View Full Version : Would you rather
If you could choose, would you rather live to be 70 and be mentally alert and together the whole time, or live to be 90 and be senile the last 5 years of your life?
I don't know. I'd rather be 90 and mentally together, but my grandfather has Alzheimers, and I just hate the idea of slowly losing my cognitive abilities that way. If I had to pick, I'd probably pick dying at 70 with all of my cognitive abilities intact.
Danielle
07-08-2007, 08:16 AM
That's a tough one. I think that as difficult as it would be to lose my cognitive abilities, I may just choose that so I could have another 15 "good years" with my family. I have to think on it a little more though...
I would want the 15 extra years. Dave's dad was 69 when he died and he is missing so much. Interestingly enough, he did gamble on that very issue.
I had suspected he was developing Alzheimer's and was about to bring it to Dave's attention when he died. We found letters to people over the last year of his life in which he confirmed my suspicion. At the same time, he knew he had heart disease. From our conversations, I knew how much he despised Alzheimer's and never wanted to go that route. He refused to deal with his heart disease and we feel that he was hoping that would take him out first. It did and he won his gamble.
Danielle
07-09-2007, 08:30 AM
Yeah... I've thought about it and I'd definitely take the extra 15 years as well. Being an athiest, I don't feel I'll ever see my loved ones again so I'd want to spend as much time with them as possible.
Jejune
07-09-2007, 09:11 AM
I would not take the extra fifteen years. My grandfather died of Alzheimer's and it's my worst fear now. He was cognizant of it the first few years and was constantly frustrated and angry about it. It was horrible. Also, beyond that, my health is never really great, so I can't imagine they'd be fifteen physically comfortable years. I'd rather have a good, fulfilling life and die when I'm still fairly happy and in decent shape, I think.
Erika
07-09-2007, 09:30 AM
Same as Kristen here. 70 is a good length of time and honestly, alzheimers is one of our big fears. I would hate to have my family go through seeing me like that. And I would hate to be like that.
SO give me 70 great years and let me die quietly in my sleep.
Marcie
07-12-2007, 11:43 PM
I think I'd take the extra 15 years.
Kristen
07-13-2007, 05:19 AM
I'm not sure. I'd like to choose whichever one was least selfish, but I'm honestly not sure which is! So, I am thankful that I don't have to choose.
70 without a doubt, I have watched family around me suffer strokes and go through alzheimers and I would much prefer to go out earlier 100% remembered and loved as a person who is enjoying their life with dignity than drag it out to 90 with little comprehension of who i am or indeed those around me. I have also known what it is like to be the grandchild of a person in need of care and I don't want to think of my childrens children having to give up their teens to help support their parents due to my ill health.
Luckily having had my family and marrying as young as i have I will hopefully have at the very least seen all of my grandchildren reach teens if i live to 70 which is quite an achievement in itself.