Taken from the NYT comments on Paul Krugman’s Op-Ed of Jan. 18, 2013.
Note that she’s just my age. So I thought it would be interesting to give her point of view.
Maggie, Brattleboro, VTI am an 84 year old retiree, still independent. I am a retired internist who has cared for thousands of people. What can we old people do to help our national economic situation? Increasing numbers will live beyond 65 and depend on Medicare and Social Security. How many die after age 65?
Someone knows.
I have made personal decisions to reduce health care costs for myself and the nation. The last year of life is the most costly for Medicare and other simultaneous insurers.
1. I have eliminated all unnecessary drugs, taken to excess by most seniors.
2. At 84, in the twilight of an interesting life, I do not want to die in an expensive hospital, with “interventions.”
3. If I suddenly become unresponsive or seemingly in distress, I want NO CPR, no paramedics, no hospitalization, no life sustaining measures such as CPR, dialysis, respiratory assist, feeding tubes and the like. My advanced directives say this.
4. While not a religious person, I trust that God would agree with my choices for a great way to go: painless, low cost, and quiet. What a relief to me and the family and the economy. I hope that others respect my wishes.
Maggie
Jan. 18, 2013 at 8:59 a.m.REPLY You recommended this 25
