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Will to Live

Just Want to Talk | Last Active: Apr 8 8:34pm | Replies (27)

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@srhappy

Perhaps we do not insist on living as much as life itself is the imperative. Social, medical, religious, political conventions insist we keep on living because we frown upon or forbid taking our own lives. Success doesn't guarantee freedom from disability or from discouragement or worse. We humans impose on life expectations and when life delivers things we don't expect, we blame or complain rather than accept the mystery of being alive. Just the musings of an old, disabled man who can't explain why he's still happy - ish.

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Replies to "Perhaps we do not insist on living as much as life itself is the imperative. Social,..."

I enjoyed your description of happy-ish.
I realized a long time ago that my two choices weren't to either fight death with every weapon of modern medicine or to kill myself. There is a huge gray area, and that is for me! Right now I do the obvious things for my health but no routine screens or testing and no extreme cancer treatments. Once I start to inevitably decline my hope is to get into hospice ASAP because of the pain control and also the family support. Here again I'll do what I can to be able to stand and communicate, but feel free to cut back on food and meds. My state allows medically assistance in dying, and although I support that I'm not sure I'd use it. My religion really isn't in favor of it, and I think it can be hard on the family. However, it makes a good back up, just knowing weeks of pain can be avoided if not controllable. I'm kind of a process oriented person, and so my preference is to go with that flow which is another way of saying things are in G-d's hands. I survived giving birth to my daughter naturally, so I figure I can die the same way. I'm a sociable person, so want my nearest & dearest around me. But I also realize anything can happen, and I've told my fam and left them a note--please don't worry if I end up dying in the hospital, or things get bumpy. My "wishes" are just suggestions ad I am sure we can all manage together.