“Old Age ain’t for Sissies—Betty Davis
Technology has increased longevity thereby making death even more frightful, expensive, tortuous, and perhaps accumulatively more painful than before. Is this progress?
“Never before in history has it been so hard to fulfill our final earthly task: dying. It used to be that people were "visited" by death. With nothing to fight it, we simply accepted it and grieved. Today, thanks to myriad medications and interventions that have been created to improve our health and prolong our lives, dying has become a difficult and often excruciatingly slow process. Craig Bowron, Physician
Bowron speaks of a woman who suffers from something that physicians call "the dwindles", which is essential a characteristic of old age in modern times. Three days a week she spends in dialysis so that she can spend the remaining four days of the week recovering; she is miserable seven days a week.
Bowron speaks of another patient who is 91 who lies in his bed helpless with painful swollen arthritic joints after being felled with a stroke.
There are no lifesaving medications in such cases; only life-prolonging pain can be offered.
Bowron informs us that “everyone wants to grow old and die in his or her sleep, but the truth is that most of us will die in pieces. Most will be nibbled to death by piranhas, and the piranhas of senescence are wearing some very dull dentures. It can be a torturously slow process, with an undeniable end, and our instinct shouldn't be to prolong it. If you were to walk by a Tilt-A-Whirl loaded with elderly riders and notice that all of them were dizzy to the point of vomiting, wouldn't your instinct be to turn the ride off? Or at the very least slow it down? Mercy calls for it.
The good doctor is not speaking about euthanasia or even about the spiraling cost of health care; he is speaking about a sympathetic and rationalized dignity for those who have reached the end of a life worth living.
“In the past, the facade of immortality was claimed by Egyptian kings, egomaniacal monarchs and run-of-the mill psychopaths. But democracy and modern medical advances have made the illusion accessible to everyone. We have to rid ourselves of this distinctly Western notion before our nation's obesity epidemic and the surge of aging baby boomers combine to form a tsunami of infirmity that may well topple our hospital system and wash it out to sea. Bowron
I think that the good doctor and I agree that there comes a time in life when “the only thing worse than dying is being kept alive.
washingtonpost.com - nation, world, technology and Washington area news and headlines
wp-dyn/content/story/2009/01/09/ST2009010903215.html
“Old Age ain’t for Sissies—Betty Davis
“Old Age ain’t for Sissies—Betty Davis
Good post, and all so true. My wife has been out of town for two weeks and I am about ready to go to the nursing home to check up on her 98 year old father, my father in law. What a gentleman he was. I have only known him for the past 17 years and enjoyed the lively conversations we had on so many different subjects. It's painful to watch him now, sitting in a recliner wtih his mouth drooping, staring at the ceiling, mumbling incoherrently. I can't help think to myself, is this what's in store for me, after all, I am 74. Even though I have a incurable cancer I will in all probability die of something else because my type of cancer is treatable. I am fortunate to be very active in body and mind. How nice it must be for those that just go to sleep at night and don't wake up.
“Old Age ain’t for Sissies—Betty Davis
coberst;1119677 wrote: “Old Age ain’t for Sissies—Betty Davis
Technology has increased longevity thereby making death even more frightful, expensive, tortuous, and perhaps accumulatively more painful than before. Is this progress?
“Never before in history has it been so hard to fulfill our final earthly task: dying. It used to be that people were "visited" by death. With nothing to fight it, we simply accepted it and grieved. Today, thanks to myriad medications and interventions that have been created to improve our health and prolong our lives, dying has become a difficult and often excruciatingly slow process. Craig Bowron, Physician
Bowron speaks of a woman who suffers from something that physicians call "the dwindles", which is essential a characteristic of old age in modern times. Three days a week she spends in dialysis so that she can spend the remaining four days of the week recovering; she is miserable seven days a week.
Bowron speaks of another patient who is 91 who lies in his bed helpless with painful swollen arthritic joints after being felled with a stroke.
There are no lifesaving medications in such cases; only life-prolonging pain can be offered.
