Here is the article: A couple went missing in an RV. She survived. He died in her arms. (msn.com) Now, in reading the article, both had some serious health problems, so my question would be........why were they traveling in the first place? Health problems each had: Ronnie, the Air Force veteran had overcome multiple cancers after being exposed to Agent Orange, a herbicide that can lead to serious health problems, during the Vietnam War. He had part of a lung removed and had trouble breathing Beverly, known as Bev, is diabetic and uses a walker and a cane most of the time because of joint issues. My thoughts, a couple with these sort of serious health problems shouldn't have been traveling anyway and the family should have known that. Any family members they wanted to see, could've visited them where they live. It sort of sounds like the couple didn't really think much about their health problems.
My thoughts are that it isn't up to YOU to decide what other people do with their lives. From the story, it sounds like they were simply unprepared for such a trip, which seems very odd since they were in an RV. From the article... "Without provisions, Ronnie Barker died several days later as a helpless Beverly watched him take his last breath."
Beth, why are you constantly telling me "mind your own business"? I was ONLY stating what I thought! How would you feel if you stated something about someone and you were told "it isn't up to YOU to decide what other people do with their lives." Actually, Beth, there are those, on this forum, that will give their opinion about someone and you'll never tell them what you tell me. I don't get it. IOW, no problem with anyone traveling in an RV, but people, especially Seniors, that have serious health problems, traveling? To a point, you sound like my SIL, who would tell anyone "I'll do whatever I want to, when I want", even when what she wants to do isn't logical or safe. The last part of her marriage, before her husband died, she acted more single than married. She was so happy when he moved out, but due to health problems, had to move back in with her. And, she is an older Senior. Her attitude in life, "nobody is ever again going to tell me what I can/can't do."
Maybe they wanted to do some more living before they died. That seems better than what a lot of people do, which is to give up on life even before life is done with them. That seems like a reasonable attitude to me. As long as we're not stepping on other people, we should all be allowed to do what we want to do, when we want to do it.
Even though I do see your point, Ken, in your first statement, if neither of them would have been traveling in the first place, her husband could be/would be still alive. But, now you've got me wondering how many Seniors, with serious health problems, are out traveling the roads coast-to-coast? Not that it's any of my business, like Beth told me, but still. My MIL (wife's mother) continued driving until she was 82. What made her stop? An accident that was her fault. She made the right move in turning her DL into the Department and just having a State ID. Yes, we should, and note the word "should", be "allowed to do what we want to, when we want to", but Ken, none of us are 30 or 40 years old anymore. Common sense should tell us "yes" or "no" and if common sense says "no", definitely don't do it. If a family member says "no, you shouldn't do this/that", as Seniors, we should listen. Just seems like older, as in Seniors, just want to do anything, without thinking about how "whatever" will affect their health/life or their family.
The way you take old age as some sort of hallmark when we no longer should do this or that disregarding what someone Wants to do is astounding Cody. Old age isn’t a time when a person HAS to sit down but rather a time when one can finally do the things they want to do and sometimes whether we can afford it or not. Some folks sit on their rears watching TV and do nothing but wait for death to come and will probably die in some hospital bed hooked up to a myriad of tubes and gadgets. Others, as it sounds like the couple in question, just decide to grab their gear and take the last moments of their life doing something somewhere besides hanging out close to a bed and a coffin. Wherever they were headed is where they were headed and probably said wherever we are, that’s where we’ll be. Personally, I can’t think of a better attitude to have. To heck with the house, the relatives, the doctors, the Covid, the TV and radio! Let’s die somewhere but here or in a hospital bed. No need to pack groceries, we’ll get what we need when we need it. Let’s live until we die. There will be plenty of time for laying around after that.
