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PANDEMIC ALERT LEVEL
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Now tracking the new emerging South Africa Omicron Variant

MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES

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    Posted: January 29 2006 at 4:58pm

Important information about mental health issues during a pandemic.

Boredom.

Depression.

Anxiety.

Keeping busy.

Panic.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote KOMET163 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 29 2006 at 7:43pm

boredom; Playing cards and a shortwave radio with a hand crank dynamo.  toys and board games as well....  bring lots of books and  magazines.. sewing, knitting and doing hobbies will be something for you to do.

Bring a logbook for you to make a diary...

Depression:

See Boredom

 

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote swankyc Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 29 2006 at 7:49pm

"They" say having comfort foods like candy, chocolate, booze(is that really a food), etc can lessen the psychological impact of a devastating event.

I'm not afraid, I'm paranoid. Dont talk too loud, they are listening.
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Moderate Exercise

I recommend having a way to exercise indoors. A treadmill, indoor bike, anything. Exercise is a proven method of fighting depression and anxiety, and will help to not feel too cooped up if you are quarantined inside your home. And exercise helps us to stay healthy.

Just be careful not to exercise so much that you increase your daily caloric or water needs (would make your supplies run out faster).
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mightymouse Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 30 2006 at 10:15am
Books! Build yourself a library from second hand book stores or from friends that are done with that pile stacked in the corner. Include magazines and in particular the classics as they can be read  and read again. Also, my I suggest material that would be new and different to you, you may find a whole new interest when the time is vailable to you. When the time comes maybe reading to each other would be a wonderful way to share time and be entertained, take turns picking the topics - another way to dicover a new interest or just find out what your loved ones are interested in.
Nothing matters - Therefore everything matters
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stock up on pencils,pens crayons, paper..for young kids...oh and don,t forget pencil sharpeners...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote libbyalex Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 30 2006 at 2:15pm
RE Books -- check out the books at thrift stores. There are almost always some books there..... -- Libby
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Spoon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 31 2006 at 7:22am

What a perfect time to learn a foreign language, organize, paint, or practice a martial art.

I've tried several techniques.  My favorite is Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.  These guys are the real deal.  They have a whole series of books, tapes and DVDs.

Not only are you getting exercise, but you will feel more confident in protecting yourself and family.



Edited by Spoon
It's not so much the apocalypse... but the credit card bills ;-)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote libbyalex Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 31 2006 at 5:40pm
Also re mental health issues -- I worry about folks who are on anti-psychotic drugs or even anti-depressants. How will they get their meds? -- LIbby
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Well, the psychotics could be dangerous.

But the depressed people... an interesting thing happens to the human mind when the fight to survive kicks in.  IMHO the depressed people will do ok as long as that survival instinct kicks in.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jackson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 31 2006 at 5:58pm
I volunteered for several summers at a mental health clinic, and Libby, you are right to worry about  people who are not able to get their medications.  I saw how difficult it was to get many of the people to take their mediciations as directed by their doctors on a daily basis--and they had the help and support of the mental health agency.  Many of the people i worked with had been in and out of mental hospitals and had no family or friends who were able to help them.  If  there was pandemic, and if facilities closed, I don't know where they would go or what they would do.  I DON'T  believe that many of the patients were violent or dangerous, but many had very serious disorders and would not be able to function at all without daily medication. I feel terrible for someone who would face such a situation.
Sorry I know that this is thread is supposed to offer advice on mental helath issues, so feel free to move this to another area. But maybe I can offer some advice:  if you have friends or family who requires daily medication for any form of mental illness, ask them to get a few extra refills of their medication. If you have any children who require daily  medications (for example, anti-depressants), make sure you discuss with your child's doctor what to do about his or her medicine in the event of a pandemic. It is NOT advised to abruptly stop taking certain mediciations (such as certain anti-depressants or Blood Pressure medicines)-- there may be side-effects from a sudden withdrawl of medicine. (the doctor may advice you to "wean" a patient off certain mediciations to avoid withdrawl symptoms and side effects) so take this into consideration in the event that you think you may run out of medicine!!!!!  (PLEASE talk to your doctor about what he or she feels is best for you!)



