Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
When my dad turned 98 he wanted to make it to 100. Now that he's 100, he wants to make it as long as he can, for a special someone he reconnected with recently out of his long ago past. I will not be surprised at all if he lives to 105. He was 95 when he had surgery to remove a benign cancer from inside his neck (squamous cell carcinoma). He had radiation which caused 2nd degree terrible burns on his neck. That was 5-1/2 years ago. He's had numerous skin cancers removed (over 25) from his face and neck over the past 20 years.
You never know in life. Not about health. Not about love.
When my dad turned 98 he wanted to make it to 100. Now that he's 100, he wants to make it as long as he can, for a special someone he reconnected with recently out of his long ago past. I will not be surprised at all if he lives to 105. He was 95 when he had surgery to remove a benign cancer from inside his neck (squamous cell carcinoma). He had radiation which caused 2nd degree terrible burns on his neck. That was 5-1/2 years ago. He's had numerous skin cancers removed (over 25) from his face and neck over the past 20 years.
You never know in life. Not about health. Not about love.
What a great story and way to show that even 98 can be great. If one is prone to skin cancers, it seems like they just keep on popping up. You have to keep on top of them by having regular skin screenings.
When my dad turned 98 he wanted to make it to 100. Now that he's 100, he wants to make it as long as he can, for a special someone he reconnected with recently out of his long ago past. I will not be surprised at all if he lives to 105. He was 95 when he had surgery to remove a benign cancer from inside his neck (squamous cell carcinoma). He had radiation which caused 2nd degree terrible burns on his neck. That was 5-1/2 years ago. He's had numerous skin cancers removed (over 25) from his face and neck over the past 20 years.
You never know in life. Not about health. Not about love.
Kind of sounds like a new lease on life for your Dad, I say congrats to him for reconnecting with a special someone after so many years!
The thing is with those skin cancers, unless they're melanoma, ( usually squamous or basal cell carcinomas). they aren't likely to kill a person, as they don't metastasize. But they will spread contiguously on the skin ( albeit relatively slowly) which can get uncomfortable, and may become disfiguring if untreated. For this reason, they're generally treated by excision ( sometimes along with a chemotherapeutic ointment in the wound) in people who might otherwise not want to be treated for cancer.
My best wishes for your Dad, and you too while I'm at it.
The problem with Ezekiel Emmanuel going public this way, is that he's intentionally setting up a political scenario where nobody gets cancer treatment over age 75 whether they want it or not.
In the past, ol' Zeke has said he wants to die at or before 75. At 62, I'm glad he's not my doctor. And he's not much of a "leading US doctor" if you ask me.
Yeah what he is saying is that if I/government was in control they would kill you. I promise that guy will do everything to stay alive for as long as possible. He is a liar.
60-70 is reasonably OK for a lot of people. However, I noticed a steep decline starting at age 65. Now that I'm over 70, it's even worse. I just can't even imagine being my father's age (almost 101). I just. don't. want. it. Both side of my family are very long-livers so I might be stuck. Another 30 years?? pfffffft. No way.
I'm 57 and I'm not ready to hang it up just, yet. 60 is not that far away at all. Believe me, the older you get the younger 60 will seem.
My biggest concern isn't slowing down because that happens to everyone as we age. My biggest concern would be developing dementia. Hopefully, that'll never be an issue for me but if that is in the cards for me, I'd rather go before that happened.
I'm with Pathrunner in that I agree that it isn't "giving up on life." It's a question of what kind of life; schlepping to and from chemo may or may not fit that description. If it's a matter of living until a certain wedding, Bar Mitzvah or birth of a grandchild/great-grandchild I can see it. If it's to run up some doctor's "five-year" stats, definitely not. There are situations in between obviously.
Sorry for the late reply. Let me clarify. I never said I would endure chemo just to extend my life 6 months. As I stated if I found it was not curable no way. My post was directed more at the posters who said they would never get chemo, one even said (s)he would not even get scans while still in their 60's.
I know several close friends, and a sister in law, who endured the treatments, They are all still with us with one exception and her prognosis was grim from the start. Now none were 75 of course and as I said that would be different.
But for me if there is still a decent chance to hold on to life I'm going to fire all my bullets. If it becomes clear that I am only delaying the inevitable well then I would stop. But at least I have a choice, if you refuse treatment you don't get a do-over later.
The problem with Ezekiel Emmanuel going public this way, is that he's intentionally setting up a political scenario where nobody gets cancer treatment over age 75 whether they want it or not.
In the past, ol' Zeke has said he wants to die at or before 75. At 62, I'm glad he's not my doctor. And he's not much of a "leading US doctor" if you ask me.
