Quote:
Originally Posted by olddog
I have had a great life. No woman could have made a better wife for me. Two sons that would make any parent proud. A great job. I have been to Europe many times. I couldn't have asked for more. If I checked out tomorrow, I couldn't complain. I am comfortable with everything.
Friday I was sitting in a waiting room while they were running wires up my wife's spinal column. The plan is to electrically stimulate nerves to stop pain. I was sitting there and contemplating what will life be like for her when I am gone. This is what caused me to re-think everything.
|
Rick,
Your quote above is touching, a real quality person and perspective, congratulations on achieving being comfortable with your life to date.
Very sorry to hear about all this, thanks for sharing details to better understanding what you’re facing.
With parents still living, you may have (what I light-heatedly tell people with living parents) the longevity gene in you. If you can manage this situation, you may have many more years left.
Next step in managing this assumed situation (pending testing) sounds challenging. Many with transplants experience a net positive, even factoring in the ‘who’ and the ‘how’ of the transplant.
My perspective is if there’s a realistic decision path, you try. Things provided and exposed to us to use (like medical advancements) may well be part of God’s plan for us. If an organ doesn’t become available or doesn’t work once implanted, then it was God’s plan and your time. You’ll never know if there was more value for you to give and receive here, unless you try it.
As a Cobra owner, you certainly have that mental independence and fortitude to handle things you set your mind to…either way…possibly your next challenge to take on.
Given your interest in considering this for your spouse, I assume her perspective and your team perspective is valuable here. It’s your final decision, but for the team so to speak, and input leading to a decision based on your team conscience, seems a valuable approach. I’d probably spend real time in that area of this decision.
Another factor might be the science involved. Not to disassociate from your personal experience, but if you do the transplant, could you provide valuable information in long term medical efforts to overcoming specific medical issues with such compounding factors. You’re a rarity with this combination of factors. Also with more years, medical advancements may help to better manage the condition(s).
Information seems a worthwhile investment in helping to define the choice(s) and impacts. Getting good advice/understanding of the medical options I assume would help you make the best decision.
My Cobra friends are mostly 1-2 decades older than me. While I could go any day, the likelihood is I’ll outlive some of them. I cherish their friendship and feel like a book could be written about each of their lives. I’m sure similarly about you. If they can find a way to live longer, within reason while able to still actively function, I say all the better. However, I can and will appreciate their individual challenges and decisions as well, and in time. The same to you Rick.
Your family loves you, you’re a respected contributor to the Cobra community, you have the ability to forward the science/understanding/outcome of your medical issues to help others down the road. You seem to have a lot to live for. But the final determination is by you and how you assess the decision (do you have a realistic option path with a decision to make).
Best of luck to you and yours Rick, and for your testing results. Thanks for being you, keep it up!