Bowron informs us that “everyone wants to grow old and die in his or her sleep, but the truth is that most of us will die in pieces. Most will be nibbled to death by piranhas, and the piranhas of senescence are wearing some very dull dentures. It can be a torturously slow process, with an undeniable end, and our instinct shouldn't be to prolong it. If you were to walk by a Tilt-A-Whirl loaded with elderly riders and notice that all of them were dizzy to the point of vomiting, wouldn't your instinct be to turn the ride off? Or at the very least slow it down? Mercy calls for it.
The good doctor is not speaking about euthanasia or even about the spiraling cost of health care; he is speaking about a sympathetic and rationalized dignity for those who have reached the end of a life worth living.
“In the past, the facade of immortality was claimed by Egyptian kings, egomaniacal monarchs and run-of-the mill psychopaths. But democracy and modern medical advances have made the illusion accessible to everyone. We have to rid ourselves of this distinctly Western notion before our nation's obesity epidemic and the surge of aging baby boomers combine to form a tsunami of infirmity that may well topple our hospital system and wash it out to sea. Bowron
I think that the good doctor and I agree that there comes a time in life when “the only thing worse than dying is being kept alive.
washingtonpost.com - nation, world, technology and Washington area news and headlines
wp-dyn/content/story/2009/01/09/ST2009010903215.html
I think that the good doctor and I agree that there comes a time in life when “the only thing worse than dying is being kept alive.
I so agree with this sentence. I have watched a few members of my family die a very long and painful death. I came to the realization that more mercy is given to our pets, we take them to the vet and have them put to sleep gently and quietly. But a human loved one must suffer even though they plead for death because the laws of our country say this must be so. But what is the basis for this law? Christianity and the concept that 'since god gives life then only god has the right to remove it'. A problem with this belief though is that not everyone is Christian and not everyone believes that a particular god grants each person life with a separate 'spirit' that resides within the body.
I will concede that there is good psychology within the belief system of an after-life. It not only controls the actions of individuals within any given society (whether it is heaven vs hell or karma and reincarnation) but also eases the passage of death for the one dying and those who will grieve the loss. But when that belief system removes the dignity from an individual, or prolongs a painful death, or insists on sustaining life for a painful and incurable disease, then the belief system itself has become an object of torture and must be re-evaluated in the light of logic, reason and mercy.
Witnessing what I have has caused me to believe very strongly in euthanasia. The problem here is the lack of ethics inherent in far too many individuals. We can't just allow all people to take this into their own hands and many doctors have their own 'agendas' that take precedence over the individual patients. The ideal is a doctor assisted injection with the family present and if possible the consent of the patient.
I am a very strong 'right to die' advocate. I believe also that a person should have the right to choose between a nursing/care home and doctor assisted release from living. Having had some experience with nursing/care homes because of a family member I can truthfully state that many are no more than nightmare scenarios. Many being privately owned are over filled and understaffed along with medications being withheld because of cost. I have witnessed abuse such as slapping and punching of the elderly who have done nothing and sitting quietly in a chair. Having investigators come in does nothing because the patients are too scared to talk. Yet when visitors come all appears nice on the surface. At this time I know elderly people who are terrified of ever going into a nursing/care home yet they know that this is where they will end up.
It is for all of the above reasons that that I now stand for 'mercy' and the 'right to die'.
Technology has increased longevity thereby making death even more frightful, expensive, tortuous, and perhaps accumulatively more painful than before. Is this progress?
“Never before in history has it been so hard to fulfill our final earthly task: dying. It used to be that people were "visited" by death. With nothing to fight it, we simply accepted it and grieved. Today, thanks to myriad medications and interventions that have been created to improve our health and prolong our lives, dying has become a difficult and often excruciatingly slow process. Craig Bowron, Physician
Bowron speaks of a woman who suffers from something that physicians call "the dwindles", which is essential a characteristic of old age in modern times. Three days a week she spends in dialysis so that she can spend the remaining four days of the week recovering; she is miserable seven days a week.
Bowron speaks of another patient who is 91 who lies in his bed helpless with painful swollen arthritic joints after being felled with a stroke.
There are no lifesaving medications in such cases; only life-prolonging pain can be offered.
Bowron informs us that “everyone wants to grow old and die in his or her sleep, but the truth is that most of us will die in pieces. Most will be nibbled to death by piranhas, and the piranhas of senescence are wearing some very dull dentures. It can be a torturously slow process, with an undeniable end, and our instinct shouldn't be to prolong it. If you were to walk by a Tilt-A-Whirl loaded with elderly riders and notice that all of them were dizzy to the point of vomiting, wouldn't your instinct be to turn the ride off? Or at the very least slow it down? Mercy calls for it.
