Keith said his father told him he wanted Keith to kill him

[CatWoman]

:cry:

[aquart]

1. But what was Keith's answer?

[CatWoman]

3. he can't do it

Keith is outlining all the treatments his dad is going through.

Had his colon removed; numerous, numerous infections :cry:

[hlthe2b]

7. I've been there with my own father.... KO has my sympathy...

tremendous sympathy.

[Raine]

49. So was I two years ago at this same time of year

my father was hooked up to a respirator, I still have nightmares. :cry:

[aquart]

34. That was my biggest fear.

That I would be asked and I'd be too scared of the consequences to do it. You know the best day we had? When the doctor told him he'd have enough morphine to do whatever he needed to do. It was like he was on wings that day. It was pure joy. He was in control of his life again.

[roguevalley]

37. I had to tell my dad he was terminal and I had to decide to unplug my mother.

I feel so much for keith right now, you have no idea.

[lonestarnot]

2. I can hardly stand this!

:cry:

[CatWoman]

5. ..........

:cry:

[malaise]

13. It is important - his dad is dying

Mom had a living will and we followed her instructions.

[Liberal_in_LA]

4. huh? More info needed.

[CatWoman]

6. it's very painful

i'll post the video when it becomes available.

[Rhiannon12866]

32. Text:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=7789258&mesg_id=7789258

[malaise]

8. Truly sad

but a great life and death discussion to destroy the death panel lunatics. It's a life panel. Love you Keith. I know how hard this is - let him go.

Super discussion on the real health care issues.

[shoopnyc]

9. WOW.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

10. That was really hard to watch.

It's about what "death panels" are really about -- the right to consult with a doctor about end-of-life decisions.

[drm604]

11. Wow!

I'm watching it now. I wish everyone in the country would see this.

[CatWoman]

12. I'm crying

and amazed that Keith isn't....

[malaise]

18. He knows his dad is dying

and he's putting a human face on their nasty propaganda about death panels - really excellent in the midst of his pain.

[DeschutesRiver]

33. Exactly what we thought

and appreciated him using his personal pain to illustrate the point.

Both dh and I cried as we listened - it was unexpectedly powerful and focused comment. And timely.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

14. Unfortunately, Keith is preaching to the choir.

The people who really need to see this, won't.

[lonestarnot]

15. My mother is getting there. We must discuss.

[shoopnyc]

16. Living It.

[lonestarnot]

20. I am sorry.

:hug:

[madmax]

29. Stay strong

:hug:

[BattyDem]

17. I can't stop crying

:cry:

[valerief]

19. Powerful comment. nt

[gateley]

21. I remember years ago a woman wrote a book about helping her mother die,

and I just humbled by her strength and love for her mom.

After my dad died I felt guilty because I felt I'd kept him alive too long -- for ME, because I couldn't bear to let him go.

I'm so sorry that Keith is going through this, and so sorry for his Dad. :cry:

[WeDidIt]

22. Most powerful Special Comment ever.

Prayers for Keith and his dad.

[deutsey]

23. I'm actually crying

What have we become?

[CatWoman]

26. Hi Deutsey

you show up at the damnest times :hi:

[deutsey]

30. Hi there, Catwoman

I'm always lurking around. :-)

Keith's comment tonight really got to me...I was glad to see your thread. It's nice to connect with a good friend (however virtual) when feeling like this. :hi:

[eleny]

24. ...

:cry:

[Fuzz]

25. Holy Fuck Keith. Most powerful comment, ever.

[YvonneCa]

27. ...

... :grouphug: Keith is a good son. I hope his father recovers.

[madmax]

28. Horrible

I need to spare my family this agony. Must not put off drawing up a Living Will. :cry:

[Dappleganger]

31. After watching my own mother die over a period of three days...

this is a topic near and dear to my heart. :(

[aquart]

35. My father cried out, "Why is it taking so long?"

[orleans]

38. oh my god

my mother cried out "hurry" and "quick!" repeatedly in the last couple hours before she passed over.

she had asked me to kill her several times in the days before and told me a couple specific ways to do it, although she wasn't in any pain at that point.

it's an absolutely heartbreaking situation.

i've never been through anything more devastating. and i'm still not over it.

[unc70]

36. Have been there. Will be again. Thoughts with KO and all currently in similar situations

There is no way for anyone to completely understand how difficult this is for everyone involved with dealing with the core issues of life and death on a personal level. Like most people, I have ridden the emotional rollercoaster, sometimes the thrill from a seeming miracle, other times the despair of the cumulative disappointments and setbacks that leave us with no alternative but to face the inevitable with whatever courage and grace we can muster.