Yeah, I didn't even know he was related to ole Rahm Emanuel, that raging scoundrel (by the way, I lean left but I subscribe to neither side because as I've written on here in the past, both sides are correct on some things, and both sides are horribly wrong on some things). That being said, I think it's a curious idea that he's setting things up subconsciously or consciously in peoples' minds that they shouldn't want treatment after 75. Most of us generally speaking don't start having a ton of expensive issues until we're over 65. I did starting at age 51, but I didn't surrender to the idea of disability until I was 58 when I had a huge wakeup call.
I think there is too much more money to be made in trying to keep people alive than there is in denying treatment. Of course, there's the position that "they" are trying to cull a large percentage of the population through various means, and I believe that they are partially correct. However, that partial percentage cannot be clearly quantified.
Judging by the number of reps I received with the original post of this thread (tied for the most), a lot of people feel the way Zeke does, and I do. Not that we are "correct" but that it is simply how we feel.
My sister-in-law died of pancreatic cancer at age 40. She chose to fight it, but the treatments only made her miserable and did not prolong her life. At the initial discovery, she was told that she had 6 months to two years left. She died exactly 6 months later.
At 40, I had a 4 and 6 year old. I would have fought like hell and endured anything I had to in order to live for them.
Yeah, I didn't even know he was related to ole Rahm Emanuel, that raging scoundrel (by the way, I lean left but I subscribe to neither side because as I've written on here in the past, both sides are correct on some things, and both sides are horribly wrong on some things). That being said, I think it's a curious idea that he's setting things up subconsciously or consciously in peoples' minds that they shouldn't want treatment after 75. Most of us generally speaking don't start having a ton of expensive issues until we're over 65. I did starting at age 51, but I didn't surrender to the idea of disability until I was 58 when I had a huge wakeup call.
I think there is too much more money to be made in trying to keep people alive than there is in denying treatment. Of course, there's the position that "they" are trying to cull a large percentage of the population through various means, and I believe that they are partially correct. However, that partial percentage cannot be clearly quantified.
Judging by the number of reps I received with the original post of this thread (tied for the most), a lot of people feel the way Zeke does, and I do. Not that we are "correct" but that it is simply how we feel.
I'd alway support individual choice in health matters, regardless of whether or not I might agree with someone's choices. I think being informed about those choices and facing the reality of a person's own general health ( ie, comorbidities, mental status, general prognosis with/without treatment for a given diagnosis) makes for the best decisions. I'd have to say that as an oncologist, ol' Zeke is certainly informed about the process and available resources, but it's still an individual choice to be made, and I hope we never get to the point where such choices are made by the collective based purely on an arbitrary age.
While I posted at length about my own experience with colon cancer, choosing available treatment even though I'm 75, I can say unequivocally that in the event I had or developed Alzheimer's disease or dementia I'd NOT want treatment, would just hope to be kept comfortable and let nature take it's course.. As you mention, I'd consider continuing, aggressive and expensive treatment a waste of valuable resources just to prolong a life that, as far as I can see, is limited to a physical presence with little to no sentient or mental capability. I live in a community where the over 65 population makes up the majority, and from observation, think I see the same sentiments among many of our health care professionals- in fact I have had this conversation with my PCP, who sees it as I do.
I just wanted to mention something else, as it was mentioned in the video in the OP. Apparently Emmanuel had included pacemakers as a medical intervention he would personally forego once he hit 75. I recall listening to an interview with Obama where limiting medical interventional care to seniors in general was mentioned as they were touting the glories of Obamacare. IIRC he mentioned age 70 as a limit, and pacemakers were listed among the medical procedures mentioned. Though like the interview in the OP, these age limits were just discussed theoretically, not as a matter of policy, but it pointed out the mindset, IMO, of these decision makers.
The theoretical pacemaker age limitation hit home to me ( like the cancer did) as I have a pacemaker, which was implanted a couple months before my 72nd birthday. It was implanted to treat sinus node dysfunction, which for me took the form of bradycardia ( heart rates that would get into the 30's-40's routinely), alternating with tachycardia ( heart rate into the 170's 180's- just anytime). I went through this for something over 2 years before the pacemaker, and though I dragged myself through the activities of daily life, my quality of life was circling the drain as time went on as I fought near syncope on a number of occasions and actually did pass out maybe twice. Whether or not I'd have died is a matter of question, as I read sinus node dysfunction generally drags on for years unless the person passes out while driving, or throws a clot, causing a stroke, and who knows how many others they may take with them in these possible scenarios.
But the pacemaker was, and has been a game changer for me, as it ( with the proper settings ) gave me back the energy, and allowed me to take enough medication to control the tachycardia, all of which has let me resume my life contributing the best I know how as a senior member of this community. I'm grateful every day for having gotten it at age 71. The possible alternatives under age-restricted denials of medical care would have been grim.
Yes, my father's wife who passed away at age 90 (10 years ago) had heart surgery at age 75 to correct a birth defect - something about a valve, I believe. I don't know why it wasn't done until then. It gave her a completely new lease on life with the ability to be very active. This person ran circles around me at times. She had so much energy that it amazed me, and I have a lot.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
