Religious, moral and societal compasses have us preserve life regardless of the cost of continued living. We reflect how lucky we are that modern medicine allows so many to live into the “golden years.”
The roll of the dice may determine your luck. Some are lucky to live long productive and rewarding lives, while other “medically preserved lives” consist of people unable to care for themselves or remember who they or their loved ones are.
These same loved ones are often faced with making heart wrenching decisions about continued care based not upon what they would wish or what would be best, but rather, what is affordable or practical.
My father died with Leukemia at the fairly young at age of 67. His suffering was short and his mind was sharp at the end.
Since my father’s death my Mother, who’s now in her late 80’s, has had two heart attacks (one recently), triple bi-pass surgery, two hip replacements, a detached cornea, years of fighting Parkinson disease, depression, recent signs of dementia and 19 years of loneliness.
She’s a real fighter, but she would set you straight about who she thinks was lucky.