What happens when we get old?

[Charris]

This would normally be where I would jump in and say I want all my days do what ever to save me. Unfortunately, the dying from not having the right foods and meds is still to fresh in my mind. Having the DS revision felt the equivalent of stomping your toe compared to dying from lack of the appropriate needs for DS eating and supplements. I was getting shots of morphine one hour, dilaudid next hour, and percoset the next hour and still wanted to die from the extreme pain and blisters. Ill pass on the extend my life.

 

[robs477]

Without the DS, there was no chance I would get as old as I am now.

If I end up in a nursing home or with Alzheimer's, I want to die ASAP and I'm afraid going from malnutrition will take too long.

REALLY, my being kept alive with mechanical means or with good diet in the presence of ongoing dementia would not be doing ME any favors.


And, for me anyway, "annual" is not enough on bloodwork. Two times a year on the entire panel, plus repeated retests of things out of range until I get them back in range.

That pretty much sums it up for my opinion....without option #1, DS and WL....there would be no reason to worry about # 2.

I dont want to hijack this thread, because it is a great thread/question....BUT, I do have a similar question Ive been wanting opinions on for several months, but didnt want to appear negative or morbid. I will post a new thread, it will be called "What If?"

 

[Elizabeth N.]

If I get too old to care for myself and advocate for my needs, then it's time to check out anyhow. I'd be dead already without the DS.

 

[Brandy]

In my usual devil's advocate brain, I'm thinking it will maybe be a little better than this...

Assuming that old age is down the road a ways still, combined with the growth of WLS, I'm not sure that a basic level of vitamins won't be standard. If there is anything these places do well, it is push pills. Binders full of records attest to the fact that there are generally a few people at those kinds of places that do nothing but manage pills and these people will protect and expand their jobs. Also, a very carb heavy diet will lead to gastric issues, which is the last thing these people want to deal with. Although, they probably will just diaper us so they don't have to deal with messes. Still, I can't imagine they want to deal with those either.

As my MIL used to say "Old age is not happiness." with or without a ds I think.

 

[robs477]

Well aren’t we just a happy bunch all full of sunshine and glee today? Nothing like getting a bunch of “realists” together to look at a half a glass of water! Lol I wonder which thread is more a buzz-kill, this one, or my spin-off regarding an apocalyptic DS existence?

OK, but seriously, all joking aside, (well most anyway), we would all either be lying or just not prepared if you said you never thought about some potential “worst case scenarios” once in a while.

 

[Munchkin]

If I have Alzheimers, I hope they do what is necessary to painlessly and quickly hasten my demise.

Me three! I agree completely.

And I will go a step further. If I end up in a nursing home unable to advocate for myself, I hope the DS takes me out right now. Because I have passed my expiration date! I don't want to live on as a human vegetable.

Here's how I see it. The DS gave me sort of a do-over. I doubt I would have lasted this long if I hadn't done something. I had a bunch of good years and did a lot of things I would never have been able to do without the DS. I am very grateful for what I've had.

I would never be willing to give up what I've had to survive longer in a nursing home.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

Well aren’t we just a happy bunch all full of sunshine and glee today? Nothing like getting a bunch of “realists” together to look at a half a glass of water! Lol I wonder which thread is more a buzz-kill, this one, or my spin-off regarding an apocalyptic DS existence?

OK, but seriously, all joking aside, (well most anyway), we would all either be lying or just not prepared if you said you never thought about some potential “worst case scenarios” once in a while.

So what these downer threads have in common is...oh...hi, Rob!



Never mind.

 

[robs477]

Hey Spiky, I resemble that!

 

[Barb1]

^^^HaHaHa!

 

[Spiky Bugger]

In my usual devil's advocate brain, I'm thinking it will maybe be a little better than this...

Assuming that old age is down the road a ways still, combined with the growth of WLS, I'm not sure that a basic level of vitamins won't be standard. If there is anything these places do well, it is push pills. Binders full of records attest to the fact that there are generally a few people at those kinds of places that do nothing but manage pills and these people will protect and expand their jobs. Also, a very carb heavy diet will lead to gastric issues, which is the last thing these people want to deal with. Although, they probably will just diaper us so they don't have to deal with messes. Still, I can't imagine they want to deal with those either.

As my MIL used to say "Old age is not happiness." with or without a ds I think.