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I will leave these for a while...they address something that is of grave importance.  Perhaps it will elicit some helpful feedback.
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Also - Books of Importance to consider:

Books on Grieving
Books on Post Traumatic Stress
Books on the tactical use of weapons, if you are new to them.
Books on survivor psychology.
Books on Command/Command Decisions.

There will alot of death and a lot of opportunities to help others that we may choose not to take.  There may be people, close people, who did NOT prepare that we cannot help and who then die.  While we are all focused, now, on prepartion, we need to also focus on preparing psychologically for the death we will feel responsible for.  We are NOT going to help many people outside of our close inner circle, but there are going to be MANY that know that we have been 'up to something' in regards to Avian Flu, because, to be preparing for this, we have already been trying t prepare our friends and family and encourage them to do as we are.  These people will remember us in their hour of need and we are going to have to reject a good many of them.  We therefore have friends, the children of friends, the parents of friends, die as a result of our decsions to withhold help from them in order to preserve our loved ones....and, when all of this is over, and, God willing, we survive, those who we did not help are going to remember us - even if we helped a little, but not enough.

I believe that the hardest part of surviving will not be lack of preparition.  With a little more time, we may all be prepared enough to last out the illness.  The hardest part is going to be the friends and neighbors and the guilt and psychological stress of being in "survivor" mode and what we may have to deal with during and after.

So - I encourage us to stock up on books that will help us on that and validate our feelings and help us deal with it.  I believe it will be easy to shoot an intruder dead - But I also believe I will have a hard time letting my receptionist's child or my daughter's boyfriends parents die because I don't extend them aid.  But, as we all know - it's hard enough trying to save our selves.  Do we have it within our selves to shoot the innocent clinging to the side of the lifeboat, not because they want our place in the boat, but just so they don't drown?  One or two will not capsize us, but many of them would and, we are going to be faced with a storm of them. 

I don't know about many on this board, but I, personally, have not TRULY ever been in literal command of the Power of Life or Death of other human beings - and we may well find ourselves in the position of having to wield that power with many people that we already know.


The Rock is Gonna Fall on Us - Harry Chapin

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  Boy this is heavy stuff. I'm glad you brought it up.  I have thought about it on the surface, but not in dept like you put it.  You have given me a lot to think about . 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote elbows Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 08 2006 at 8:46pm
Different mental health issues to be aware of:

Some 1918 Pandemic victims suffered mental health problems as a result of the Influenza itself (source: account of a 1918 survivor in New Zealand)

Side-effects of antiviral medications:

Report that Tamiflu caused mental problems in some children, such as suicidal tendancies, when used a a phrophylactic (sp?) in Japan

Amantadine has a number of fairly common mental-health side effects in susceptible individuals. As it is also a Parkinsons drug, I can speculate that these side effects are the result of Amantadine's effect on one or more neurotransmitters (eg Dopamine). If so the effects may be similar to the temporary psychosis that can occur in susceptible individuals who take Amphetamines.

These drug-induced mental problems should disappear when the drug is no longer taken, though the experience may leave a permanent mark on the personality.

Changes in diet due to limited supplies may also cause mental health issues, though not as extreme.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote janetn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 09 2006 at 9:21pm

Grief is something we are going to face. Not because of deaths, but because of the loss of lifestlye. Were gonna have to greive for alot of things to be able to go foward.

As oddas this may sound Ive even started thinking past the losses even now . Im starting to focus more and more on the positives - told you it was strange

Im going to have my son and his family with us, the positives of having my grandkids living with me are starting to sink in. Having time to do hobbies ect. Time to get to know my daughter in law more [ who is a blessing ] Not going to work is looking better and better , Im gonna have the luxury of stopping to smell the roses. 

