How do you wanna die?

In My Humble Opinion
1

I’ve been watching my grandparents on the decline for several years now. The whole baby boomer generation is slowly ratcheting on up there and it sucks watching my parents slowly starting to fall apart. I’ve decided I don’t want to grow old.

My gf keeps me updated on her step-grandfather. The poor old guy is in a bad way and basically doesn’t have too much longer on this earth. He’s scared shitless, he doesn’t want to go.

I, personally, don’t want to be 90 years old, lying in bed with a catheter, unable to eat, on chemo or dialysis and bleeding internally. I don’t ever want to be so physically or mentally weak that I’m a burden to my loved ones. I don’t want my grandkids to see me suffer.

If medical science can keep me alive until I’m 94 but only barely, I don’t want to get there.

I say, kill me early. I would rather be euthanized than be a walking fucking trainwreck. What do you guys think? Is it better to live feebly or die with some of your old self still intact? Please, leave religious feelings of suicide out of this. Everyone knows what the bible says about it.

As a sidenote, I’ve been thinking lately about what kind of funeral a guy should have. I’ve decided I really want one of those parades in New Orleans with the jazz band and stuff. Honestly, I want my bones laid to rest to I Feel Good (I Got You). Or maybe a Jimmy Buffet funeral. No fucking flowers, bring margaritas.

Am I being too insensitive here, or does this make sense?

2

Hmm… I can’t decide. Ask me in 120 years. :cool:

3

How I die is not important to me. I just hope I die after I have had children and grand-children and have done things worthy of stories to tell to those offspring of offspring. If I find a Significant Other then I am whole and I am happy. If I have offspring then I am prepared to die happy. If I live to see my offspring have offspring, that is a bonus.

4

[stock reply on]

Peacefully in my sleep like my Grandfather, not screaming like the passengers on the bus he was driving

[stock reply off]
Personally id like something rather quick and unexpected, many many years hence. I also want to be in possession of all my faculties when I go. I wouldn’t want to forget my family or anything like that.

5

I hope I die in my sleep, without having been sick for years first.

If I live to 90, I’m firmly entrenched in middle age. If not, christ, I don’t want to think about it. I don’t feel old. I’ve never had an illness more serious than pneumonia. I don’t take medicine. I can count the headaches I’ve ever had on the fingers of one hand. If it continues this way until I go to bed one day in a lot of years from now and don’t wake up, I’ll be real happy about it.

6

I want to die in my 90s. In bed. In my sleep. Shot by my 23 year-old mistress’ jealous husband. :smiley:

I’m with the OP. Fighting Mr. Cancer with a year or two of chemo is one thing I might try if I’m not already 70+ but being attached to an oxygen tank, or being one of those dottards you see in the grocery store with a confused look and slack jaw taking 15 different medicines, some of which are just to counter the side effects of the others–somebody mug me please!

I’m not so generous with my reasons. I’m not all that concerned about taking up space & resources & being a burden, etc. I gain most of my self respect by being able to look after myself and handle my own affairs. As soon as I lose that screw it, I’m buying a red Alpha Romeo convertible and after a nice drive in the country I’m gonna chase a tree in it.

I really like that idea about a New Orleans jazz band funeral procession. Or maybe a beach bonfire party in Biloxi with me as the log of honor. I got plenty of life insurance, I think I’ll set $100k of it aside for airfare for my friends & permits.

7

I often think of such things, and wonder. I suppose that, since Mr. Buffett was already mentioned, I can quote freely.

I’d rather die while I’m living than live while I’m dead.

I’ve done and seen a lot, there’s SO much more to do, though, not the least of which, as has been on my mind more recently, is to have a kid.

Never thought I would want one, but it’s one thing that, before I kick, I want to do, to see my offspring grow, and face the challenges of being a dad.

As far as the OP, I suppose it depends. If things are good (i.e. money, job, kids, wife) etc. I’d like to live as long as I could, providing of course that I wasn’t one of those described by Senor Montoya. Perhaps death while sleeping is a good thing.

Outside of that though, I would like to die making the Supreme Sacrifice. As a firefighter, it’s one of those things that many of us know may come, and if you’ve got to die ‘early’ in service to your fellow man is just about the best way to do it.

8

After seeing what my grandparents and parents went through, I certainly don’t want to reach 80 (not with my heredity, anyway). A nice quick stroke or heart attack in my 60s or 70s would be nice.

Or I could die saving 12 movie stars and a few orphans from a burning building, and get on all the magazine covers. Orrrrr, I could drag 12 movie stars into a burning building . . .

