Or as the Katlicks call it all saints day, I would like to hear what is the kind of death you would prefer. It was one Greek philosopher who when asked what was the best thing to happen to a man said not to be born and the second best is to die sooner. And so now that we all know we are dying let’s talk about how that final moment should be.
A quick abrupt death with no room for goodbyes
Dying in a vegetable state, unable to live in any dignity and die with dignity
Death from short illness
Death from long illness bravely borne ( this gets to my nerves. Why extend human life when the end is all but certain. Then again, all our deaths certain)
Taking your own life once you have had enough of this life?
In the meantime, make merry for tomorrow we die.
Random thoughts 
As I get older, I realize that im on the other side of the dividing line between young and old, and Im not entirely happy about that.
Luckily I have most if not of my facitilies and it only takes me two tries to get out of the rocker.
But just this morning I had one of those revelations that are so startling, and scary, you just can’t get the image out of your mind:
As I was drifiting awake, the first thing I thought of, was, ‘when I die, all of me goes. Every memory, every thought, every single bit of me goes with me.” I have come to terms with the idea of oblivion, of no heaven, no harps (thank goodness for that) and have always felt that when I do go, I want to be scatered here, where I’ve spent all but twenty five years of my life.
But death is the great Cancellation. It only matters to the living, where and how and when you died, and where you’ll be buried.
What I would LIKE, is about a month’s warning, so I can clean out the computer, tidy up my papers, make a few lists, and get my hair washed. For whatever that’s worth. A month isn’t too much to ask, I don’t think…
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You got me with this one, Judy.
One month is more than enough to draft letters to all the fans and all.
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Start now, lol, it you look it square in the face, you have to consider that whoever gets your computer will most definitely snoop before they pull the plug.
=)
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I want a death like God/Jesus had. I die, then 3 days later I come back and start a multi-trillion dollar religion and live like a king for eternity. Nice!
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You and me, same
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Ideally, I’d prefer to decide when I end, but reality is unlikely to give me enough time for that option.
If I have to go before then, a quick abrupt death, either in my sleep or the kind where I never know what hit me, seems best. I might feel different if I had dependents.
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Reality is indifferent to our wishes.
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In my sleep.
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I think this a good way to go
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The ‘End Of Life Choice’ bill is now law following the referendum with 65% support, which means that for some, they can choose their own time.
However most of us wont have a choice. We’ll go when we least expect it quite suddenly or well linger with only palliative care to ease the burden.
The Medical Association here was strongly opposed to the bill, and one of the concerns of many who opposed it was the concern that resources for palliative care may be reduced. Time will tell.
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Thats the thing about life: we have no control on when we are born and generally when and how we die.
I would have thought the medical community would support the bill.
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Some doctors support the bill but their professional bodies do not. The reason is that deliberately ending a life is contrary to their hippocratic oath.
However one of their main concerns is that resources will be diverted away from palliative care. They argue quite correctly in my view that with proper care, most deaths can be with dignity and be pain free. They don’t want to be put in a situation where someone serks euthanasia just because the prpoer palliative care is no longer available.
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There is some argument to be made to that and it does make sense. But i think generally people want to extend their stay here and only a few choose the way for assisted dying. So, really, palliative care shouldn’t be defunded.
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No, palliative care shouldn’t be defunded. But consider this; we have a mostly publicly funded health care system but the institutions are run on business models that resemble for-profit enterprises. District health boards are bulk funded from central government based on population and socioeconomic outcomes of that population – poorer communities get greater per cspita funding. Long term palliative care is considerably more expensive than a lethal injection would be. Administrators could put subtle or not so subtle pressure on medical staff and/or patients to opt for the quicker and cheaper option.
Also in this country not all long term care for the aged ill is fully funded by the state. For example institutional care of my father cost around $550 per week over his final years. Doctors fear that patients may feel pressured into choosing to shorten their lives to avoid being a burden on their family.
The problem is that parts of the system need to be changed, especially funding, so the dying never feel pressured into choosing euthanasia, but the odds are that the system will not change. Or worse, base business plans with euthenasia targets to reduce palliative costs.
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Very good points all through and I agree.
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there is no answer to it let nature decide
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Well, you are right
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I want to die making as big a mess as possible. I used to say I’d fly an aeroplane into a building, but apparently some people came along and stole my idea.
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Haha Pink.
May jump from a high tower. That will create a good mess
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In my sleep or very quick..no lingering. My affairs are in order and that’s all I can do.
