*new* video on dying "Can We Live Forever?"
From a student in another class who saw this video in a psychology of aging class. Its called "Can we live forever?"
http://m.video.pbs.org/video/1754457671/
13Mar13 NYTimes: For a Hospice Pioneer, Still a Tough Call
For more than 25 years, Paul Brenner led nonprofit hospice organizations. Yet when his health faltered, choosing to become a hospice patient himself proved unexpectedly difficult. http://nyti.ms/13Cg6DF
13Mar13 Love That Endured Alzheimer's Ends In 2 Deaths
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/31/us/love-that-endured-alzheimers-ends-in-2-deaths.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20120331
13Mar13 Caring for the Dying
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/13/magazine/the-topic-of-cancer.html
13Mar13 Looking for a Place to Die
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/22/opinion/looking-for-a-place-to-die.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=thab1
13Mar13 dying
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/03/30/early-spring-vignette-walking-home/
Top Five Regrets of the Dying
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/feb/01/top-five-regrets-of-the-dying
How Doctors Die
http://www.zocalopublicsquare.org/2011/11/30/how-doctors-die/ideas/nexus/
RE: Top Five Regrets of the Dying
ReplyDeleteIf I were on my deathbed right now and someone asked me about my greatest regret, I would repeat the last one ("I wish that I had let myself be happier.") verbatim and I think that many people would agree. In fact, it almost seems like the other four regrets can be summarized in this single one, i.e. staying in touch with friends might lead to greater happiness, expressing feelings might lead to greater happiness, etc.
People today get so wrapped up in their work and lives that they forget about what it means to be happy. We live, a Kierkegaard put, "shut-up" and objectively think about death as something that happens to everyone without actually pondering how it will happen to us as individuals. Therefore, we live our lives as we are expected, pursuing careers, working late, etc. without spending time doing what makes us happy. I am certainly included among these people, because I become wrapped up in what my day-to-day routine and do not realize that I should enjoy the time I have to fullest because it is not a renewable resource.
My ultimate goal in life: When I am on my deathbed, I want to look back on life and feel like it was a happy one.
If I were dying right now, I would have to say I agree with the statements, "I wish i would not have worked so hard", and "I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends". I would say these regrets right now in my life because I worked a lot in high school and I am working often now even in college. I feel as though I have not done what I have wanted to do because of work. I know that there has been way too many times that I have had to sit out on wonderful experiences because I had to work. Also, I wish that I would have kept in better touch with my friends from high school. I had a very close knit group and as we went to different colleges we became more and more distant from each other. I know that I have not even seen one of my really good high school friends in about a year now, which is very disappointing.
ReplyDeleteHow Doctors die-After being around death everyday and seeing it first hand, I can understand how doctors can be at peace with death and do not wish to go through treatments when they find out they are terminally ill. The statments made by doctors form the article, “Promise me if you find me like this that you’ll kill me.” For as much as a doctor witnesses and the measure that a patient' families wants to go through with, are not always in the best interests' of the patient. Families are often hindered by the memories of the patient and even if they are in a horrible state, they cannot let go. That is totally understandable, my family and I have been in the same situation with my family members.But we must step back from the situation and realize that they would not want to live like that and if the patient is that bad that we are talking about it,then they will never be the same. A doctor who is near death with opt-out for treatments so they can die with dignity and surrounded by the people they love.
ReplyDeleteI would have to agree with Michael S. "I wish that I had let myself be happier" because I consistently spread myself too think by volunteering or taking on too much work. I believe that I am only happy if I can see my physical accomplishments.
ReplyDeleteI think that it is society and how we are raised to believe that if we work hard we can achieve happiness. But what is happiness if all we ever do is work? Not only are we working ourself to death but we also push the thought of death off or out to the side so as not to think about it. However, we are never promised a tomorrow, whether you believe in God or some other religion, our realization in our finiteness is what ultimately drives us to pursue careers, lifestyle choices, and projects to divert the thought of death.
RE: Top five regrets of dying
ReplyDeleteI feel that I can relate to several of these regrets. “I wish I hadn’t worked so hard,” “I wish I stayed in touch with my friends,” and “I wish I had let myself be happier” all kind of go together for me. I feel that I work really hard at school and I also have a job. These two things take up the majority of my time so I usually don’t do anything for myself. Throughout the week I don’t go out and even on weekends I don’t really go out either. I don’t spend time with any my friends anymore, except my boyfriend (which is usually only on the weekends). I feel like I hardly even have time to talk with parents from time to time. I just keep telling myself that once I finish school I will have more time to do the things that I want, but in reality I’m going to be in school until I’m 24 because I plan on getting my masters. As we say in class, we never know when we are going to die, so it is possible that I could die before I graduate. If this were to happen then I would I would definitely regret the choices that I have made. Looking at my life in this way makes me realize that I need to set aside more time to do the things that I want so that I can live a happier life and hopefully have less regrets when I die.
The top five regrets of dying...
ReplyDeleteIf I were on my deathbed I would want to review my life and feel happy about the decisions that I have made. Although I do feel that when that time comes I will say "I wish I had let myself be happier." I feel that the rest of the statements could relate to this happiness. I believe I am a hard worker considering I work, am in school full time, and barely have time for family and friends. I don't do much for myself and I do not feel that I have much time to at this point in my life. I hope that later I can say that I made time for family and friends and did not work so hard. I rarely even spend time with my fiance considering our schedules conflict and the free time I do get all I want to do is relax (sleep). My plan for the future is to enjoy life and not get too consumed with work. I hope to soon have a family of my own and I want to create memories like I have of my childhood. We used to go camping, fishing, hiking, fly kites, etc. My parents always made time for us and we were always outdoors, and I hope to do the same for myself and my family.
Regarding the top five regrets, I agree with Michael S.. If i were to die tomorrow one of m biggest regrets is I wish that I had let myself be happier. I feel like we do so much to please others sometimes and dont truly do things for our own happiness. It really makesme think about the way i live my life now and how i should make little changes in it and live for me and not for everybod else sometimes.
ReplyDeleteTop 5 Regrets, I liked the very first point the most because for the past two years I have been trying to live the life my mom wished for me rather than making a happy life for myself. I have not reached out to family, to old friends, to my dad until this semester and I'm glad I did before it was too late. I honestly think that it ruins a person if they never fall out of this slump. By this I mean that you need to realize that in doing something, you need to be doing in for yourself rather than for anyone else. This point goes along with the 5th point that says "I wish I had let myself be happier" because I spent a couple christmas days, Thanksgivings, birthdays alone because they reminded me of my father. So I was taking my own happiness away because I felt like there was no hope for being back to normal instead of building off what I had left and being happy. I've been doing that lately and it is paying off for me so these 5 regrets are refreshing to look over because it keeps you in check to what is important. So after reading these I would hope some people contact someone they may have let get away or tell someone something they have had built up for a while because you don't want something to happen and regret it...
ReplyDelete