I am halfway through a small book called 'Dying To Live' by John Flader, available from Connorcourt publishers. Very interesting, and possibly empowering, particularly if you are approaching the end, which might not be the end after all.

Thanks Mary Bryant for the article. Kudos.

This is interesting too-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Bryant

Everyone has parents. We get on with some of them and others not so much. My dad came home from the army in 1946. As a dishonorably discharged logistics support NCO.

We had a simple graveside ceremony, where I read from the good book.

I did not expect to be as moved as I was and how much I regretted a life lost and wasted!

I nursed my mother for the last 10 years of her life 24/7. It was extremely stressful on my own without any assistance from anyone or career's allowance. Even though disabled looked after both the house and yard.

Lifted mum when she fell. Transported her to hospital where she had open heart surgery. I looked after her except for the last 24 hours she spent in hospital after a blackout. Being sole and unassisted career for ten years was incredibly stressful. Mum wasn't perfect but I loved her and miss her to this day more than 20 years after her passing!

My own kids couldn't care whether I live or die. And have passed judgement on me based on, I believe, a litany of lies from a former partner. And has meant, I now live in solitary confinement in my home, for the most part, as I wait alone for the brain cancer I'm fighting to end my life.

The few friends I still have are the fair dinkum type whose love is and was always unconditional and for most of my latter years!

I could go to hospital, but I don't want to be assisted to die, nor do I want to spend my last few weeks/months or whatever vegetating in front of a TV in a nursing home where my rights, finances and indepenance would be stripped from me!

Besides, at 78 I have other plans for what remains my allotted time here!
Alan B.

I have been clinically dead 2 times in my life and DOA once. And can report that life does not end with the death of the physical body. I believe there is a purpose to life and a reason we are here. Even though it is not always apparent to us as we struggle with day to day issues and relationships?

There is an article on U tube which reports on a Canadian man clinically dead for 11 minutes, supported by hospital records and what he saw and heard during that period.

This experience turned a very wealthy man around and now he uses his wealth/income for numerous and deserving charities/good works. I recommend as required viewing before you decide you know that life ends when you die and there are no after life consequences for your activities and actions.

And that terminating your life prematurely doesn't mean you've bought a one way ticket out of it and the lessons and character building you learn while you are here!

But may mean you need to go back to the beginning and do the whole thing over again?

Likewise if none of the (do unto others) (don't be an A hole all of your life, but take a day off) lessons are learned? N.B. Mr. Putin.
Alan B.

Alan B.
Please be assured their ARE those who can visualise your situation, and sympathise with your predicament.
I am sorry if this appears to be straying from the topic of the discussion, but sometimes a little latitude needs to be?

I'm sorry Mary.

Recently I have wondered why we celebrate birth with the born but do not celebrate death with the dying. I have a terminal illness and my children, family and friends and are preparing for the end of my life by sharing time with me.
To me this time is a view of the treasure of my life and a view of the love that makes it so.
Palliative care will accompany me and my people to the end and I won't need all the somber celebration, with the cups of tea, cakes, and triangle sandwiches,( which I wouldn't get)to make it feel better.
We will have been together and laughed and cried together, and loved together.
The House of Life will have both a Front Door and a Backdoor. It will be Complete.
A Change is Going to Come.