The Inevitable Aging Process

[MartinGibsonFan]

This pretty much sums up my viewpoint on death and aging>

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/And_When_I_Die

https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/bloo...dwhenidie.html

J

[rokdog49]

Originally Posted by guitargabor

In my experience after 35 years practicing medicine this is what I have observed:

Most of the over 85 crowd whose lives were extended by "modern medicine" did not enjoy a good quality of life.They suffered from more complications,with resulting re hospitalizations and overtime spent in ERs and physicians office appointments.Many were on kidney dialysis which occupied a third of their waking hours.Multiple medications tend to react with each other more severely in the elderly etc...

Many of those folks already had chronic disease or led difficult lifestyles when they were younger.

I remember a 95 year old fellow accompanied by his son.The son's first words as they entered my office were:"Wow, look at him he's 95!"
That scene is not something I aspire to....

Its is certainly a sensitive and complicated issue.

A phase I recall in a novel discussing old age kind of hit home to me:

"Afraid of dying, but tired of living...."

This is pretty much what my wife’s parents are going through.
Both are and have been having health issues and complications in recent years. They are on a multitude of meds. My mother-in-law is diabetic, suffering from macular degeneration and has to have shots in her eyes
every six months. My father-in-law just fell (again) and fractured his pelvis in two places. He’s in rehab, but had to go to the hospital today because the pain meds caused constipation and now they think he has a partially obstructed intestine. My Dad fell six months ago and suffered multiple facial fractures. He couldn’t eat solid food for six weeks. He’s on a bunch of meds too. They all use hearing aids and still can’t hear. They all are failing mentally as well.
In these instances, I wouldn’t call that much of a quality of life.
They all suffer from depression and live in fear of the next catastrophe.
I will say they are all “fighters” but there’s only so much a person can take.
I’m pretty certain that without the meds, none of them would be with us.
It’s very sad to watch.

[Mr. Jelly]

Originally Posted by guitargabor

A phrase I recall in a novel discussing old age kind of hit home to me:

"Afraid of dying, but tired of living...."

A line from the song "Old Man River" is

"tired of living, afraid of dying" old man river keeps rolling along

[MrDB]

My mom had congestive heart failure, and although frail was mentally alert and could function pretty well at daily living. She had a heart attack at 10pm and another one at 4am the next morning and passed. She was 85 but had a pretty good quality of life until her last day on earth.

My dad developed Alzheimers at around 80 and got steadily worse as the years went on. Things were okay as long as my mom was alive as she was his "babysitter" and looked after him.

Once she passed caring for him was very difficult. They had moved to a senior living facility earlier which was just a few minutes from my office so I could pop over there several times a day, but eventually we had to put him in a nursing home. He passed at 88, and the last 5-6 years of his life were absolutely awful.

So I hope I go out the way my mom did.

[buddyhu]

As difficult as it is to witness deterioration and unhappiness as older folks slowly lose their health and vitality, it is also difficult to watch someone in their midlife get a terminal diagnosis and die with so many of their dreams left unactualized.

It seems as if we all have some ideal death in mind, based upon what we have seen, what suffering has touched us most. But, we get what we get, not what we prefer.

Sorry to read many of the stories posted here....

[Slothead56]

My Dad was a greatest generation lifelong smoker. Had a heart attack at 68 that killed him and was really the best thing that could have happened. Emphysema is a wicked condition. Wish he’s gotten to know my two youngest kids.

Mom suffered from Alzheimer’s and died just short of 85 but she was gone long before that. This was the classic “just because you can, doesn’t mean you should” scenario. For the last 5 years of her life she was verbally non-responsive, emotionally just a shell. As a society we need to figure out how to deal with Memory loss sufferers.

I don’t do anything particularly designed to enhance my health. I eat ok, get moderate exercise, probably not enough sleep (“I’ll sleep when I’m dead”-Zevon). I had kids later in life and I think that did indeed keep me young. And at 63 I’m still working full time by choice. Keeps me sharper I think. I also have two big dogs and I think they are a great way to stay mentally and physically healthy.

I have aches and pains but I attribute them to prior sports injuries and other reminders of a reckless youth.

The day will come, of course, as it does for all of us. No man knows when or where. I just want to be kind of used up by then.