Not anything close to this level, but today in one year for me since surgery for stage three. It's been a good year.

[Born_A_Truman]

39. I did not see it ...

When my mother was dying of pancreatic cancer, my sister and I went every weekend to relieve my dad so he could do errands and just have some help. We had hospice come a few days during the week but dad was her main caretaker except weekends and the last five weeks when my sister and I stayed there full time. It was an honor and privilege to care for her.

My sister and I had a conversation about if she asked us to help her go and what we would do. We both agreed that if she asked we would help. She never asked. My love goes out to Keith and his father and to those here who have been there or are there now.

[ChicagoSuz219]

40. When I was a kid, my Mom asked me to do it...

...she had kidney stones. Freaked me out so I called one of her friends to come over.

She lived several decades longer...

[JCMach1]

41. I had some very dark moments with the two procedures for my stone last fall

First time in my life I started thinking holy fuck is there a way out of this agony. That was a very scary place to find myself.

Large kidney stone and stinting -shudder-

Of course, I am fine now. Will probably have to take zyloric (for Uric acid) the rest of my life, but fine.

I feel for my fellow-DUers and KO who are going through this with your loved ones.:grouphug:

[ChicagoSuz219]

43. Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!

The only time I thought that death was an option was a week when I had really bad vertigo. I could not have lived much longer with it! Thank God, I finally went to an ER (for what I thought was a brain tumor) & got the diagnosis. Now, I have an easy, quick fix for it. (Children's chewable Bonine, if anyone else suffers with it.)

Glad you're doing better!

[JCMach1]

46. The second procedure (the anaesthesia) caused damage to my inner ears

the day after I got home, I stood up and I was hit with it. I didn't know what it was until a day later, but it was vertigo so bad I had absolutely no sense of up or down (it basically feels like I was passing-out). It scared the life out of me! I thought I might be blacking out from BP, or god knows what...

The worst of that passed in a few weeks and a prescription of betaserc. Though I am well, I still feel the dizziness sometimes (i.e. there is some permanent damage).

[ChicagoSuz219]

47. It's like nothing else, eh?

I fell over in my closet, in my shower & when I almost fell in front of an El train is when I broke down & went to the ER!

There were days when I couldn't get out of the bed 'cause the whole room was spinning... I had to hang on to it for fear of flying off... that was the day I had the death thoughts... I couldn't bear to live like that. The worst!

[JCMach1]

48. That was horrible! fortunately the betaserc worked like a charm

I don't even know if you can get that in the U.S. I think it is only EU approved.

I fell into a wall. Things didn't stop spinning and then I completely fell out in the clinic and scared the doc.

Had to hold onto my family like an old man when I went to the hospital for tests.

[ChicagoSuz219]

51. Bonine is OTC... like Dramamine, only you don't get sleepy.

Works great!

[cali]

42. well, looks like I'll be the lone dissenter in this thread

Much as I sympathize with Keith- I've been there with my dad- I find him using his dying father to make a political point, just repugnant.

[Cerridwen]

44. Do you find these people's actions "repugnant" as well? (edited)

http://www.alz.org/virtualrally/

On the evening of March 7, 2010, advocates will gather on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, share their stories and light candles in honor of loved ones. This moving ceremony is part of the Alzheimer's Association annual Alzheimer's Action Summit. Show your support by lighting a virtual candle now and becoming an Alzheimer's champion. You will be able to write a personal message that will appear on this site.

Or the women and men who've suffered violence at the hands of "loved ones" who tell their stories in public to explain what legislation is needed or why funding is needed?

Or the military vets back from war who tell their stories of what they've done and experienced as a way to warn against war?

"The personal is political." What part of that do you not understand?

Our lived experiences, no matter how horrific and painful, are what make us who we are, know what we know, believe what we believe, and inform our politics if we're of a political bent.

edited subject line for accuracy

[Zomby Woof]

45. I find insurance companies causing people to die for profit

Far more repugnant.

I find insurance companies' wholesale purchase of senators' and congresspeople's votes also far more repugnant.

I find Republicans and Teabaggers exploiting fears through the rhetoric of "death panels", their ignorant charges of "socialism", and their hostility to ANY kind of reform yet again far more repugnant.

But we expect "dissent" from you. It's what attention-seeking contrarians do.

[Raine]

50. There's always one

pretty much expected. x(