The final send-off
I don't want a funeral unless I don't get to have a send-off party.
Most likely some of the money I have earned in living will go to paying for the funeral, so I would like to experience it. Obviously, I can't do that.
Another problem with funerals: people I have known can't have their last true conversation with me. It will just be one-sided. Not much of a closure for those who are living.
So, if I get a terminal illness rather than a degenerative disease, I will scope out the costs of treatment and chance of survival, figure out how much money I have to meet those costs, divide that in two (save up half for Marisa) and the rest I will use to stage an elaborate party with music, staged productions, movies and plenty of time for conversations...then I will go into hospice care and spend the rest of my life fulfilling my bucket list or finishing all the productions and tasks I had always meant to do before I can no longer do them. However, I would never go to the hospital.
Of course, what concerns me is that I would die from a degenerative disease where I slowly lose my faculties or my muscle control. For that, I guess I would get some early diagnosis, halt all medical care from there on out (except to manage my pain), and do the same send-off party.
Or I could be truly lucky and live until I am 100 years old. The problem with that is if I had a party at all it would be pretty lonely. Most of the people who I would want to talk with would be gone already. So, at some point I should probably schedule a send-off party.
Remember Jack Benny's Farewell Television specials. There were at two of them in 1973 and 1974. Jack knew he had pancreatic cancer. He called the first show Jack Benny's First Farewell Special even though he knew there was no guarantee there would be a second one. However, he was still well enough for a 2nd one. It was something that motivated him and would entertain the rest of us. Alas, that was as far as it went.
So, I might have several farewell parties...provided I have the money for it. Otherwise I will just invite folks to our house for a potluck...and maybe persuade some friends or family to dance or do a skit or perform music.
Most likely some of the money I have earned in living will go to paying for the funeral, so I would like to experience it. Obviously, I can't do that.
Another problem with funerals: people I have known can't have their last true conversation with me. It will just be one-sided. Not much of a closure for those who are living.
So, if I get a terminal illness rather than a degenerative disease, I will scope out the costs of treatment and chance of survival, figure out how much money I have to meet those costs, divide that in two (save up half for Marisa) and the rest I will use to stage an elaborate party with music, staged productions, movies and plenty of time for conversations...then I will go into hospice care and spend the rest of my life fulfilling my bucket list or finishing all the productions and tasks I had always meant to do before I can no longer do them. However, I would never go to the hospital.
Of course, what concerns me is that I would die from a degenerative disease where I slowly lose my faculties or my muscle control. For that, I guess I would get some early diagnosis, halt all medical care from there on out (except to manage my pain), and do the same send-off party.
Or I could be truly lucky and live until I am 100 years old. The problem with that is if I had a party at all it would be pretty lonely. Most of the people who I would want to talk with would be gone already. So, at some point I should probably schedule a send-off party.
Remember Jack Benny's Farewell Television specials. There were at two of them in 1973 and 1974. Jack knew he had pancreatic cancer. He called the first show Jack Benny's First Farewell Special even though he knew there was no guarantee there would be a second one. However, he was still well enough for a 2nd one. It was something that motivated him and would entertain the rest of us. Alas, that was as far as it went.
So, I might have several farewell parties...provided I have the money for it. Otherwise I will just invite folks to our house for a potluck...and maybe persuade some friends or family to dance or do a skit or perform music.