Brandy...my "old age" is either here or will be very shortly. Do Social Security and Medicare count? LOL. But my mom died two years ago, while in her FIFTH facility. Now...who staffs these places varies depending on geography. But until the last facility, a small, board and care place where they managed to get things right, what WE experienced was that the more competent CNAs who wanted to make more than minimum wage, got promoted to Med Tech and made darn near minimum wage. I suspect that few, if any, were actually high school grads. They were not in power positions and were not able to protect and expand their jobs. They could only follow the written instructions and something as simple as a prn med was almost impossible to get administered.

If Mom complained of pain, and had already taken an ibuprofen, it never occurred to them to offer a prn prescription pain med in addition to the ibuprofen. When she would freak out, and OBVIOUSLY need a little lorazepam to make her day be a little less aggravating, they would call me to tell me that she was agitated and rude and all that stuff...but they would not allow me, with my POA for her medical care and two physicians' statements that she was unable to make her own decisions...they would not allow me to request the prn lorazepam on her behalf. Because they were taught the only the residents could request prn meds.

So...unfortunately, I have zero hope for anything logical or reasonable to occur in a SNF.

 

[Barb1]

Oh that is so f_cking depressing!! My sister 79 who had a stroke a year ago is in a SNF. The only thing that makes it a little better is her oldest daughter lives about 5 minutes away and is her POA over her health. She is also a RN for SSM Healthcare. She has my sister in a facility run by SSM so that helps a little. I have been visiting so many of the SNF in the last 12 years because of my mom two sisters and my MIL that I can tell you they all suck!

 

[JackieOnLine]

there is a real variety in the level of suckage. it's a gross generalization but I find that not for profits are not as bad as the big for-profits. they just aren't.

 

[MsJacquiiC]

I'm training my kids to understand and advocate for my needs - but you can also prepare detailed written instructions for the future.

Best answer!
Detailed written instructions given to the people who will follow those instructions to the letter is the way to go imo.

If I have Alzheimers, I hope they do what is necessary to painlessly and quickly hasten my demise.

I am not at all mad at this post and agree 100%

I watched my Great Grandmama struggle with alzheimers. As a kid - I thought it was a bit funny. "There goes Grandma Sadie trying to go back home... Oh - now she thinks she IS home and I'M her daughter instead of great granddaughter hahaha... Grandma - We're in Oak Ridge now - You haven't been to Lafollette in 2 decades..." Good times.. Not!

Now that I can look back on that time - it was horrific. You have a greater appreciation (or disgust) for the disease when you've seen it break someone you love completely down. What's sad is that my Great Grandmama was the sweetest ever and just as sharp-witted as a tack. Yeah.. If I have alzheimers disease - somebody please put a bullet between my eyes before the disease makes me forget that I am whoever the hell I am. Mercy killing is not beneath me.

I do not think I would have lived another 5 years without the DS so any time I get now is a bonus. If I end up with Alzheimer's I want out and my only worry is a slow death from lack of supplementation. My kids are aware of my needs and hopefully will be strong enough to do as I have requested in the event of a debilitating condition.

Good post. I'm fond of joking that if I hadn't had the RNY - that I'd be on somebody's news channel being made a mockery of while being cut out of my own house with the jaws of life, Richard Simmons by my side saying, "You can do it big bytch!! You can stop eating 3 large Pizza Hut super supremes for breakfast."

The RNY has extended my life. I'm fairly young - but I truly believe I would not be alive today if I hadn't had WLS.
5 years post-op and minus 200+ pounds later - This time does seem a bonus.

Great topic @Purple Frog!

J.

 

[marissamast]

If you have the DS, what happens when we are old and cannot be personally compliant with aftercare/supplementation?

Part of what scares me about the DS is the lack of knowledge by medical professionals/nutritionists (even down to the surgeons performing the operations!) about the supplementation that would be required for the rest of our lives.

What happens if you end up in a nursing home, or with Alzheimer's (God forbid), and your care falls to somebody else? How will you ensure that you get what you need, e.g. annual blood workups, supplements at the levels you require them, etc?

I might be a little paranoid.

Sounds morbid. ..but I would rather be dead.

 

[KathyF]

My mom was in a SNF for a while. My biggest problem with them was meds. She was on Fentanyl patches. The ones they used were not labeled and looked like a small piece of adhesive plastic. An aide mistakenly removed it when they were bathing her. Just replace it, right? Nope. They first had to get hold of the doctor before they could order a new patch... they didn't have any on hand. And then it had to be ordered from the pharmacy, which for some reason was neither in house or even in town. The pharmacy they ordered from was 88 miles away! Crazy. Poor mom was in agony for many hours, with me begging them to give her some kind of pain medication to tide her over until the patch came in the next day.