Indeed, Mike. Thanks for this very open post - sometimes we need to cut away from analysis of treatment.
By the way, I don't know if Rich was trying to be hilarious, but he was. Classic. Speaking of classic and tongue-in-cheek humor, as I was a teenager in the 1980s, I am reminded of Oingo Boingo's "No One Lives Forever".... listen if you dare, folks, the song doesn't brook excuses....(and it's '80s ska/pop, so not especially tuneful...)
Perhaps they are playing with their phones or whatever because they, too have a disease that is killing them. We all do. It's called Life. Life comes in many forms, as does death. It's how we handle the transition period that's important. I wish peace and love to all, despite the fact that, in my family, none is given to me. Live as you wish and enjoy the moment(s), but don't assume that illness or the spectre we call death, isn't looming or thought about by many, because it is. I think about it all the time. Who knows, maybe I was in that place when you were! 🤔
I am doing well but I also occasionally think of death. Thank you for the note. It reminds me that I am not alone.
I wonder if we are the only species aware of our inevitable mortality. I consider it a pretty good trick or coping mechanism that we can actually get on with our lives and relationships knowing that.
I think we are by far the species with the broadest consciousness. I used to be a zookeeper, so I know that most creatures experience fear. I know my own dogs best though, over the years. One dog, 15, had to be put down when he had something like a stroke. He died so gracefully, licking my knuckles as he left. It sure felt like a knowing goodbye.
One other dog, 35 years ago, was out on her own and got hit by a car. Bleeding internally, she made her way back into the house, climbed the stairs, and died in my arms. She knew something.
When dogs are ill, they seem to know they are ill. But even when they are in pain, they don't usually bellyache about it (like we do). They just turn down their dials, and gradually stop being part of the household. Is that knowledge of death or just an embedded response? Who the heck knows.
I believe animals have more sensciencesp.?) than we give them credit for possessing. WE KNOW our Pit Bozco knew he was dying when he was staying at OSU being treated for cancer. They called us one morning and told us to hurry over, Bozco was close to death. We drove like the blazes and when we got there, he climbed out of his cage, with his favorite pillow in his mouth, I sang his favorite song and he laid down and smiled...yes smiled. After our hugs and kisses, the vet didn't even have to administer medication, he simply left this plane. He was waiting for us, we feel, so he could be loved and kissed towards the next stop on his journey. We still cry like babies whenever we think of his graceful, loving and KNOWING exit. After some of the experiences we've had with our furry family members, there is no doubt in our minds that they know about death. Our other Pit, Reilly, could smell cancer. We know so little. I believe studies are being conducted regarding this very subject. Peace out❣
Two things about leaving this place DO bother me. One was being told by a doc that a loved one had a week or two at most to live. NEVER put a date stamp on someone's life, it has the potential to take away hope . Fortunately my loved one is still alive, having proved the doc wrong. It's been 8 mos. since those words were uttered. On the other side of that coin, being told by a loved one that I was supposed to die first, was a definite joy killer. I don't care where the words come from, just don't put a time limit on one's life. We live as long as we have the ability. Keep timing out of the paradigm and LIVE! Don't listen to hogwash from anyone who thinks they know another person's expiration date! I'm reminded of some olive oil that was found sealed in casks in Pompeii. After a tremendous amount of time, had passed, they were unearthed, removed from their lava coating and when one was opened, the oil was still good! Now THAT is life! Supposedly it tasted completely fresh. I never heard what became of the tester, but dang! That oil's expiration date was exceptional. I think we are all as exceptional as that oil and we don't require a lava seal, either! We just tell people to keep their dates to themselves and WE'LL LIVE as long as we darn well please!!
Yeah. I think you would have got your ass beat. It's when a doctor tells you you are incurable and this is how long you will probably live that you realize that The Iceman Cometh. As Andy said "Get busy living, or get busy dying." I went through months of despair. And then I got busy living.
I think my ass would have survived. It's a college coffee shop. People would have looked at me and then looked back at their laptops or newspapers.
Is that what The Iceman Cometh means? Google says yes:
The slang expressions “to put someone on ice” or “to ice someone,” both mean “to kill” that “someone.” The iceman Hickey left Evelyn with (in the play by Eugene O'Neil) is Death. When used in the title with the word “cometh,” the implication is that Death comes in the present tense—it is always arriving for someone.
Well when I watch a football or baseball game (on TV or in person), I think to myself "Hey myself all those people in the stadium will be gone in 100 years (or less)".. I don't think I can make it around the stadium before the game is finished. But Hell they don't care, they're having fun watching a game. So should we.......... I hate fucking cancer........
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