The good doctor is not speaking about euthanasia or even about the spiraling cost of health care; he is speaking about a sympathetic and rationalized dignity for those who have reached the end of a life worth living.
“In the past, the facade of immortality was claimed by Egyptian kings, egomaniacal monarchs and run-of-the mill psychopaths. But democracy and modern medical advances have made the illusion accessible to everyone. We have to rid ourselves of this distinctly Western notion before our nation's obesity epidemic and the surge of aging baby boomers combine to form a tsunami of infirmity that may well topple our hospital system and wash it out to sea. Bowron
I think that the good doctor and I agree that there comes a time in life when “the only thing worse than dying is being kept alive.
washingtonpost.com - nation, world, technology and Washington area news and headlines
wp-dyn/content/story/2009/01/09/ST2009010903215.html
I think that the good doctor and I agree that there comes a time in life when “the only thing worse than dying is being kept alive.
I so agree with this sentence. I have watched a few members of my family die a very long and painful death. I came to the realization that more mercy is given to our pets, we take them to the vet and have them put to sleep gently and quietly. But a human loved one must suffer even though they plead for death because the laws of our country say this must be so. But what is the basis for this law? Christianity and the concept that 'since god gives life then only god has the right to remove it'. A problem with this belief though is that not everyone is Christian and not everyone believes that a particular god grants each person life with a separate 'spirit' that resides within the body.
I will concede that there is good psychology within the belief system of an after-life. It not only controls the actions of individuals within any given society (whether it is heaven vs hell or karma and reincarnation) but also eases the passage of death for the one dying and those who will grieve the loss. But when that belief system removes the dignity from an individual, or prolongs a painful death, or insists on sustaining life for a painful and incurable disease, then the belief system itself has become an object of torture and must be re-evaluated in the light of logic, reason and mercy.
Witnessing what I have has caused me to believe very strongly in euthanasia. The problem here is the lack of ethics inherent in far too many individuals. We can't just allow all people to take this into their own hands and many doctors have their own 'agendas' that take precedence over the individual patients. The ideal is a doctor assisted injection with the family present and if possible the consent of the patient.
I am a very strong 'right to die' advocate. I believe also that a person should have the right to choose between a nursing/care home and doctor assisted release from living. Having had some experience with nursing/care homes because of a family member I can truthfully state that many are no more than nightmare scenarios. Many being privately owned are over filled and understaffed along with medications being withheld because of cost. I have witnessed abuse such as slapping and punching of the elderly who have done nothing and sitting quietly in a chair. Having investigators come in does nothing because the patients are too scared to talk. Yet when visitors come all appears nice on the surface. At this time I know elderly people who are terrified of ever going into a nursing/care home yet they know that this is where they will end up.
It is for all of the above reasons that that I now stand for 'mercy' and the 'right to die'.
“Old Age ain’t for Sissies—Betty Davis
Amber Sun
I agree with you.
We must somehow develop the sophistication required to enter into dialogue regarding such matters.
I think that we must develop a science of morality that can help us gain perspective regarding such matters.
I agree with you.
We must somehow develop the sophistication required to enter into dialogue regarding such matters.
I think that we must develop a science of morality that can help us gain perspective regarding such matters.
“Old Age ain’t for Sissies—Betty Davis
coberst;1120712 wrote: Amber Sun
I agree with you.
We must somehow develop the sophistication required to enter into dialogue regarding such matters.
I think that we must develop a science of morality that can help us gain perspective regarding such matters.
Yes coberst, but it would require a putting away of Christianity. If individuals feel the need to cling to the 'old gods and ways' (who had no restrictions regarding acts of mercy) then the problem would be easier to address. It is the 'new god' of judgment and condemnation that Christianity 'created' that is causing much heartache and suffering.
