# What Do You Think Is Your Life Expectency **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 15, 2011, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-your-life-expectency/567723 "2011-01-15T16:59:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2011, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-your-life-expectency/567723/41 "2011-01-16T20:38:58Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > I voted 70-75, simply because I have a pre-existing heart condition. The typical useful lifetime of a bypass graft is 10-15 years, which means I may need another operation at 65. That said, right now I’m in WAY better physical shape than most 40 year old guys, so maybe I can beat the odds. Let me give you a little hope and incentive - I’m assuming your talking about cardiac bypass grafts. My mom had her first three at 44, and another triple in her mid-50’s but lived to 77. Follow the doctor’s instructions and take care of yourself and you CAN match the long odds or even beat them. Me - I think I can manage 90-100. Those of my family who escape heart disease (which in my grandparents’ generation were killing half the family by their mid-40’s pretty consistently) usually live into their mid 80’s to late 90’s. Given that I don’t have heart disease, if I take care of myself I have a good chance of a long life. Personally, I don’t get people who say “I don’t want to live longer than X”. The longer I live the more I want to keep going. I mean, sure, if I was a helpless atrophied demented mummy lying in a bed in a back room, I understand not wanting to go on like _that_ but assuming I’m healthy and able to move around and take care of myself I’d like another helping of years, please. Thank you very much. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2011, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-your-life-expectency/567723/42 "2011-01-16T20:45:33Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Let me give you a little hope and incentive - I’m assuming your talking about cardiac bypass grafts. My mom had her first three at 44, and another triple in her mid-50’s but lived to 77. Follow the doctor’s instructions and take care of yourself and you CAN match the long odds or even beat them. > > Me - I think I can manage 90-100. Those of my family who escape heart disease (which in my grandparents’ generation were killing half the family by their mid-40’s pretty consistently) usually live into their mid 80’s to late 90’s. Given that I don’t have heart disease, if I take care of myself I have a good chance of a long life. > > Personally, I don’t get people who say “I don’t want to live longer than X”. The longer I live the more I want to keep going. I mean, sure, if I was a helpless atrophied demented mummy lying in a bed in a back room, I understand not wanting to go on like _that_ but assuming I’m healthy and able to move around and take care of myself I’d like another helping of years, please. Thank you very much. Thanks for the thoughts. I’m living life like I’ll live to 100, but if I only make it to 70, so be it. I plan on being in the best physical condition I’ve ever been in on the anniversary of my double bypass - July 14th. I’m going to visit the hospital on that day with some flowers for the nurses, and I want their jaws to hit the floor. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![berff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/43a26b/32.png) [@berff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/berff)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2011, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-your-life-expectency/567723/43 "2011-01-16T21:29:25Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > According to [this site](http://www.livingto100.com/) I’ll live to 77. I just tried it and it says I should live to be 89 which is a little surprising considering I answered that I drink over 3 alcoholic drinks every day, I never exercise, never floss, I snack on sweets and used to smoke. But then again, people in my family tend to live fairly long, I generally have low stress and my weight is normal so I guess that counts for a lot. Either way, I would like to live until 150 if I could. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2011, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-your-life-expectency/567723/44 "2011-01-16T22:22:29Z")
Mom died in her forties, dad in his fifties. I’ve already had cancer a couple times but I’ve made it to 60, so I said 66 - 69. Just hope it’s painless when it happens. ---
**Author:** ![Jormungandr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@Jormungandr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jormungandr)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2011, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-your-life-expectency/567723/45 "2011-01-16T22:44:17Z")
My father’s side is extremely long-lived. My grandfather’s in his 90s and supposedly my great-great grandfather lived to around 110. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2011, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-your-life-expectency/567723/46 "2011-01-16T22:45:37Z")
I’m 65. If I had known I’d live this long I would have taken better care of myself. Seriously . . . when I was a kid, for some reason I got it into my head that I’d only live to 36. Imagine my surprise when I turned 37. Now I’m 65, and am dealing with several medical issues. I’m not exactly at death’s door, but eventually things will get out of control, and I’ll call it quits. I have no intention of burdening my partner with years of taking care of me. So I’m figuring somewhere around 70-75. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2011, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-your-life-expectency/567723/47 "2011-01-16T22:57:56Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > According to [this site](http://www.livingto100.com/) I’ll live to 77. Wow, they say I’ll live to be 83! ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2011, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-your-life-expectency/567723/48 "2011-01-17T09:11:36Z")