[The Watchman]

Someone once said that old age is god's cruelest joke.
So what is it that we learn from watching our parents, friends, and relatives suffer and die? I'd like to say it inspires us to live life to the fullest while we can, enjoy and love the ones we share life with, and make the old comfortable. But I think what we see is people with mostly just more anger and hate and greed and denial.

[AX17609]

I had to go back to the OP to understand what we're talking about here. I think it's the possibility the modern medicine has extended lives past their more natural conclusions.

My mother, who never wanted to be committed to a nursing home, died in a nursing home. During the last years of her life she mutated into an entirely different person, one who I didn't even recognize. Mean. Had a list of medications that was a full page long.

My father died in the same nursing home after losing his mental faculties. He didn't know who I was. Accused me of hoarding all the ketchup at the dinner table.

My uncle, a proud atheist who claimed he'd shoot himself before going into a nursing home, recently died in a nursing home after turning into an entirely different person and finding religion. The presiding priest at the funeral didn't know who he was.

My daughter is currently dying of Stage 4 brain cancer. She's barely conscious. What's left of her isn't her, but she takes anti-seizure meds and gets chemotherapy regularly.

People ask my why I push myself so hard physically. It's not because I'm trying to stay healthy. It's because I'm hoping to die of a stroke.

[Steve-arino]

"My daughter is currently dying of Stage 4 brain cancer. She's barely conscious. What's left of her isn't her, but she takes anti-seizure meds and gets chemotherapy regularly."

I'm so sorry to hear about your daughter. Heartbreaking. So upset. No way to go. I wish you strength through this time. And a peaceful end for your daughter.

[rokdog49]

Originally Posted by AX17609

I had to go back to the OP to understand what we're talking about here. I think it's the possibility the modern medicine has extended lives past their more natural conclusions.

My mother, who never wanted to be committed to a nursing home, died in a nursing home. During the last years of her life she mutated into an entirely different person, one who I didn't even recognize. Mean. Had a list of medications that was a full page long.

My father died in the same nursing home after losing his mental faculties. He didn't know who I was. Accused me of hoarding all the ketchup at the dinner table.

My uncle, a proud atheist who claimed he'd shoot himself before going into a nursing home, recently died in a nursing home after turning into an entirely different person and finding religion. The presiding priest at the funeral didn't know who he was.

My daughter is currently dying of Stage 4 brain cancer. She's barely conscious. What's left of her isn't her, but she takes anti-seizure meds and gets chemotherapy regularly.

People ask my why I push myself so hard physically. It's not because I'm trying to stay healthy. It's because I'm hoping to die of a stroke.

Yes, you got the point.
The state of modern medicine has also introduced a whole new world of moral and ethical questions which cannot be discussed on this forum.

[6L6]

At 74 I still ski, play golf, and basically can do about anything I want to do.

I still have 20/15 eyes that need no correction. Needless to say, I consider myself very fortunate.

That said, I strongly believe everyone should have an option to check out with dignity if they so choose. Hanging on when you're tired of hanging on just makes no sense to me. It brings everyone down with you and there's no point to that.

[blue]

To paraphrase my Doctor "We are all bodybuilders".

You build your body. Whatever you look like. Yes, I understand HGH, and TRT played a role, but Tom Cruise definitely "puts in the work" in terms of diet and exercise. This picture may not say it all, but it says a lot.

[The Watchman]

It also says a lot about botox and plastic surgery.

[blue]

Originally Posted by The Watchman

It also says a lot about botox and plastic surgery.

I would tend to disagree. HGH and TRT WITHOUT A DOUBT. Stem cells? I have no doubt if he gets injured doing a stunt. I've heard of ridiculous recoveries from Stem Cells for "athletic" injuries. Not the kind of therapy we allow in USA even though the cells are harvested from your own body.

Botox? Nah. Temporary. Limits facial expression. Why bother, when interventions like hormones give long term full body "benefits".

[rokdog49]

[QUOTE=6L6;6433049]At 74 I still ski, play golf, and basically can do about anything I want to do.

I still have 20/15 eyes that need no correction. Needless to say, I consider myself very fortunate.

That said, I strongly believe everyone should have an option to check out with dignity if they so choose. Hanging on when you're tired of hanging on just makes no sense to me. It brings everyone down with you and there's no point to that.[/QUOTE

Pandora’s Box.