You're Going to Die
 

Yes, everyone does eventually, including the ones you love.
Before that time comes for you, or them, in fact long before that time, you must read this article. Really, you need to.

Excellent article, Bruce.
Thanks for posting it.

Oregon went through the "Death with Dignity" discussion several years ago, and it made a real difference for my parents. We had a physician that specialized in Elder Care and a Home Visit Nurse that discussed the same issues of the article, first with my folks and then with me and my wife and our children. It made their care easier and more acceptable for everyone. My wife and I now have set up Durable Power of Attorney, and our kids know of our plans and wishes.

It's a long article, but yes, everyone should read it.

Great article - thanks for sharing.

There are, I'm afraid, worse things than death.

When my time comes, pray Universe, I want to go quickly in my sleep. I've always felt that dropping dead out of the blue was good for the dropper (though, obviously, a shock for those left on earth)

I lost my father to cancer two years ago as of this month. He was diagnosed with stage IV terminal lung cancer, and a year later was gone. He died 7 days after his 60th birthday.

During that time, we had home hospice care for months. A nurse came by a few times per week and checked up on his progress, managed medication, adjusted doses and so forth. They gave anything and everything prescription-wise that they could use to make him comfortable and keep him lucid as much as possible for his sake and ours, and would talk with us and him and answer any questions that we had.

When the time came and he was in so much pain he couldn't move or talk... well, it came quick after that, just a few days. When he went, his entire family was in the room with him. Four sons with spouses, grandchildren, his wife. We were all able to tell him as his last breath left his body that we loved him.

It's a.. horrible memory, to be honest. But it's very much my belief that it was way better than receiving a phone call from a hospital that he'd gone without any or all of his family there, and it gave us time to spend together at home while we could, right up to the last moment.

Hospice care is a good thing.