9

June 2045

A beautiful, early summer day. Blue skies, white puffy clouds, the grass is the very definition of the color green.

It was my 85th birthday today. I’m lucky. I’ve had very good health. A few aches and pains, sure, but that comes with being 85. My eyesight isn’t what it once was, but I can still see to read, watch the tube every once in a while. I’m still sharp mentally.

My daughter brought the grandkids over for my birthday. She’s still the greatest thing I ever did on earth - and my grandkids mirror her in so many ways. A great time was had by all. I’ve never lost my taste for chocolate cake and ice cream, so that was in abundance. I told my grandkids some stores about me as a little boy, and about my family. I’m sure I’ve told them many times before, but they don’t let on.

My daughter has helped me fix a nice dinner - she comes over every day and checks up on me. Susan died a couple of years ago, and the memory of that still hurts, but she, like me, lead a full life. You get a little more accepting of things when you’ve lived a long time. We had a good life together. We had our share of disagreements, but that, too, comes with life.

After dinner, when the family is gone, I’ll have a drink and sit in my most comfortble chair. I’ll read a bit, and listen to some Mozart or Bach. After a bit I’ll turn out the lights and go brush my teeth and get into bed. Boy, I still enjoy a good night’s sleep.

Sometime in the night my heart will just give out and I’ll die. No struggle at all. I’ll go on with the journey and see what’s next in store for me.

The next morning Lilly will come over and find me. There will be tears and sadness, but mostly there will be great memories and lots of love.

I think that would be a fine way to die.

10

Your number has gone up slightly, dear! I’m glad you’ve reconsidered your “exit” date. Oh. And as for the movie stars and the burning building…see if you can find Carrot Top before you go in.

Me? I hope to go by lethal injection. Preferably not state-mandated, and hopefully by my own hand at my own discretion.

11

I plan on spending the rest of my life ignoring signs saying “do not attempt if you have a weak heart or bad back.”

What’s a better way to go, peacefully in your sleep or massive coronary while skydiving in your 90’s? I know which was I prefer to go!

Honestly, fuck it. I don’t want to be a frail old man. If doing something fun when I’m a codger kills me so be it and I’ll be glad for it anyway.

12

Dying of hypothermia during the heat death of the universe would suit me just fine.

13

How committed are you, Turkey Curse, to the above statement?
Committed enough to join others to get Kovorkian out of the jail in Michigan?
Did you participate in the successful blocking of John Asscraft earlier this year when he was simultaneously pushing the Patriot Act while fucking around with the laws of Oregon. I am glad the bastard was over-ruled, though I hear he is contemplating to appeal his loss in Oregon.

14

With my boots on.
/not intended as a smartass reply.

15

Right now, I can pretty well stand by what I said above. I don’t give a damn about Kevorkian or Ashcroft. I don’t really give a damn about what others think of someone who wants to euthanize. Honestly, I sympathize with the people that had Kevorkian kill them and to a certain extent, Kevorkian himself (although the guy truly was loony).

But if I can go like my grandfather, in my sleep at age 86 with a dozen kids and a dozen grandkids and a health record you wouldn’t believe, I’d take that. Unfortunately, the odds are that I won’t go that way. Take me before I’m an incoherent, incontinent, geriatric septuagenarian.

I know how selfish it all sounds…families agonize over loved ones like this. But I’m not contributing the family if I’m pissing myself in a hospital bed.

A buddy of mine once said, “I want to leave this world the way I came into it. Naked, bloody and screaming.” I think that’s significant, somehow.

16

In my prime, and always remembered as such … a quick car crash somewhere glamorous, Paris maybe … weeping and wailing and wringing of hands … buried on my very own island … fountains in my memory …

Guess it’s already been done. :stuck_out_tongue:

Failing that - I’ll share plnnr’s dream. I’m the same age, and also have a daughter. Nice one mate. :slight_smile:

17

While heavy fighting at an SCA event, I want to get sucked up by a tornado and dropped dead into a field miles away, just so that there would be some farmer who looks out and sees somebody in full medieval armor fall out of the sky, and think, “what the hell…”

18

I’m with Silentgoldfish on this. I do enough stupid shit to warrant death at any time, but it’s still kinda low risk (bungee jumping, parasailing, etc) But if I actually make it to 80 and I’m still functioning I’m giving a big fuck-all to safety. I just hope I die doing something I planned to do.

Oh, and I hope it’s before my wife. Yeah, really selfish but I can’t imagine having to grieve for her. That would result in suicide.

19

I wanna go out like Slim Pickens, strapped to an A-bomb. I don’t see how anything beats that.

20

Very quickly. I’m not afraid of death, but I am afraid of pain.