about in our family for as long as I can remember. My dad wanted to live forever, no matter how incapacitated. Mom wanted out sooner rather than later, and I decided to let nature decide for me. It's such a personal choice, I think of Stephen Hawking, I don't think I'd have wanted that for myself.