My sainted Mother, who passed away 2 years ago, lived to be 98. She never ever took any supplements of any kind, but did take whatever medication her doctor recommended. Ditto her mother, who lived to be 96. (Grandma has been gone since 1997). Anecdotal evidence is not evidence.
Did not want to create yet another thread, so I think this is appropriate for this one. As we age death becomes more fixed in our minds, at least off and on. The media,doctors, health care people, drill in our heads what we should and should not do in order to live a long life. Vaccines abound to protect us, well their suppose to at least. But vaccines ,like all the medicines we take to help or cure us of an aliment create or mimic the very thing your trying to control. We all want and try to prolong the inevitable. I am not ready 'to go" yet, but in my mind I may never be 'ready'. I do not think death itself is fearful, but maybe more so as to how you 'go'. My mother who was barley 70 passed away Valentine's day 1998. She was healthy physically, mentally , um a bit of decline. She had a massive stroke. It was fast, over and done with. It was painful not being able to say good bye, before it happened. My father had just been diagnosed a week earlier with lung cancer. Her much unexpected death only made his impending death ,more agonizing. He suffered for a year, he made us all suffer in many ways, It was grueling, time consuming, and well he was not loved as my mother for several reasons. Two totally different ways of passing. Which would you chose? I chose the fast and get it over with type. It would cause less of a burden for the girls and family. I have never forgotten my father telling a nurse about my mothers death ,and she turned to him and said " MR W. there are much worse things in life,than dying." That was like a slap on the head for me. For a split second i wanted to wack her, but yes there are much worse things than dying. Mangled bodies and lost minds to name a few. If I were mangled up, or bedridden for life, if my mind leaves before my body, I pray for death, a quick one would be nice. My brother has Big Al, dementia whatever you want to call it. We live 450 miles apart now,today is his birthday. I will call, he will tell me the same things as last time, he will forget its his birthday, or that I even called, but I will do it anyway. I can only hope that he passes before it gets much worse. For HE my brother,has been gone for awhile now. Yes there are many things much worse than death itself.
It’s a weird thing but I have thought of my own death almost daily for most of my life. It’s just a strange thing to me, the inevitability of it, nothing at all that can be done to avoid it. I’ve thought I was dying twice that I can remember. I don’t recall being upset about it, just observing in my mind that the question was finally being answered, this is how I go. I don’t want to cause pain or discomfort to the few who are close to me but for myself, I’m not sure I care that much.
Same here. My worse fear is losing control. I don't want someone to remove my choices from me by functionally incarcerating me in a hospital or other facility in order to prolong my misery, as each day represents another check to the institution.
I never gave much thought to my own demise until 3 years ago (yes... THREE years already) when I got the news that I had an aggressive cancer. It was terrifying and I never expected to be around to finish treatment. Since then, every ache or pain sends me back in time to when anxiety was my constant companion. That said, I have tried very hard to teach myself to stop fearing dying. (Still working on that.) Similar to many people, I have never been afraid of being dead... just of dying. Like John, I don't want to live long enough to lose control or need someone to wipe my butt. Likewise, I don't want to burden my children. I could not bear it. I saw pictures of Jimmy Carter sitting slack-jawed in a wheelchair at Rosalynn's funeral. I felt sorrier for him than for her; a sad old man with his mouth hanging open. I really don't want to live that long.
My wife is about 7 years out from her cancer experience and says pretty much the same thing. She wants it to be quick, unexpected.
I'm not going into the death clock thing, but am now having house call doctor in my life, and checking out prices of Smart Cremation. We can try to prepare for the inevitable, but we don't know FOR SURE....I live alone and trying to get my daughter involved in my end, but she's in denial or just doesn't feel good herself. https://go.smartcremation.com/free-...MInej2sc-AgwMVTc3CBB1n5w_DEAAYASAAEgIeDvD_BwE Are many here doing Cremation?
Norman Lear had a strong presence at his end. https://people.com/norman-lear-life-career-in-photos-5742248
I keep procrastinating on making my own arrangements. I don't want to wait until the need is near. Cremation is my intended path.
Since my mother-in-law died recently, making my own final arrangements has been a priority in my mind. She left so many things as loose ends, particularly with finances. She had a pre-paid funeral so that was a plus because the family didn't have to fight over casket selection, etc. She had made those choices for herself. I keep urging my husband that we need to get things in order and arrangements made, but it will have to wait until he finishes dealing with his mother's estate.