Dementia and "Duty to Die"

[Angry Ayrab]

On a related story:

My grandmother took care of my Grandfather for three years as he was calling it quits. My grandmother also raised me at a time before my grandfather called it quits. She now can't do the things she used too but mentally she is fine. Basically she needs a strapping young lad around the house to do many of the chores she used to. I could never ever ever imagine allowing her to leave the comfort of the home she has enjoyed for the last 30 years and the one she allowed me to live in and care for me when I needed the care at a younger age. I could never imagine letting a stranger care for her, because she never let a stranger handle me when I was younger. So I live with her and love it. She is funny entertaining and kind and I see it as a favor of hers to allow me to care for her in her home. I always thank her for allowing me to live free of charge in her house and she always tells me to shut the fuck up and quit being a prick.

Anyway, what I am trying to get at, is that we owe the people who cared for us and allowed us to become who we are, our lives. That is just the way it works. Now obviously as a person that practically lives in the hospital, I know that this isn't always possible, and a mobily challanged geriatric isn't like a demented one, but you should always try to care for them yourself as much as possible to the best of your abilities. I see it that each person is dealt a hand in life and each of us has to play with the hand we are dealt, and not just cop out of our bet. That is all. NOw this is just my opinion and I hope it does not bring offense to anyone.

PS: Let it be known that if I get old and am on my death bed, I want to go out with a shit load of morphine, that stuff rocks.

 

[The_Liquid_Laser]

I didn't read the article but I remember discussing this with a friend once and the conversation went something like this.... Remove your emotions for a minute and imagine that there is a group of 10 people made up of 5 males and 5 females ranging in ages from birth to age 75. And the particular circumstances of this scenario call for a downsizing of the group by 2 through extermination. Who should the 2 who are exterminated be?

If these were the last 10 people on Earth then I'd probably pick the two oldest males. Otherwise it seems kinda arbitrary to me. In modern society I'm not sure how you could say one person has more of a right to live than another, but that's just the way I see it. Who would you pick?

 

[Anja]

I agree, LL. There's nothing more disposable than an old male! Maybe we could save just one here and there as a donor of sperm of dubious quality and kill the young while they're still poisoned by testosterone.

*Takes tongue out of cheek*

Actually, I have a few thousand thoughts on how social pressure creates that in men and what a treacherous society we Western folk have for males in general. I suppose I'll soapbox on them sometime.

I'm with you on sense of duty and repayment, Ayrab. And your present avatar is leaving me speechless with laughter. Whacky!