“The Morrígan”
My good friend recently wrote “most personally, it strikes me that if I decide to kill myself then I deny my community the opportunity to learn from the end of my life. As a society, we can learn to live better by taking care of people on their way out.” [icopyright one button toolbar]
My mother had two devastating strokes in 2010. Years earlier, in good health, I am the family member she tasked to pass judgment on whether to resuscitate (DNR). She specifically asked me not to let her hang on. These are very tough decisions to make.
As I lay over her just prior to a second brain surgery, just as I did the first time at 4am, I had fifteen minutes to decide how to honor her wishes.
I asked her what she wanted and she said to me “if I can help small children and paint flowers I want to live”. I was taken aback.
She is still alive. There have been times I have questioned myself about my decision making. In comfort, my brother, a retired admiral and fighter pilot, shared the folk tale about the F-14 Tomcat pilot who flew sorties over Vietnam.
The story goes the man in question wore bandoliers and hand guns. He swore if shot down he would never become a prisoner of war. As my bro old the story outside my mom’s hospital room, the hot shot was shot out of the sky; and as he parachuted toward the rice patties and dozens on the ground focused their rifles at him, he tossed his handguns and dropped the bandoliers.
Never too late to change your mind.
We will be living longer. Forty five percent of people living to the age of eighty five and older will show signs of dementia.
Some traits that increase the risk of dementia are heart disease, stroke, alcohol use, diabetes and family history dementia. If you don’t have any of those risks you are an outlier.
As discussed in an earlier thread, the thought or knowledge of losing one’s mind is frightening. Suicide is an option. But I don’t think I will rely on a quick death if confronted with brain disease. Still, the thought hoarding meds and purchasing a handgun do seem like rational things to think about.
Get organized.
Peace, Robin.
Dr. Kevin Purcell, DC. Dedicated to serving others …