An oncologist wrote a really interesting essay about why he wants to die at 75 and not later. It really gave me some stuff to think about. I often wish death with dignity was legal throughout the States. Do you?
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/10/why-i-hope-to-die-at-75/379329/
I advocate for it in certain cases, but I question the motivation here, and I think it's absurd to set a timeframe. That was written in 2014-wonder how he feels about it now?
I have to laugh at the 75 years cut off that any person BELOW that age would make. One who wishes to go at 70, 75, 80, often has a whole new perspective when they actually are THERE. I am 80, so I guarantee that. You know you have all these aches and pains and "issues" but you "feel" younger in your mind. And often aren't ready to swallow down that elixir.
l think we should check in with the oncologist when she/he is 75.
My mom developed dementia later in her life. Yeah, Parkinson’s disease is dreadful.
My husband’s great grandmother lived to be just shy of 102! No health issues, had all of her faculties, no meds other than Tylenol for an occasional headache. No cane or walker!
She grew up on a farm. She married and gave birth to 12 children. She outlived some of her kids and all but one of her siblings.
We threw a huge party for her when she turned 100! We hired a band and she was dancing along with the music. She was still cooking until her late 90’s! We should all be so lucky in life to be this healthy, right?
My great aunts lived to be in their late 90’s, still volunteering in their communities, making fruit cakes to give for the holidays and so on. They lived wonderful lives.
My mom, on the other hand who lived to be 95 would have loved to have died sooner. She suffered with Parkinson’s disease and was ready to die much earlier than she did.
After watching my mother suffer for so long, I definitely don’t want to live an extremely long life unless I am in good health.
I wish we had euthanasia in our state. Change is slow. I wish it was available in all fifty states.
I am 80 and pretty good still, independent, on my feet, and enjoying life, but I am also very ready to go, and I would certainly avail myself of such a mode were I able at a point I could not live independently and with my faculties, physical and mental.
Just an opinion.
I managed to get about 1/2 way through his article and quit reading. It was a bit too morbid (and boring) for my tastes. I hope the author 'lives to 75' as he wishes, and doesn't find himself in TRUE need of physician assisted suicide, huh?