The ironic part of it all coberst is that Christianity at it's roots is Pagan. It is a mixture of Zoroastrianism and Mithraism with a sprinkling of the religious belief systems that were common throughout the middle east. Added to this cocktail is a heavy dose of the Egyptian belief system that had been garnered from the ancient Sumerian. If you would like to know how Christianity is actually Pagan in origin perhaps when you have time you may want to read through my pages in the blog here on FG. I have tried for the last few years to open the minds of those I speak with, I have pasted that tiny bit of information all over the net. But all I managed to achieve was rebellion and retaliation backed by facts towards the Catholic Church for what it has done. This was not my intent. I thought if people knew that all religions are essentially one that tensions between various religion factions would cease. With no one left to fight with over morals and ethics in the religious arena then perhaps minds would be open to learning a new way of thinking.
I think that we must develop a science of morality that can help us gain perspective regarding such matters.
We will not gain a new perspective until first we destroy the old.
I agree with you.
We must somehow develop the sophistication required to enter into dialogue regarding such matters.
I think that we must develop a science of morality that can help us gain perspective regarding such matters.
Yes coberst, but it would require a putting away of Christianity. If individuals feel the need to cling to the 'old gods and ways' (who had no restrictions regarding acts of mercy) then the problem would be easier to address. It is the 'new god' of judgment and condemnation that Christianity 'created' that is causing much heartache and suffering.
The ironic part of it all coberst is that Christianity at it's roots is Pagan. It is a mixture of Zoroastrianism and Mithraism with a sprinkling of the religious belief systems that were common throughout the middle east. Added to this cocktail is a heavy dose of the Egyptian belief system that had been garnered from the ancient Sumerian. If you would like to know how Christianity is actually Pagan in origin perhaps when you have time you may want to read through my pages in the blog here on FG. I have tried for the last few years to open the minds of those I speak with, I have pasted that tiny bit of information all over the net. But all I managed to achieve was rebellion and retaliation backed by facts towards the Catholic Church for what it has done. This was not my intent. I thought if people knew that all religions are essentially one that tensions between various religion factions would cease. With no one left to fight with over morals and ethics in the religious arena then perhaps minds would be open to learning a new way of thinking.
I think that we must develop a science of morality that can help us gain perspective regarding such matters.
We will not gain a new perspective until first we destroy the old.
“Old Age ain’t for Sissies—Betty Davis
coberst;1120712 wrote: Amber Sun
I agree with you.
We must somehow develop the sophistication required to enter into dialogue regarding such matters.
I think that we must develop a science of morality that can help us gain perspective regarding such matters.
Coberst, I would really like to hear your thoughts on a particular matter. I received an email this morning on my gmail from a group I belong to. I posted it here on a thread called 'Why????' . The book is older but appears to be authentic and so is the publisher -National Council for Medical Research. This book literally condemns our medical establishment. Now my question is why would they have authorized this book.
You are a deep thinker, LOL, actually you remind me of my philosophy prof from years ago. He was always 'digging deeper' than the average mind wanted to delve. He taught me a lot.
Would you please be so kind as to read it and then give me your thoughts as to why this book would have been published by the above?
I agree with you.
We must somehow develop the sophistication required to enter into dialogue regarding such matters.
I think that we must develop a science of morality that can help us gain perspective regarding such matters.
Coberst, I would really like to hear your thoughts on a particular matter. I received an email this morning on my gmail from a group I belong to. I posted it here on a thread called 'Why????' . The book is older but appears to be authentic and so is the publisher -National Council for Medical Research. This book literally condemns our medical establishment. Now my question is why would they have authorized this book.
You are a deep thinker, LOL, actually you remind me of my philosophy prof from years ago. He was always 'digging deeper' than the average mind wanted to delve. He taught me a lot.
Would you please be so kind as to read it and then give me your thoughts as to why this book would have been published by the above?
“Old Age ain’t for Sissies—Betty Davis
I couldn't find Why??
“Old Age ain’t for Sissies—Betty Davis
coberst;1122272 wrote: I couldn't find Why??
Never mind coberst, it turns out that the author, although speaking some recognized truths, is an Aryan Supremest whose has his own agenda. Since the publisher is now defunct it may have been established by the author himself or even by the church he belongs to. Thank you for looking anyway.
Never mind coberst, it turns out that the author, although speaking some recognized truths, is an Aryan Supremest whose has his own agenda. Since the publisher is now defunct it may have been established by the author himself or even by the church he belongs to. Thank you for looking anyway.