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December 20, 2005
The Real Reason Why We Do CR -- and some notes on comments
I just figured out last night why it is that I both do CR and have to live with someone who is also CR'd. It has nothing to do with life-extension, health, or vanity.
I have to be small, and live with someone small, so that the cat can have all the room she needs in the bed.
Last night, as we were getting ready to go to sleep, we observed that my seven pound calico Philomena was taking up not just the entirity of my side our our queen-sized bed, but a large portion of MR's side as well. I hate to move her when she's sleeping comfortably, so we snuggled into about a fourth of our bed and allowed the cat to go on snoozing peacefully. She's so cute!!! It's a good thing we're thin, so we can make plenty of room for the cat.
Thanks to all for your comments... and Jeff, I'm very sorry about your dad. That's so hard, and I support you and anyone else in whatever decisions they make about the end of life. My mom has a living will that she wants to be disconnected from life support if no recovery seems possible. It's a question I think about a lot, and I firmly believe that everyone should have the right to make those decisions for themselves and their loved ones without interference from anyone (government included.) I'll definitely keep you and your family in my prayers.
The decisions about what is to be done at the end of life when disease has already done its damage, I think, are far different from decisions about whether or not we should encourage scientists to pursue strategies that may prevent those diseases from happening in the first place by slowing or even reversing the aging process. For those who are healthy and enjoying life, not sick and dying in a hospital bed, the decision to go on living is a very different matter. The point of the kind of life-extending research that I support through my Mprize donation is to extend *healthy* lifespan, so that people don't end up in the hospital dependent on life support machines. While we may not be able to postpone disease and death infinitely, I believe that it is good to postpone it as long as possible so that people can enjoy many more healthy years with their loved ones, pursing the goals they find meaningful, and serving God if that's something they believe in and feel called to do.
Biotechnology that can slow or even reverse the damage caused by the aging process isn't about adding days or months to the end of life when quality of life is already diminished: it's about adding years to youth and health. In the overall context of the blog, which is about CR and life-extension in general, I thought this would be clear, but I apologize for any confusion it might have caused.
Posted by april at December 20, 2005 5:27 AM
Comments
On the subject of the end of life---I"m redoing my will and just today wrote to A and M about my wishes. I do agree with A that it is so important for others to know what our decisions are. Each of us should have that much control as we approach a good death. Since starting to do yoga more seriously and returning to some of my spiritual foundations, I've begun to have much more peace about physical death. I'm so happy to have a wonderful daughter (and also M) to carry out my wishes. What a great Christmas gift. Peace to all. M
Posted by: Marti at December 21, 2005 9:00 AM
It so very thoughtful of you to do all the work of CR for your cat. She is very lucky. :>)
Posted by: Judy at April 3, 2006 8:18 AM