One thing Ive decided not to do is watch much news - Everything i could do will be done and focusing on whats going on in the outside world is not going to be a positive for my mental state. Will keep news to a minimum 

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote asatrape Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 22 2006 at 5:12pm
My husband and I love to read... we read all the time.  Most of the books at second hand stores, we've read, atleast those in the genre we enjoy.

So I'm going to get lots of books outside our usual genre.  If anyone is in the Carolinas and needs hundreds of mystery/murder/spooky  books let me know and I'll send you what we have just piled around.

As far as the kids.... I have a daughter in college.  She is cool as long as there is power and she can IM her pals.  She's also interested in various art mediums, and loves to design clothes..... so she gets lots of fabrics, vintage clothing, art supplies and lots of sewing stuff.

My husband has a 17 year old.  I figure if someone in Florida can hook me up with a bale I don't have to worry about him for a year. (please pm me on this one - don't post on the thread).

My husband also has a 26 year old college student with two dogs that each weigh over 100 lbs and one cat.  We're hoping to entice her into staying with her gramma (read = cash) until this is over.

So..... I figure lots of books, arts, crafts, sewing, and weed, and we're good to go!  I'd love to get some board games, but no one will play Boggle with me anymore and I don't have enough booze for quarters....

But in all seriousness, we will read, cook, garden, clean.  My husband is what's considered an "essential" gov 't worker.  I'm a gov't worker also, but have signed up for various first aid classes and joined the red cross.  I figure the young ones are at risk, and since I"m over 40 and my husband will be on the front lines, I'll do the same.  But with the exception of illegal contriband, I'll have everything else in abundance to keep them from getting bored.

Poor babies.....  some of us had the benefit of growing up with minimum tv and no computer games.....

If nothing else, this will be a wake up call to the next, and emerging, generation...


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Read Psalms.
 
Stretch, and do isometrics.
 
Read a classic.
 
Pray.
 
Be thankful in all circumstances.
 
Clean a rifle.Smile
Business is great, People are terrific, Life is wonderful!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Thomas Angel Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 23 2006 at 3:57am
I watched a news program last night that said there are 14.3 million people in the U.S. taking anti-depressants.
Get a clue if you're one of them.  When the SHTF there isn't going to be a pharmacy left standing, and if you think you're depressed now, just hold on a bit.
If you're not one of them, here's something to consider.  14.3 Million people off their meds...can't be good, can't be good for anybody.
I have some experience with acquaintances and a family members who got  "cut off" their anti-deoressants, and let me inform you - it wasn't good, even in the best of times.
I LIKE SCARY RIDES
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote JaxMax Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 12 2006 at 10:34am
Mtn. Man-
 
It is interesting that you seem to be the first post to suggest a religious response, praying and reading the Psalms.
 
Yet a review of much of the survival literature repeatedly documents the positive effects of religious belief.
 
Psalms is particularly good because King David had a lot to be depressed about. 
He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.Proverbs 13:20, The Bible
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Gwyphn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 19 2006 at 4:20pm
Actually, this may be an opportunity for the masses to catch up on sleep. As the media has lately been proclaiming we are a nation of sleep deprived individuals.
Speaking for myself, sleep is the best medicine for mental health.
For generations we have lived not wisely but too well. Now we must pay.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 27 2006 at 7:32pm
    Komet where can i purchase one of the hand cranked radios? In what store? I dont buy online .
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Note to birdlady.  Radio shack has a good hand crank radio for about $42.

We bought a DVD with 50 old horror movies for laughs if we are stuck in the house. It was in the Heartlandamericia. com site.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 2ifbyC Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 08 2006 at 2:10pm
Originally posted by birdlady birdlady wrote:

    where can i purchase one of the hand cranked radios? In what store? I dont buy online .
 
Birdlady,
 
I havd found in most cases that internet shopping will save you considerable money, even with shipping. I have purchased almost all my electronics, long term storage foods, batteries/chargers, etc. via the 'net'.
 
