A friend is concerned his 86-year-old father might be becoming an alcoholic. My thought was, why not? When we're toward the end of our life, having put in decades of being responsible, shouldn't we be allowed to do whatever the hell we want to ourselves? Who says we need to be an upstanding example to our dying day? Someone once said the trouble with youth is that it's wasted on the young. So why not spend our final years getting baked and screwing hookers instead of just being cranky? Hell, be cranky too. It reminds me of my dying mother being reluctant to take her pain killers because she was afraid she'd become addicted. So what if she did? It's not like it would ruin her life any further. But she was imagining showing up in the afterlife and being judged for giving in to temptation.

Worst case, you end up addicted for life. That's like, what, 5 years?

Reminds me of the grandfather in Little Miss Sunshine. He got thrown out of the nursing home for doing heroin. His son was scolding him because he had to live with his son's family, "Dad, you shouldn't be doing drugs!"

"I'm old! Who cares? You shouldn't do drugs when you're YOUNG. It doesn't matter now; I'm gonna die anyway!"

I couldn't agree more.

But it's true.

They say a huge chunk of medical costs go into extending the life of elderly people, which is ultimately futile. What if MediCare were to give them a choice?

"Mrs. Jones, the prognosis is you have a few months left. We could try to treat you, but that would just prolong the misery, not cure you. We'll do that, if you want, or we could keep you high as a kite, feeling no pain until the end. We could also give you some excellent hallucinogens. Who knows, you might see even God while still alive. So which will it be?"

My husband's grandfather was told to give up drinking and smoking if he wanted to live. He diligently did so. Several months later, he showed up at the door of his only non-Mormon child and said he hated his life and missed the booze and the cigars. His son pointed out that those things would kill him, and Grandpa said "So?" Son went out and bought him good whiskey and fine cigars. Grandpa was dead a few weeks later, and the rest of the family never forgave the son. My husband thinks Grandpa chose the better way.

Observing the Word of Wisdom doesn't make you live longer. It just feels s-o-o-o much longer.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/04/2012 06:41PM by Stray Mutt.

Like John Entwhistle than like Keith Moon.

If I make it to 70, I'm gonna start smoking again. :-D

And drugs? Hell yeah! As many as I can get my hands on. I intend to herbally medicate myself forever, however. Some things aren't worth giving up.

Most old people don't expect to die soon. We almost all think we have years left. Would you truly want to live those years as an addict?

Most of us fear losing control of our lives more than anything, and becoming an addict sounds like the quickest way to do that.

Most of us fear losing our health, and drugs sounds like a sure fire prescription for going downhill. I'm fighting to stay healthy, and I have a lot invested in that.

Don't get me wrong, morphine at life's end is a godsend. Most of us just don't think we are at the end yet, no matter how old we get.

I appreciate your point. Having faced premature death from cancer, I live for today. I do expect to die. I am not in any way naive that death can take us at any time.

And maybe experimenting with hallicinogens isn't your thing, but I do hope you take that slice of cheesecake/extra glass of wine/buy the ridiculously expensive shoes. The point is,enjoy yourself to the fullest. Whatever that means to you. For me this will mean trippin' balls in the desert with my kid and hopefully some grandkids.

Erin

When my mother was dying of cancer a few years ago, some of her friends attending to her were trying to limit what she ate, thinking "it wasn't good for her"....stuff like candy and treats that were being sent or brought to the house. We asked the doctors about it and they said "let her eat anything she wants, she's dying"...so we did, but some people sure didn't like it.

At that point she was barely eating anything anymore and not asking for much, so if she wanted an Almond Roca, she got it! She lasted about 2 months from the time she decided to go home and get comfortable and not take any treatments.....nothing she ate would have made any difference, but some people can't let go of the control impulse I guess.

When I quit smoking at age 39 I promised myself that if I lived to 70 I'd start again. Trouble is I can't stand the smell of cigarettes anymore.

and I am amazed at the doctors who give the elderly the "quit smoking" talk--92 years old--if you quit smoking, you'll live longer.

And I'm also rather shocked at how many people won't let their parents die--they have dementia and are bedridden in a nursing home and they keep hauling them into the hospital and want the doctors to keep them alive.

I saw a show on MSNBC (I believe) and it costs medicare $40,000 to put a pacemaker in a patient. I type them ALLLLLLL the time--in their 90s. Oftentimes--they have dementia.

"So why not spend our final years getting baked and screwing hookers instead of just being cranky?"

Now those are some words of wisdom.

My favorite uncle used to say he wanted to live to be 100 and then be shot by the jealous husband of a 30 year old. That may be reaching a bit far - I'll take hitting 80 while chasing women and eating and drinking whatever sounds good. And when I can't do that any longer, I plan to go out on my own terms.

Some people will control you to death if you let them.

That being said,Everyone should have in writing how they want to be treated if they become injured or terminally ill and can't speak for themselves.

Legally you may have to be kept on life support, even though that isn't what you would choose. If you don't have anything in writing, they have to assume you would want to live. You could end up on life support for years.

There is paperwork that you can get to have this written up by an attorney to make sure its legal and binding. Some people have gone so far as to have the words "do not resuscitate" Tattooed on their abdomen.