How old is too old

[Catlady711]

I can go both ways on the issue.

I too have seen the suffering and the 'not quite there' part of people who 'live' (if you can call it that) for years just for the sake of being alive. Mostly due to doctors not being able to handle letting someone go when it's in their best interest.

However I have a great aunt that about 20 years ago had to be hospitalized with heart problems and underwent surgery. They said she was dead for a period of time (I want to say 3-4 minutes) and they brought her back. She's now in her mid 80's and until the last few years had been living a full life with no brain damage from the experience. Her other health problems have caused her to be more house bound the last few years. Her one son lives with her at her home to help her with things, do the cooking/cleaning, and drive her to her dr. appts (she can no longer drive). But she still has a ready joke to tell and can laugh at herself even. We've had 20 years (hopefully more to come) with her that we would not have if they had not recussetated (sp?) her.

So I can't really say one way or the other is right in every situation, I think it depends.

[Marigold2]

How many of us would want a living will and a DNR so we don't become a living veggie?
I for one.
Are we keeping mom and dad alive for us or because it's best for them? Sometimes the thought of letting them go is too much to bear so we keep them alive even when they no longer know who we are, why............ To repair past wounds, to makeup for lost time?
How many times can we say goodbye, give them last rites?
Do for them as we would want done for us I believe would be best.
I don't want my children to go through that, seeing a veggie who used to be a mom.
I want my kids to have a happy life, live, love, laugh. I can give them one last gift with a DNR. They don't have to keep telling me I am loved, I already know. My body is an empty shell but my love will always be with them. That is what I have told my kids, what my mom told me.