I read recently that in the artificial environment of zoos animals are living much longer than they would normally when living in the wild. And that they are beginning to see more and more of the same health problems in these zoo animals that many of us older homo sapiens are experiencing.
Arthritis, cancer, dementia, obesity, breathing difficulties, etc.
It appears that there is indeed some maximum age programmed genetically into each species. Yes one can use all sorts of tricks to try and get around nature’s laws. But in the end it becomes a trade off between quality of life and quantity of life. Almost every day on our leukemia support group web site I see messages from people in their late 70's or early 80's who are still hoping that there is some new magic drug or medical solution to cure the disease. Yes, maybe the Virgin Mary will come down and solve your problem too.
With the aging populace cancer has now become a much more common problem. In fact it has now become a marketing opportunity. Not just for the doctors and proliferating number of cancer centers around the country, but now even Hallmark
Cards has brought out a series of greeting cards that you can give to your friend who has cancer:
Arthritis, cancer, dementia, obesity, breathing difficulties, etc.
It appears that there is indeed some maximum age programmed genetically into each species. Yes one can use all sorts of tricks to try and get around nature’s laws. But in the end it becomes a trade off between quality of life and quantity of life. Almost every day on our leukemia support group web site I see messages from people in their late 70's or early 80's who are still hoping that there is some new magic drug or medical solution to cure the disease. Yes, maybe the Virgin Mary will come down and solve your problem too.
With the aging populace cancer has now become a much more common problem. In fact it has now become a marketing opportunity. Not just for the doctors and proliferating number of cancer centers around the country, but now even Hallmark
Cards has brought out a series of greeting cards that you can give to your friend who has cancer:http://www.hallmark.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/article1000110051/HallmarkSite/GoldCrownStores/JOURNEYS_OCCASIONS_CANCERstores
So how old is too old?
My father, my mother, and my maternal grandmother all died in the hospital.
My grandmother’s brain was functioning so poorly that prior to going into the hospital for the final stay she would fall down, shit all over herself and all over the floor, and then just lay there waiting for someone to come help her. Prior to death she would have long periods when she was lucid. We very very close, and I visited her every day in the hosptial She would absolutely beg me to help her escape from the hospital and go home. When she finally died she had bed sores, and her hands were tied down to the hospital bed frame to keep her from being troublesome to the hospital staff.
I was living in Europe when my mother died, but I heard that towards the end she kept trying to remove the various tubes that were plugged into her body. And that this was all such a bother to the hospital staff that they also tied her hands down to the hospital bed frame.
I view both of these as forms of cruel and unusual punishment for two really nice human beings who for 95% of their lives had led amazing and interesting lives. Torturing old folks like this goes far beyond just uncool. I see it as mean and sadistic.
So how old is too old?
My father, my mother, and my maternal grandmother all died in the hospital.
My grandmother’s brain was functioning so poorly that prior to going into the hospital for the final stay she would fall down, shit all over herself and all over the floor, and then just lay there waiting for someone to come help her. Prior to death she would have long periods when she was lucid. We very very close, and I visited her every day in the hosptial She would absolutely beg me to help her escape from the hospital and go home. When she finally died she had bed sores, and her hands were tied down to the hospital bed frame to keep her from being troublesome to the hospital staff.
I was living in Europe when my mother died, but I heard that towards the end she kept trying to remove the various tubes that were plugged into her body. And that this was all such a bother to the hospital staff that they also tied her hands down to the hospital bed frame.
I view both of these as forms of cruel and unusual punishment for two really nice human beings who for 95% of their lives had led amazing and interesting lives. Torturing old folks like this goes far beyond just uncool. I see it as mean and sadistic.
-
In the traditional oriental and native American cultures old people were respected and honored. How can one best describe the situation in modern America? Old people are just a smelly and expensive problem. What to do with them is a predicament. Incarcerating them in retirement communities (concentration camps) where they are out of sight is the generally preferred solution.
-
My paternal grandfather was an intelligent and brave man. He also had led an interesting and amazing life. The difference with him was that he had it figured out. He really got it. He was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, and before it spread to his brain (like it did with George Harrison) he made a rational, conscious decision. Rather than undergo the torture, humiliation, and expense of hospitalization near the end of life, he very analytically and methodically took his 32 caliber semi-automatic pistol and shot himself in the head. I guess the animal folks would call this humane uthanization.
-
My paternal grandfather was an intelligent and brave man. He also had led an interesting and amazing life. The difference with him was that he had it figured out. He really got it. He was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, and before it spread to his brain (like it did with George Harrison) he made a rational, conscious decision. Rather than undergo the torture, humiliation, and expense of hospitalization near the end of life, he very analytically and methodically took his 32 caliber semi-automatic pistol and shot himself in the head. I guess the animal folks would call this humane uthanization.
-
-
-
-