Thereabouts of 100, possibly over. On the male line, the folk who died early in the last seven generations did so of illnesses which are now easily treatable, of sudden extreme lead poisoning, or of cancer - but the ones who died of cancer had certain physical characteristics I do not share. Paternal grandmother, 86 (was in fine health until 85 except for the blood circulation issue which eventually took her), her brother died of “a shot liver” in his 70s but I’m not an alcoholic like he was; five of my paternal grandfather’s siblings went upward of 90 (the eldest is still alive and in fine health, and if I didn’t know better I’d peg him at 70… which is my mother’s age!). Maternal grandfather died last year, 95. 96yo maternal grandmother has revived in her widowhood: the family’s bets used to be on who’d kick the bucket first, now they’re on whether she’ll pass 105. Her sisters both broke 90, as did both my great-grandmothers on that side. ETA: I don’t like that calculator because it doesn’t differentiate positive and negative stress. Plus, if being sociable was a requirement to long life, neither of my grandmas would have surpassed 50… ---
**Author:** ![ColdPhoenix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@ColdPhoenix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ColdPhoenix)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2011, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-your-life-expectency/567723/49 "2011-01-17T10:31:37Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > **What Do You Think Is Your Life Expectency** > > In other words how long do you think you will live? Maybe another 50 years. From the poll options it looks like you’re not asking the above in which case my answer would be 80 for life expectancy from birth/age I think I’ll die at. ---
**Author:** ![wheresmymind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/91b2a8/32.png) [@wheresmymind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wheresmymind)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2011, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-your-life-expectency/567723/50 "2011-01-18T01:26:35Z")
I’m pretty hopeful that I’ll make it into my 90’s. My paternal grandfather is in his mid-90’s and still in reasonably good health. His sister lived to be 100, and his brothers died in their 90’s. They’re the ancestors I most resemble so far, although I’m a little young yet. I keep myself in shape now, and imagine that medical advances in the next 60 years or so should help me stay alive into the (20)60’s. ---
**Author:** ![MegaBee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f0a364/32.png) [@MegaBee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MegaBee)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2011, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-your-life-expectency/567723/51 "2011-01-19T17:20:09Z")
Are you threatening me? I WILL NEVER DIE! ---
**Author:** ![Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brown_eyed_girl/32/3574_2.png) [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brown_Eyed_Girl)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2011, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-your-life-expectency/567723/52 "2011-01-19T17:59:53Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > Yeah, well, it say’s I’ll live to 95 - fat chance! I got you beat by a year! 😛 As a fatalistic teenager, I never thought I’d live much past my 20s. Even in my 20s, I thought I would die young. I was the opposite of most kids who apparently thought they were invincible. I don’t know why. I always thought I would die in a car crash. It still crosses my mind quite often, which means I’m a terribly white-knuckled passenger and I’m often hyper-vigilant behind the wheel. I also tend to avoid the freeway when I can. I’ve had few significant health problems over the years and these days, I’ve been spending more time exercising and eating better; so, I think healthwise, I’d be prone to longevity. However, I don’t want to spend my days rotting in some nursing home somewhere, so when it does happen, I hope it’s quick and before I start losing my faculties. I watched my grandfather die a slow, painful death from bone cancer and I’m currently watching my FIL’s mind and body deteriorate as a result of Parkinson’s. Please, let this not be me. A car wreck would be preferable. ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2011, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-your-life-expectency/567723/53 "2011-01-19T18:08:34Z")
I prefer to live WAAAY over a hundred, therefore I expect to. ---
**Author:** ![Prelude\_to\_Fascination](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Prelude\_to\_Fascination](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prelude_to_Fascination)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2011, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-your-life-expectency/567723/54 "2011-01-19T18:18:21Z")
I voted 80-85. My father died at 73 of prostate cancer, but my grandfather lived into his 80s. My mother is 84, my aunt 87, and I’ve got a great-aunt about 97. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-is-your-life-expectency/567723.md?page=2)