I know - tough topic. Most responses are usually, "I don't." But I've been thinking about this quite a bit the past year. Excuse me a bit of a story for context.
I've alluded to it from time to time here, but early last year my mother was diagnosed with a very rare conglomorate of terminal diseases, and her prognosis was that she had about a year left. She died about two months ago.
But the way she died is what has caused me to think about this question. I was not there - my daughter was only a few weeks old at the time and I could not take the 2,000 mile trip - but one of my brothers and his wife were. She was in a terminal-care home, where the focus is just on making people comfortable as they die. She told me a few days earlier that she did not think she was going to make it through the coming weekend, and we said tenative good-byes. Tough conversation to have, but one I will always remember.
Her intuition was right, and her health took a big dive a few days later. She was in her room, with my brother and his wife, with her favorite music playing. She went into a near catatonic state, and then began to talk. She said something about needing to pack - she "had to pack up" right away. Everyone thought she was halucinating. Then she said her last words - "I'm going home." She took a breath in....and never let it out. She died comfortable and at peace - and those last words were amazing.
Sounds like something you read in Reader's Digest (the 'white light' story), but it happened.
Back to the subject question. Which way would you prefer to die: Suddenly, with no pain or fear (think being hit by a bus), but not be able to say good bye to your loved ones nor they to you. Or, to have warning and have the time to put your affairs in order and say farewells, but then slowly decline and be in some pain, while living with the uncertiantly of death hanging over you?
All my life I've said I want to die suddenly, in my sleep preferably. But now, with the memory of that last priceless conversation (in which my mother told me things I had never heard her say before), I have turned around. I'd like to know.
Anyone else think about this? (I know it's not a fun topic, but I though some of you might have some interesting perspectives to share.)
I've alluded to it from time to time here, but early last year my mother was diagnosed with a very rare conglomorate of terminal diseases, and her prognosis was that she had about a year left. She died about two months ago.
But the way she died is what has caused me to think about this question. I was not there - my daughter was only a few weeks old at the time and I could not take the 2,000 mile trip - but one of my brothers and his wife were. She was in a terminal-care home, where the focus is just on making people comfortable as they die. She told me a few days earlier that she did not think she was going to make it through the coming weekend, and we said tenative good-byes. Tough conversation to have, but one I will always remember.
Her intuition was right, and her health took a big dive a few days later. She was in her room, with my brother and his wife, with her favorite music playing. She went into a near catatonic state, and then began to talk. She said something about needing to pack - she "had to pack up" right away. Everyone thought she was halucinating. Then she said her last words - "I'm going home." She took a breath in....and never let it out. She died comfortable and at peace - and those last words were amazing.
Sounds like something you read in Reader's Digest (the 'white light' story), but it happened.
Back to the subject question. Which way would you prefer to die: Suddenly, with no pain or fear (think being hit by a bus), but not be able to say good bye to your loved ones nor they to you. Or, to have warning and have the time to put your affairs in order and say farewells, but then slowly decline and be in some pain, while living with the uncertiantly of death hanging over you?
All my life I've said I want to die suddenly, in my sleep preferably. But now, with the memory of that last priceless conversation (in which my mother told me things I had never heard her say before), I have turned around. I'd like to know.
Anyone else think about this? (I know it's not a fun topic, but I though some of you might have some interesting perspectives to share.)