Lately I’ve been feeling too much this dread of ceasing to exist FOR ALL TIME. Never having another thought, a taste of coffee, a beautiful sunset to see. The finality of it can get to me.
I’m all for assisted dying. Wish it was easy here in the US…just a few states have it and probably more.
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I, too, supported assisted dying.
There are days the thought of my demise and those closest to me bother me
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I get that, too, Mary. it’s terrifying to think that all those years of living in this brain will just stop. It does, however, get better, once you play it out a few times.
I have no problem with assisted dying, and like you, no doubt, I’ve seen enough slow deaths to appreciate the helpers. It’s easier on the family, in the long run, and I suspect on the caregivers or the hospital.
i take photos. Always have. I guess, in a way, that’s our memory machine.
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I can’t really obsess about the “not existing” part. I won’t exist, so I won’t “experience” the non-existence. 🙂
Over on a physics blog I sometimes peek in on (Self Aware Patterns) (I am not nearly smart enough to comment there!) there was rambling discussion of how time doesn’t exist and we exist permanently in some kind of “block” of timeless space time. Physics seems to be circling down a rat hole of ever more arcane theory verging on crazy. 🙂
My biggest fear is dementia and decrepitude. Diapers. Lost my mind. Dependent on others and a burden on others. I am terrified of the medical industry/profession, and would never choose unending pain for a few more weeks or months. I want to go quick.
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I want to go quick. — I think this is a the wish of nearly everyone.
We’d prefer to stick around as long as possible, but if life has taken a definite turn for the worse, suffering through it doesn’t sound very appealing.
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Suffering for long when death is certain ain’t so appealing
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I have told Mike( of self aware patterns) that his blog is above my pay grade. I think discussion about nature of time can be really confusing.
I think we have the same fears. Losing my mind means I can’t even take myself out.
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But we are told that we are the PROPERTY of this timeless, omnipotent THING that exists out of time and space so if Yahweh wants us to spend nine years in a mediocre government nursing home barely lucid, then we need to OBEY and suffer those nine years! No SINFUL early escapes!
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Why fight gods plan?
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CAN one fight God’s Plan? He IS, after all, omnipotent and omniscient.
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It is not possible
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BUT….to be contrarian, and in defense of the COVID fears at Nan, dark mutterings about government conspiracies are not rally worthy of us, Tish. Leave that to the Q-Anon people and Birthers.
https://cassandralegacy.blogspot.com/2020/10/the-pandemic-did-they-hide-truth-from-us.html
(And Dr. Bardo is a “shutdown skeptic”)
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Interesting link.
It doesn’t address such questions as reliability of tests, population being tested and other reasons that make us skeptical concerning lockdown measures.
I wouldn’t deny the existence of the pandemic though.
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I think the focus was on death rates and how hard it is to lie about them. Even in Belorussia.
Did you catch the other post about the “quality” of tyrannical government? Given your disdain for the Kenyan political class, you might find his take “amusing”. It certainly described Trump as well.
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I should check it out.
I just read the one on covid
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I should note Professor Bardo was NOT a supporter of rigid lockdowns. He would agree strongly with the need for a deep and careful review of the governments’ response to COVID you mentioned above.
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Take the case of our government. Politicians from all sides of the divide have been crisscrossing the country, meeting hundreds of people then suddenly the government decides, no, there is a surge and so we need to stop all this nonsense of political rallies. One would want to know for example, before they started these rallies, what percentage of the population had been tested to determine the prevalence in the community and all. Without reliable data that is usable, I treat all this as government sanctioned propaganda
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Can we change the title of your post to “On This Day of Dread”. Because that is how I feel right now.
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I can imagine.
How soon do you know the results
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It may be awhile. But even if Biden ekes out a victory, the fact that almost half my fellow citizens voted for a corrupt, fascist THING is disconcerting and saddening. I really wish I had more money. Portugal sounds better and better.
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That so many people voted for Trump, Graham, Mitch tells you quite a lot about the people you have around you
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I’m currently living sudden death after losing my oldest this past Sept. I feel so cheated and as if a sick joke had been played on me. To have a piece of you, a love that only a mother can describe be taken from you without warning after 25 years….25 years!….it’s devastatingly sickening.
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Sorry Aimee for your loss.
I think the pain of burying one’s child is unbearable & especially one so young.
So sorry for your loss
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