A Huffington Post article titled "Neil Armstrong's Death Draws Limited Television Coverage" following the death of the first man to walk on the Moon got me thinking about whether I'd like to go quickly or have a little "warning" (assuming I had any say in the matter at all, of course).
In the case of the Apollo 11 astronaut, Armstrong died unexpectedly August 25, 2012, following complications from cardiovascular procedures, surprising those "close to him" according to an article in The New York Times. I'm sure his sudden death left many of his surviving loved ones wishing they'd had time to say goodbye.
On the other hand, I watched my grandfather die from emphysema complications over five or six years. I'll never forget the long, thin clear-plastic hose that snaked from the tall oxygen tank to his grizzled-yet-gaunt face whenever I'd visit. While his impending death gave us time to say our goodbyes before finally receiving the phone call on a cold November 1982 evening informing us that "Fritz" had died, I think I'd prefer to go suddenly like Armstrong.
Would you rather die quickly, without warning, or over a longer period, so you can say goodbye to loved ones? And please explain your preference.
I prefer to go quickly. While it would be nice to say goodbye to all those that I love, a long drawn out death does not seem to be beneficial to me or those that I love.
I know that all those that I love deeply will know my sentiments no matter how sudden it happens.
I believe I would prefer to pass quickly. Though I think having the ability to say goodbye to loved ones is very important, I think that it’s not entirely necessary if you caress those people every day while you’re alive.
I watched my grandmother suffer through a slow, painful death for nearly 10 years. It broke my heart to see her suffer so badly. She wished so badly to pass for so long. Though I was still very much so devastated when she did pass, I was also happy that she no longer had to live in suffering and pain.
So, is it really beneficial to your loved ones to have a slow death? I don’t think so. Watching my grandmother die for so long was heartbreaking to me. I would have rather see her pass without all of the pain she experienced.
I would prefer to pass quickly.
I believe most would want to go quickly as opposed to a long suffering disease. With that being said… This is why we should live every day like it was our last. Embracing death and thinking about it every day (not morbidly) helps one to live a better life.
I Would Like To Go Quickly. In My Sleep. With Angels All Around Me.
My mother took a very long time to die. We all had time to say goodbye and let go. It took a long time for everyone in my family to do that and I believe that is why it took so long. She was in a facility that was conflicted about carrying out our, and her, wishes, as well, and had caregivers actively praying for a miraculous recovery while she was hovering near death from advanced Parkinson’s and Lewy body dementia. She had a stroke August 6 2011 and finally passed the morning of November 1.
The process nearly took my father as well. He had a quadruple bypass six months after she died. We all said goodbye in case he wouldn’t make it thru OK.
Everyone wants to due peacefully in their sleep but it rarely happens given all the medical interventions these days. TALK and PLAN with your family, get your wishes legally documented, and if you are diagnosed as terminal, enroll in hospice!
I don’t believe it is about me and what I want — I’ll be gone. I hope that the timing and manner of my departure from this life leaves those I love with many wonderful memories, few regrets, and manageble or no medical costs.
I believe most people would want a slower death. A quick death without warning leaves so many people with the feeling of remorse. They never got a chance to say goodbye or to let that person know how much they meant to him or her. Your last words to that person may have been words said out of anger and now you are stuck with that memory forever. No I believe I would want a slower death so the loved ones around me can say their proper goodbyes. If this means I suffer a little longer than so be it.
well lets see. my father died of cancer and had every kind of treatment from surgerys, radiation and of course kemo. he had always tried to stay positive and hopeful. during this course of 6-7 years of this battle it did give him time to set his living trust up and leave his belonging to whom he chose. myself and two other sisters along with others popping in and out along with hospice was the most trying 3months of my life. very agonizing, painful and confusing. on the other hand my belated loving husband passed in 5 minutes with a brain hemorage. I think as for the individual with the death faster is better. Not so for the people left behind. who wants to be dying. i watch the bucket list last night. there again they both knew but wished they hadn’t. no matter what. it’s painful. it’s only been 3 months since my husband and he was only 55. I miss and cry for him daily. really what is better. my story and a true one at that.