My Dad

[catjac1975]

My dad had macular degeneration and continued to drive for a few years. He had always been an amazingly good driver, and even with his poor vision I felt very comfortable riding with him. If I hadn't known for a fact that his vision was failing I wouldn't have been able to tell by the way he drove.
Not so my mom, who always made me nervous, even when she was much younger. If I had a choice I always rode with dad. He gave up his keys voluntarily and sold his car, and let mom ferry him around, which I took for certain blindness, because he couldn't see the near misses, or a death wish.

Statistics say the elderly drive as well as teenagers even though diminished, because of their experience.

 

[Smart Red]

Great Grandma always told her daughter (my MIL) that she would die if she were "put in a home." When MIL was in her mid-seventies -- and caring for her nineties mother -- she needed surgery for colon cancer. Her daughters demanded that she put Mom into a nursing home since she would not be able to care for her for several months at least. Great Grandma LOVED the place. Always new faces and things to do besides sitting in the same chair.

MIL always said she wanted the same when she got "old". I believe she would have been pulled out of her home screaming and kicking if that had happened. Instead, she fell and broke her hip. She stayed with her daughter while she recuperated and found herself happy and content to remain there.

 

[seedcorn]

Statistics say the elderly drive as well as teenagers even though diminished, because of their experience.

I guess you would have to define elderly vs. Teenagers.

 

[catjac1975]

I guess you would have to define elderly vs. Teenagers.

All of the ones on the road that you want to stear clear of.

 

[Rhodie Ranch]

My Uncle Dan passed 2 days ago in NC. He had been in the hospital with pneumonia for a month and simply died. Over 6' tall and got down to 140 lbs. Simply died. Horrible to waste away over time; be catatonic and die. I'd rather die quickly but with a little warning so I could say goodbye.

Oh and Mother always says she's a child of the depression. NO SHE WASN"T. She was born in 1930! And her parents had 2 homes and yes, grandfather got laid off from Atlantic Richfield but he fished instead and fed the family well and 3 years later got his job back!. So tired of that excuse of hers! Grumble grumble...

 

[Nyboy]

Sorry about your uncle

 

[Rhodie Ranch]

It was his time, at the young age of 83.

 

[digitS']

My father was convinced of his independence.

I pointed out that he didn't build his pickup, distill his fuel, build his roads and highways ... he even gave up growing any of his food. Of course, he was over 80 ... and, he didn't argue with me.

He just continued to do what he wanted and was comfortable with doing, as long as he could. Maybe, a little too much of a Devil take the Hindmost attitude for me.

He "came of age" during the Depression. We should think a moment what that might have been like for a kid, expected to head off on their own. Nothing for all of them at home.

Where? To do what? How would they even feed themselves? Changed them. He talked about showing up at somebody's backdoor. He got a job slinging hash. Went into the Army about the same time as the war started in Europe. Luckily, the Army sent him to school. Then, the war for the US began. He was also lucky not to have been sent before that to the Philippines. Discharge went out the window, however.

Steve

 

[digitS']

Ha! I just thought how that must sound.

No, Dad couldn't get out of the service after the war started because ... ready for it? ...

that's when the s**t really hit the fan!

digitS'

 

[Smart Red]

@murphysranch, just because your mother didn't suffer the worst of the depression era doesn't mean she wasn't exposed to it through family and friends. Just the fear of having financial setbacks after watching the world around her fall apart could have been fuel for nightmares.

Still, she was pretty young to understand the misery around her community. She could have 'learned' and personalized the depression language from her peers as she got older?


My condolences on losing your uncle. It might be "their time" and it might be a blessing to have passed and be out of misery, but for those left behind, losing a loved one is always too soon.