Well, Bobby, I'm like Beth, we listen to what our doctors tell us. There are those, Seniors and younger, that don't give a hoot what anyone tells them or what they should really do "health" wise. We knew a guy, our age, whom him and his wife lived right across from our apartment. He was diagnosed Diabetic II and issued meds for it, similar to what we take. His wife stopped/refused to make any more cakes, pies, cookies and other sweet stuff. He got pissed. He stopped taking his meds and, on the way home from working for his son, would stop at grocery store and pick up a package of cookies. He would sit in his truck, in the front of the apt. building and eat almost the entire package of cookies. We seen the ambulance out front three times and it was for him. IOW, we had met and talked to both of them before. Anyway, the last time the ambulance was out front, he went to the ER again, but didn't make it. His wife told us that he killed himself! A lady, my wife's age and a girlfriend she graduated high school with, got Lupis. She wouldn't see a doctor at all, which meant, no meds to help her. She got very, very bad with hallucinations and arthritis. Couldn't walk anymore by herself (wheelchair and/or walker only). She didn't want to see her sons and they didn't want to see her. She got worse and worse and ended up dying. Her husband, of which we both know, said "if she would've only seen a doctor". So, just like the man above, she pretty much killed herself and nobody could stop it from happening. There are those that refuse to go to a doctor and/or listen to family and wind up in the grave. And, family members will say "why didn't they just listen to us?"
Sounds to me like they left Indiana on a cross-country trip planning to never return. They had GPS but no cell phones. They headed up a mountain road with no water, food, or blankets unless they had those in the RV and didn't think to take some along on their attempted trip down the mountain. The entire story as written, smacks of a dying the way they wanted. They made it from Indiana to Nevada and then took a remote muddy mountain road in an RV towing an SUV but didn't stop until they got stuck. Then they didn't remain in the RV until help came, but took their SUV without any survival supplies and no way to stay warm until it got stuck. It sure sounds to me he knew his time was short with his medical conditions and chose to die with dignity away from family and life support. I am not clear how she survived 8 days without food or water or any way to stay warm. She was found only after he was dead. Personally, I salute this old soldier for dying with honor. Cancer from agent orange is a horrible thing.
IOW, I don't get what actually happened or whatever. Is there a train track missing along the way? But, still, with his and her condition..........
We ALL know somebody who had this or that or whatever. I personally do not LIVE in the shadows of what someone else did or didn’t do. I pay attention to what is in front of ME and not necessarily a pathway someone else walked before me. I don’t like doctors and derned sure do not like some hack the government chose to tell me what medicine I should and shouldn’t take. A doctor told me about 7 years or so ago that i was going to die…..so I started on a bodybuilding regimen which was totally against what everyone told me I should do. I’m Alive and Well !! We’re ALL going to end up in a grave at some time or other so what’s yer point? I’m not afraid to die. I just don’t want to die from doing nothing. I’d rather die from a parachute not opening than lollygagging around the living room worried about if my life insurance is paid up so I can start digging my own grave. You of all people do not take care of yourself. You eat what you want in spite of what the doctor tells you about diabetes. You drink beer which is full of carbs which is unhealthy and contrary to what you believe, isn’t good for your heart OR diabetes. You complain about your shoulder and take liver and kidney killers for the pain but you don’t do anything else to help it out so there won’t be any more pain. I could go on and on referring back to your own posts but what good would that do? You’re just going to go on arguing about what your SIL did or what a neighbor had with no respect to what you are doing to yourself. Do something that no one expects you to do. Live a little. Damn the torpedos, full speed ahead!!
Maybe us seniors are a lot like kids, you can warn, threaten, and give your take on any matter - but in the end,we do it our way -right or wrong.
We do "live", but don't do a number of things that we use to. As far as "us", we take care of ourselves. Take vitamins, prescription meds (that are needed), drink beer (which happens to be very, very good for a person LOL) and eat a number of things that perhaps we shouldn't. But, neither of us are anywhere like this couple, my wife's deceased friend or the guy that ate tons of cookies and died from it. And, BTW, we just happen to love watching tv and dvd movies! You don't live in a winter/snow/ice paradise like we do. Of course, we choose to live in that environment. Basically, nothing for us to do when a blizzard is going on, but to enjoy the Cowboy Channel rodeos. Can't wait to have another nice med/rare Prime Rib dinner, with a big glass of Bud Light. Just saying.
And, for many, like my wife's deceased friend, the Senior couple in this story and the guy that ate lots and lots of cookies and died............not right, but wrong!
If I were single, and I was diagnosed with a terminal illness, as long as I felt well enough to do it, I'd probably take a lot of risks. While few people truly want to die, I'd rather die doing something other than lying around in bed. Married, of course, I would have to consider my wife's preferences, as well. I listen to my doctor but I don't put her in charge of my life. She has to persuade me with facts rather than order me to do one thing or another.