Why isnt there a more dignified way to die?

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Please don't read if you have a sensitive nature as I'm going to call a spade a spade.

I've looked after three family members (two of them close) who lost their lives to cancer, and as much as I loved them, 'it weren't a pretty sight,' and that's an understatement.

Am I unusual in that, when my time comes ro shuffle off this mortal coil, I would rather take myself off for the last week or two and pay to have a compete stranger look after me during my final week or so?.

 I don't want loved ones seeing me gurgling and talking jibberish and dribbling and possibly crying out in pain.

I remember when my gran died, she kept trying to push all the covers off, (I think it's called terminal agitation)  I kept trying to pull them back up to protect her dignity, as they had her on incontinence  pads.  She was a very proud lady and  I know if she were fully conscious she would have been mortified at the thought of visitors seeing her in a state of undress!

When my father was dying, despite being a good looking man, he looked awful as they insisted on taking his teeth out, so his face had a collapsed sunken look.  His eyes were sunken as well.

I think that's the reality of dying, and all this 'they died peacefully with loved ones at their side' doesn't convey the brutal reality of the dying process.

There should be another way of doing things, for people like myself who is horrified at the thought of my family seeing me like that. 

 Maybe have a party or gathering where you say goodbye to loved ones  and then go off  for the last two weeks to die with dignity and spare them the grim side of things

Also they will remember you how you are.

Am I unusual in thinking this way?  Prepared to be told I am.

  • Totally agree with you  Richard, assisted dying should be available to stop people suffering needlessly. Take care xx

    Moi

  • The lengths you have to go to have a dignified death and so expensive.  Xx

    Moi

  • That's a lot....i am glad here we already have assisted dying...i would opt for that when time comes, i already told my hubby. 

  • Hi Group, I was informed that my death when it comes will not be nice, my cancer if it cant be controlled any more will thrive of my bone marrow, it does this by eating away the bones giving me a type of brittle bones, if I'm luck the calcium will shut down my vital organs, if unlucky I will have to be placed into a coma due to the amount of pain I will be experiencing, I think that at the point they intend to put me into a coma I would rather just go than to lie there crumbling away, no matter how much my family loves me I don't wont to see me like that. Yes to assisted dying

  • Crikey Mr Ulls, that's heart breaking reading that.   :-(

    I'm just doing a PoA and I've been sent a draft Living Will that they will do for free at the same time.  This is an off-the-shelf offering and I'm not that comfortable with it as it talks about zero treatment by IV, something that I regularly have atm.  In the same approach as a DNR note, I reckon we can use a Living Will to set the boundaries and achieve the same outcome as being discussed here (a dignified death).  I suppose it's only tested (the ability of the Living Will) to achieve the desired outcome if the worst case scenario comes to fruition.  

  • When things get that bad, but whilst I'm still capable of making my own decisions, I might just go for a walk in the woods. Slight smile

  • I'm writing my PoA with a trigger clause in it.  One of my two oncologists has to sign that I am incapable of making decisions, can't understand what's going on, lost my reasoning, not ME etc before people have the PoA.  Two solicitors previously said it's effective immediately, but new solicitor when I updating my will told me about this approach.  I like it.  We use segregation of duties all the time at work so I'm comfortable with it.  

  • I hope its a very long time before your PoA has to come into force.

  • Never, I hope :-)  Like to be organised and prepared Thumbsup