The advantages to buying locally is that you can physically compare items, have someone familiarize you and you can easily return the item if not satisfied.
 
I search for reviews online and determine which item I want and then comparison shop.
 
 
Survival does have an 'I'!

Dodging 'canes on Florida's central Gulf Coast
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.
.
Originally posted by swankyc swankyc wrote:

"They" say having comfort foods like candy, chocolate, booze (is that really a food), etc can lessen the psychological impact of a devastating event.



No booze, it's a depressant and the last thing one  needs to be in is a fog when TSHTF.
.
.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Legacy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 31 2006 at 8:26am
I agree...booze for bartering only!
I do everything my Rice Crispies tell me to....
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote nettie4263 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 31 2006 at 8:49am
Most insurance companies will allow you to refill your prescriptions after 22 days.  So I've been marking my calendar and refilling early instead of waiting until I'm out.  I also skip a day here and there, enabling me to build up my supply.
 
You CANNOT quit most antidepressants cold-turkey.
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These are instructions to myself and my family members. Some have tapered off already. I am not a doctor or clinician, just someone who takes meds and knows we are in some potential trouble here. I would think that people on antidepressants and/or anything else that needs to be tapered off of, should start literally shaving little slices off their meds now (1 slice per 2 week period-although this needs to be adjusted according to the supply you have on hand). You can always start to increase if the danger lessens, increase slowly. Keep ordering right on time as if you were taking full doses. Find a point, at a decreased amount, where you feel tolerable and then stop decreasing. Allow your body, and mind, a period of adjustment, if possible. People have noticed a wide variety of effects when decreasing their meds so I suggest you tell another trusted person what you are doing so that they can give you support. Research the side effects of your meds now. So that you know how to counter them, if possible. An idea that might help: Research an herbal ingredient that does something similar to what your medication does, find guidance, check and double check, even ask your doctor then slowly add the herbs in to supplement the decrease in meds.

I hope this helps. I am off to follow my own suggestion. Now I have to prepare a list of all family members, their meds, and what herbal supplements that I can obtain, in a measured hurry.

***overtly Christian. Please do not read if that offends you, thanks.

Father in heaven, please bless us and have mercy on us all.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 31 2006 at 9:17am
Guess I should have logged in huh? I am sorry Embarrassed

For those that take life saving medications-call your physician today to request prescriptions. I could only afford 2 out of about 15 for our family.

I pray for God's healing touch.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote DAX COM Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 31 2006 at 11:23am
Originally posted by nettie4263 nettie4263 wrote:

.
You CANNOT quit most antidepressants cold-turkey.
I'd vote no for the cold turkey method.
Dax
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 19 2006 at 8:10pm
Get yourself an old guitar and learn how to play guitar!  I need to stock up on guitar strings.
Battery operated Cd player, or MP3 player
Battery operated personel guitar amp for my electrics.
Keep a journal
Write a book.
Read outloud from a book, or even better use your family to put on a play.
Get creative and entertain yourself.
 
If you are going to depend on battery operated stuff. Rechargables, and a charger that can be plugged into your car, and maybe a solar panel to keep the car battery topped off.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 28 2006 at 8:13pm

  I have slowly gotten off the anti depressant I was taking.  I feel just fine so guess it way time to do this anyway.  I'm am still refilling the perscription and saving them in case they are needed later.  Depression can really incapacitate you. Since there is a strong possiblity that people we know will die, this could bring on situational depression for me or other family members.  I have children and don't want to take a chance of having to fight depression and the pandemic at the same time.  They need me strong!

                  Push Up




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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Merivel Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 06 2006 at 9:50pm
    I too worry about the people with mental health challenges. It's my chosen profession to be sure they are able to take their medications, but will I venture forth out of my house to go to work if/when the pandemic hits?? They are closing the hospitals for mental disorders so where will they go if there are quarantines and mental health workers cannot leave their homes to go to work to assist them?
i dream of things as they never were and say "Why not?"
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 07 2006 at 11:31am
Merivel,  It may come a time when the survival of the race is more important than the individual. Only in a polite modern society do we try to save everyone.  This question has been brought up about prisoners, mental health patients, physically disabled, diabetics etc.

