Would you rather lose your mind or have your body fail?

[NightWatcher]

Sorry to get all deep with y'all here, and I appologize if you or a loved one has had either of these happen.

That being said, would you rather be a brain in a broken body (ALS or similar) or a healthy body and lose your mind (Alzheimer's )? I've seen both in close loved ones and neither is fun.


I think I'd rather keep my mind and lose the body. Not that we have a choice, but in my case it looks like its slowly heading that way.

[nolabear]

1. I guess I'm with you. Bodies inevitably break down anyway.

I know people whose parents have Alzheimer's or other forms of age related dementia, and it's dreadful for all involved.

Oh, and edited to add thanks for the buzzkill.

[bluesbassman]

2. I went through the mind part with my Dad. Lasted about three years.

It was absolutely devastating for me and my sibs. For my Dad, some days were good, others must have been horror, I could see it in his eyes.

On the other hand, my FIL has been diagnosed with an inoperable aneurysm by his spine and kidney. He's day to day as turning wrong, sneezing, just about anything could cause it to rupture and he's done. This was a man who worked heavy construction all his life and was in fact operating backhoes until he was 70.

Honestly I can't say which I'd prefer. They both suck bigtime.

[Bertha Venation]

3. Body fail. No question.

I've seen the effects of my grandmother's and my father-in-law's mental deterioration. While my loved ones may have to care for my deteriorating body, at least we will be able to communicate.

[El Supremo]

4. Neither. What a depressingly sick question. n/m

[nolabear]

6. Depressing, yes. Sick? No way.

It IS depressing to think of. But it's not like we don't and talking about it with others can be helpful.

[sarge43]

13. Nothing sick about it

Live long enough and we wear out.

It's a good idea to prepare for it, at least think about it.

[UTUSN]

5. It's a bummer. But keep the mind. n/t

[mnhtnbb]

7. I'd rather a massive heart attack or stroke...or better yet, die in my sleep. I have no wish

to be a mindless body or decrepit body with an intact mind.

[Kaleva]

8. My body will go before my mind does.

[csziggy]

9. I'd rather have my body fail. Who am I kinding - it's already failing!

I'm going to the hospital at 6 AM to get a new knee! Even without being able to walk right now, I can keep busy with various activities. In fact, my best pain management is keeping my mind engaged.

My Dad's body has been breaking down for the last ten years. He's got back problems that give him sciatica, a lot of pain, and that interfere with his walking. He's got a heart murmur and Mom's really worried about that.

But until the pain got so bad that he started taking a lot of medication, his mind was still sharp. In the last five years his short term memory had gotten really bad, he can't keep track of much, and he's getting really fuzzy about stuff that has happened in the last few years. But for 89 he's doing great.

My sister in law's mother died of Alzheimer's a few years ago. She was a wonderful lady, her body was still healthy, and it was appalling to lose her as young as we did.

I think I'd prefer to take after my Dad - and since Mom is still around, active and mentally pretty darned sharp at 91, I probably will.

[pink-o]

10. I am physically extremely robust. Got no pain, no chronic or degenerative issues

I don't even feel a difference in energy from how I was 30 years ago (now muscle tone: that's a whole nuther matter!). But mentally, I'm fading far too fast! My memory is really leaky, I can't process things quickly anymore, my concentration is non existent I'm deathly afraid my mental faculties will be gone long before my physical ones. My worst nightmare is being constantly sedated in a home, because at 6'1" and athletic, that'll be the only way anyone could handle me.

I'm hoping the mind/body all end at onc, preferably in a blaze of glorious adventure I don't want one without the other, and in my case I know what'll go first!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

11. Well.............since my body is already busy breaking down....damn joints!

I'd rather keep what's left of my mental faculties, TYVM!

[harmonicon]

12. The question is, how would you know?

(it does kind of tear me up to think about this, by the way)

I saw my grandfather live for years with Alzheimers. It was terrible, but I don't know if it was terrible for him. That's why I don't know that I could choose from selfish reasons. When he died, it was incredibly sad, but for his close care-givers, like my mom, there was a real sense of relief.

I've seen friends' bodies fail through cancer and aids, and it's not pretty, but they could at least acknowledge their loved ones and have a role in their final days.

AND, ladies and gentlemen, THIS is why I no longer keep booze in the house.


Wait!! It's body, because if I was in the hospital, and there was a desperately hot nurse or doctor who doted on me, I'd like to be able to enjoy it and know that I was enjoying it.

[PassingFair]

14. I'll take the Alzheimer's.

If I have to choose.

My father died of ALS...it was a horrible thing, trapped a body
that was slowly shutting down. Day by day. And he was in pain.

My aunt, who has dementia (not Alzheimer's) doesn't realize
where she is most of the time. She seems happy to just "be".

[Wait Wut]

15. Losing both.

I'd rather lose the body, though. After a minor stroke, losing my mind is frightening. My short-term memory is shot, though entertaining at times.

[HopeHoops]

16. I'm already in the latter category and as much as I bitch about it, it beats Alzheimer's.

One of my grandmothers and my mother-in-law both went out with Alzheimer's. It isn't a pretty thing.

[Arugula Latte]

17. ALS is the disease that has terrified me the most, so I guess I'd rather have my mind fail.

[LeftishBrit]

18. I'd prefer a quick death to either, frankly...

but if I had to choose, my mind, because then I wouldn't be aware of what was happening. I am not referring to just ANY sort of physical disability or illness here, but if I was trapped in a body that could not move, and especially if it affected my ability to communicate.

[Bake]

19. It's a damn cruel joke of the universe that they dn't go out at the same time.

My mom is just about there now, although she's been clear the last couple of times I've talked to her.

I think, for me, I'd rather keep my mind until the end. Stephen Hawking's body gave out decades ago, and look at what his incredible mind has accomplished.

Bake