a strange, superstitious belief?

[LexiaFira]

Its about religion but more based on a personal belief that may border on superstition than based on what "the good book" says.

I belief that people live long lives, live long lives and suffer alot in their old age or suffer alot as punishment for what they did earlier on in their lives. And not taking good care of themselves is part of it but also what happens in the nursing home (not talking about bad nursing homes) is part of it. And by that i mean that even if that person is getting the best care and treatment just to slow or stop the deterioration and it doesn't help at all making the treatments almost pointless and further dragging down the comfort and quality of life.

This is in reference to a post i have in cs off topic. Got me thinking. That and ties to part of my family i saw when i was a kid about a similar issue. I saw my aunt clara, granny's sister being well taken care of, she lived to be 101 years old but regardless of what the nursing home staff did, her doctors and so on, she kept getting worse and her body was working out of habit i guess? I mean, *sigh, takes deep breath

Beyond the whole belief its a sin to pull the plug or uhm euthanize? i don't like that word as i feel there is no kind way to say it. How is it ok to make this woman live who is pretty much gone, her brain was to the point she could form three words at a time and barely function, the person in charge of her via family to try and make it easier for all brought in one of those portable pottys since moving her to make a bm was problematic or just change the sheets.

she had to have one of her legs amputated below the knee from gangrene i don't recall what started the gangrene either, something to do with diabetis probably.

and my fear is that this is what will happen to granny, and if so she is in good hands as her family visits her almost every day but if it comes to this what did she do to be punished as i KNOW granny always took good care of herself with resources allowing in her old age.

to the point, true or not is this just silly superstition ruling out the whole part of a person letting themselves go or not taking care of their health is a person suffering in their old age punishment from god or just because

[blas87]

You are allowed to believe whatever you want to believe

If it's what you believe or what you hypothesize or use as reason, that's good enough.

[LexiaFira]

its more of, is this a silly or pointless belief as its not really being forced on someone or harming anyone.

[blas87]

Nothing is silly or pointless if it's what you believe. You can keep it to yourself or you can tell whomever you like, it's not going to do any harm.

[Ipecac Drano]

You are allowed to believe whatever you want to believe

Nothing is silly or pointless if it's what you believe. You can keep it to yourself or you can tell whomever you like, it's not going to do any harm.

If the world was only that simple.

[Kheldarson]

Lexia, you are welcome to believe as you want. As a Catholic, I can see what you're saying as an early form of Purgatory. I'll say at the same time too, though, that from my own experience, pulling the plug isn't always the best. Both of my grandmothers were in lots of pain, barely hanging on. In both cases, my family tried to gather round as quickly as possible (unfortunately, I wasn't able to be up there for my maternal grandmother). If their husbands decided to pull the plug, family wouldn't be able to say goodbye, and wouldn't have that opportunity for closure.

In your example though, my reasoning doesn't apply. So...I can't say one way or another as to right or wrong.

But no, your belief isn't necessarily strange. If you attend any church though, I'd suggest speaking to your pastor/priest.

[LexiaFira]

from what I learned she is not in pain so much as its just her arthritis and hip giving her issues. I hurt emotionally because she is at ignorance is bliss and her short memory either bothers her or she will soon be unaware of that yet still be comfortable.

My thoughts are why does she have to suffer for her giving and wanting to help nature. What wrong did she do to deserve this drawn out death?
And angry at that side of the family for not keeping in touch.

[bara]

Well, my dad died from a massive stroke. I was in Iraq at the time I learned that he had even had a stroke and he died before I could get home to see him.

It was over a year later till my brother got enough 'bottled courage' in him to tell me that they could have kept dad alive on life support till I got home. He was scared that I would be mad at him because he was the one that told the doc to pull the plug.

The thing is though alive can be a relative term and in this case he wasnt. He always told us that under no circumstances were we to keep him alive or continue treatments if there was nothing left of him in his body to matter. I was proud that my brother was able to make the decision that dad had always wanted.

There is no more difficult or trying time in a young man's life than when he comes to the realization that his father is a mortal man of flesh and blood and that those you love are going to die someday. I think part of growing up is realizing that you are going to have to let them go and that in turn you will be joining them.

God takes what he wills. I see no point in artificially keeping an empty body alive, I feel this is wrong. My dads spirit had already left his broken body before it died. But as with many before him and after him the best of what he was got left behind in his children and in the memories of those who knew him.

[LexiaFira]

I can understand that. In that your brother knew what to do in a difficult time even though you may have been mad at him, both/all his kids knew what to do just the act of doing it is the hardest part.

For me now is that grandmother is getting to that point. Her mind is still there just at the stage of where its going and what to do now. She is bed/wheel chair ridden but can still use her arms and upper body...and I cannot make it to her birthday this year so I feel guilt for that. However do her kids know of their mother's wishes, my grandmother's wishes. In that she has lived with a displaced hip for years and that even if they could, would she WANT her life prolonged for the solace of her kids? NO...but knowing the eldest of my uncles...they will make a big debacle of this....