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This is a fascinating thread. How could you be 71 and never have thought about death, mortality, and how much time you have left?
Or maybe you thought about death and mortality a little but not much, but you had never actually calculated how much time you might have left.
Or maybe working on your Phd at age 71 had put you into a state of mind where future death did not occupy any part of your mind.
One senior on City-Data (not in this thread) claimed he never had thought about whether he was afraid of death or not. I found that inconceivable to never have thought about it. I realize that many Christians (and some other religious people) do not fear death or very little. I don't think this person is religious.
This:
...."Or maybe you thought about death and mortality a little but not much, but you had never actually calculated how much time you might have left."
Actually, it was about five years ago. It was like hitting a brick wall of reality.
I know that I will die sometime in the future, but I just don't dwell on it.
However, I do have reason to dwell on it somewhat (3rd degree heart block, atrial fibrillation and pacemaker), but this trifecta could cause me to go at any time (I have been like this for 20 years), whereas the "how much time I have left" is a little more disconcerting.
I don't really think about how much time I have left, except sometimes to wonder which young relative, if any, will be my executor if I get old before dying.
I do sometimes think about dying itself. I don't want to die of cancer, certainly. I don't want to be killed in an accident or to be murdered. Those are too traumatic for other people. I don't want alzheimer's or ALS, and I don't want to be incapacitated by strokes. Fatal heart attack doesn't really sound so bad when I consider the alternatives.
I don't really think about how much time I have left, except sometimes to wonder which young relative, if any, will be my executor if I get old before dying.
I do sometimes think about dying itself. I don't want to die of cancer, certainly. I don't want to be killed in an accident or to be murdered. Those are too traumatic for other people. I don't want alzheimer's or ALS, and I don't want to be incapacitated by strokes. Fatal heart attack doesn't really sound so bad when I consider the alternatives.
Unfortunately, even a heart attack does not "finish the job." What I mean by this is that you may l you may have several if not many heart attacks and just get more feeble and more bedridden each time. We can not order what outcome is acceptable to us.
I am with you. A fatal hear attack is quick. My family knows that I love them. Unfortunately, we do not always get what kind of death we want.
... A fatal hear attack is quick. My family knows that I love them. Unfortunately, we do not always get what kind of death we want.
My father, like his brothers, survived a first heart attack at 75. He stopped driving a taxi seven days a week, and began walking two miles a day, ate perfectly. Mentally as sharp as ever. He said he wasn't worrie about dying, he just wasn't in a hurry. "One of these days I'll wake up dead." I did ask him to carry my phone number, which he did.
At 87, he got diagnosed with pancreatic/liver cancer, like his brothers. He declined treatment and died seven weeks later, fortunately with little pain. He was mad that he got cancer like every other relative of his did.
Do you ever think about how much time you have left?
I honestly try not to think about things like that too much. My husband has beat prostrate cancer and kidney failure. Now he has Polycythemia vera (pol-e-sy-THEE-me-uh VEER-uh) it's a slow-growing blood cancer in which your bone marrow makes too many red blood cells. These excess cells thicken your blood, slowing its flow. They also cause complications, such as blood clots, which can lead to a heart attack or stroke. Under a Dr's care most people can live a normal life. I also have my own health issues. I can't spend my time thinking about ...'could this be the last day?' I just treasure each day the Lord blesses us with.
I never thought about it, but 1 year ago this month, my son had a headache and I brought him into the emergency ward at the hospital. It was a mild stroke and everyone said "don't worry he'll be fine" 11 days later he died. He was only 38 and healthy as could be. So I've realized that planning for the future or wondering how long I have is irrelevant, you just never know.
I learned last week that two college Fraternity Brothers had died, one at 60 and the other at 61.
Last night I learned that the Dad of one of our youngest son's childhood friends had died over the weekend. He was 63.
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