There are no answers to these questions. W can only speculate and guess what may happen. As a Viet Vet  medic  said  in here that he had to make hard choices of who lived and who was not helped in Nam. WE may haveto chose here too. It may be more important for you in the long run to stay healthy so you can help in the future. if you die with BF what good are you to anyone?  You cannot feel guilty about this either. your dying  would not help keep others alive but actually hurt the human race in the long run.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Merivel Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 10 2006 at 9:02pm
   Thank you "Oldasrocks" for your comforting words. I suppose if i went to work in the worst case scenario I could actually be bringing germs to people, unwittingly. I understand a person can be contagious for 2 days before having any symptoms. Still I doubt Mother Theresa would be thinking this way. Some people would help as much as they could until they died, and die with a clear conscience that they did as much as they could. I think many of my patients would die without assistance, and not even from bird flu but from lack of medicine or heat or food. They tend to wear sandals in January and winter coats in July. They don't even know there is a possiblility of pandemic flu. We try not to worry them unnecessarily. They are mostly poor people who have no money to stockpile any food or other preps even if they understood the danger of BF.

It is amazing to me that our government is still stressing terrorists when they can only kill a few thousand at a time, unlike flus. and more die in car accidents than wars. Our true enemy is microbes, not man.
i dream of things as they never were and say "Why not?"
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 11 2006 at 7:31am
Merivel.  In this country we value human life even if is not perfect because we can afford to. Sometimes I think we  go too far though. A close friend of mine was an investment banker. He made millions , was good to his family and community. He now has Altimers (sp)  and has to have his diapers changed, knows no one and wonders around lost.  I'm sure he would rather be dead than in the embarressing state he is in. His family fortune is rapidly being drained from medical care.

So where do we draw the line?  How many people are alive today because of advanced medical care that would have been dead 50 yrs ago? Do we have a right to keep brain dead people alive on machines?

I know this is a whole differant topic not for BF but it fits here on how to take care of these people. I read on another thread it takes months or more to take care of the survivors of BF.  How can we possibly take care of all  of them too?  They are physically weak and mentally confused.

Some tough choices are going to have to be made.  Prisoners in jail?  Infected looters- do we jail them or shoot them?  People now on ventilators?  Others will just be beyond our control. 

The best thing is to stay alive so we are able to help later. Someone is going to have to pick up the pieces. Somehow you have to keep that in mind. Cry if you must, feel sad for those lost, but stay tough.

I make the comment the world would not miss me. Yet I feel somewhat valuable in the fact I'm a builder, designer. Someone needs to be around to build bridges, houses, dams, roads etc. I'm not the best by any means but in a rough way I can get things done.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote randyb Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 22 2006 at 7:01pm
Originally posted by oldasrocks oldasrocks wrote:

. Sometimes I think we  go too far though. A close friend of mine was an investment banker. He made millions , was good to his family and community. He now has Altimers (sp)  and has to have his diapers changed, knows no one and wonders around lost.  I'm sure he would rather be dead than in the embarressing state he is in. His family fortune is rapidly being drained from medical care.
The best thing is to stay alive so we are able to help later. Someone is going to have to pick up the pieces. Somehow you have to keep that in mind. Cry if you must, feel sad for those lost, but stay tough.

I make the comment the world would not miss me. Yet I feel somewhat valuable in the fact I'm a builder, designer. Someone needs to be around to build bridges, houses, dams, roads etc. I'm not the best by any means but in a rough way I can get things done.
 
I think you have a great mindset on this.  Quality vs quanity in life is a question we must all look at in ourselves and our loved ones.  I found it interesting that most folks spend 90% of their money on medical costs in the last 6 months of life.  So what is the benefit?  They are dying anyway we are often prolonging the termination of life with very little gain for the patient.   
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