How old is too old

[Medusa]

I wonder sometimes why I am giving him the Aricept and Namenda pills. They neither cure nor stop the progress of this horrid disease.

I can understand the insulin, he has been on that for almost 10 years now and it controls his diabetes so he can do things, be himself. I can also understand most of the other meds he is on.

But the ones for the Alzheimer's, I just don't know. The very fact that I think this way gets me upset and I cry. What kind of daughter does this make me?

It makes you human, Sandie, and a very good daughter, too; one that is probably exhausted. It isn't easy to take care of an elderly parent but especially one w/Alzheimers. Your questions are painful to ask yourself but oh so natural and understandable.

[Marigold2]

Tis a lovely poem and so right for many. But for others with no mind left or in a coma its a nightmare.
When my mom had her car accident on 9/11/94 she broke her neck and slipped into a coma. She was life flighted to Metro and came as close to death as anyone can and still come back. Her heart stopped three times on the way to the hospital.
After 8 or 9 days in ICU we still had no idea nor did the Dr's what the outcome would be. I remember a nerosurgeon named Brian who I spoke with about my mom's injury. Because she was without oxyogen for over three minutes they knew there was brain damage but didn't know how much. Brian said to me IF your mom lives and IF she is not a quad she problably will not remember any recent history. She will not recongize you or your brother that part of the brain that has damaged and will most likely prevent that. What she will remember is her childhood and being a young adult. I wept..................
I told Brian that if all my mom could remember was her early life then I could not do that to her. Concentration camp at 17 losing 10 brothers and sisters plus her parents, her home and everyone she knew by 21.
What kind of a life would that be? A living hell. She died 11 days later. Once I told Brian about her early life things changed, I felt that they slowed their efforts to bring her back, it was the right thing to do, Brian was so kind and understanding. I loved my mom more then life itself. I would never let her suffer like that.
She herself used to say "there are worst things then death" mom knew what she was talking about.
I stood by her bed and told her it was ok to go. Hardest thing I ever did but the right thing. If she could not remember her children or grandchildren there was no point.
I know John Demjanjuck (sic) is being tried now. I asked mom what she thought oh so many years ago when it first started and she believed he was Ivan. Perhaps some people will get peace with his trial, able to tell their stories. The horrors never leave, 60 years later they are still fresh in a persons mind.
If asked if we would go through what those poor immigrants did in WW11 or choose a quick painless death I would choose the latter.