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Death and Dignity



The last of my maternal uncles breathed his last yesterday. A cousin of mine has been tethered to a ventilator today after a fall. The uncle was 93. The cousin must be around 80.

I am 64. I have lived twice as long as an average Indian of 1947. When India wrested independence from the British, the average life expectancy of an Indian was 32. Today the average life expectancy in India is 70 years, according to Macrotrends. My uncle, who was a teacher by profession, defied the national statistics. My cousin, who is a nun, is being assisted by one of the innumerable multi-speciality hospitals in Kerala to keep going and defy the national statistics.

Would she want to keep going? My inextricable perversion raises that question merely because I have always had a soft corner for her. She is a tender person. Someone who believes that love is the only purpose of human existence. She wouldn’t do anything that would give even the littlest trouble to others. I felt sorry for her when I was informed that she was sent to the ventilator. Would she want that? I have serious doubts.

I don’t ever want to be plugged on to a ventilator in any event. Haven’t I lived long enough?

There must be dignity in death just as much as in life.

I don’t want to lie in a hospital bed looking like a corpse that will be gawked at by friends and relatives.

Have you seen the last moments of bedridden people? If you have, you wouldn’t want to lie like that at all. One final dignified fall is what you would want.

I have written many times defending euthanasia precisely for this reason: dignity in death.

Since we are at it, let me also state my wish on what should be done after my death. I want my body to be cremated in an electric crematorium without any religious ritual. Let there be serenity too in death in addition to dignity. 

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  1. Liz A.August 24, 2024 at 11:37 PM

    Make sure your next of kin knows your wishes. My great-grandmother stated her wish not to be put on a ventilator. When she had her final attack, she called paramedics, and they put her on a ventilator (as she had called for assistance). She was shortly thereafter taken off of it (as my mother knew her wishes), and she passed. She was in her 80s.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalAugust 25, 2024 at 7:01 AM

      As of now, my wife knows. But I may have to think of someone more.

      Delete
    2. Felix Anoop's BLOGAugust 25, 2024 at 10:19 PM

      know about reincarnation read my blog
      https://felixanoopthekkekara.blogspot.com/2024/08/the-reincarnation-of-cameron-macaulay-i.html

      Delete
  2. magiceyeAugust 25, 2024 at 7:20 AM

    I agree.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Yamini MacLeanAugust 25, 2024 at 2:30 PM

    Hari OM
    🙏 I recently made similar requests of my sister. YAM xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalAugust 25, 2024 at 4:31 PM

      Good to know there are others who think this way.

      Delete
    2. Felix Anoop's BLOGAugust 25, 2024 at 10:18 PM

      Interested in knowing about what happens after death read my blog to find out and feel free to express your views
      https://felixanoopthekkekara.blogspot.com/2024/08/the-reincarnation-of-cameron-macaulay-i.html

      Delete
  4. Felix Anoop's BLOGAugust 25, 2024 at 10:16 PM

    How nice would it be if we don't fear death and we know when we would die.
    we can complete all the things we need to do before our death.
    sir, when free please visit my blog too. I have posted a new one
    https://felixanoopthekkekara.blogspot.com/2024/08/the-reincarnation-of-cameron-macaulay-i.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalAugust 27, 2024 at 2:00 PM

      I did visit your blog and will do in future too. It's good to read what a student writes.

      Delete
  5. ObsessivemomAugust 27, 2024 at 9:37 AM

    Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could control the time of our departure from the world like we have managed to control births (at least to some extent)? I understand your wish and I agree being on the ventilator shouldn't be an option. I'd never ever want my children to face the dilemma of if/when they should let me go. To be honest, my greater fear is to live a half-life like that or a life of dependence rather than that of dying.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalAugust 27, 2024 at 2:00 PM

      Living a half or more dead life is worse than hell!

      Delete

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