Friday 23 May 2014

Will You Donate Your Body to Medical Science?

My brother David is dying.  Cancer is the killer. He will not have a funeral when his life ends, which will be sooner rather than later.  He is in torment and death will be better for him than life.

He and his partner have already made arrangements for David's body to be donated to a London teaching hospital so that medical students can learn by using David in whatever way is required. 

They can delve into his illness, his lungs, his brain (he also has dementia now) or anything that will enhance their knowledge of the human body.

I think this is a wonderful way of leaving this wicked world. It obviates the need for lining the pockets of funeral companies, and of meaningless church services and all the paraphernalia that dying involves. 

It provides something USEFUL in life. It may provide valuable information about these diseases.  It is a way of giving something back as one pegs out, so to speak. I am all for it.

Well done David, and Margaret.  You are both suffering greatly at the moment but when it's all over you will know that out of the evil of cancer and dementia something GOOD will emerge because of this donation of David's body to science.

Amen to that, if you get my drift.

Tuesday 20 May 2014

My Brilliant Daughter Clare

Clare is back on the road, actually and figuratively speaking.

She has kept clear of seizures for well over a year, thanks to the good epilepsy specialists in Hull hospital so she is now able to drive again.

Not only that, she has been sculpting her wonderful fairies again, as beautifully as ever.  She has gone a step further of late by sculpting a model of her Doge de Bordeaux, Marley, and is now in the process of making copies for other owners of this large breed.

Do have a look at her website, www.fairytasia.co.uk to view some of her amazing creations.

Another Brother About to Die

My younger brother David is seriously ill with lung cancer. He is at home waiting for the end.

The hospital was unable to help him any more. They did cut out the cancer in his throat but it had spread to both lungs. He was sent home, along with a hospital bed and other equipment, to be tended by his partner Margaret and the palliative care team.

My hope is that his pain and suffering will be mercifully short-lived. 

David is 72, about eight years younger than I.

My dear brother Geoff died five years ago, again of cancer.

My youngest brother Michael died aged 45, of a severe brain haemorrhage, thankfully swiftly with no lingering pain.

We humans generally take pity on our animal friends and pets and don't allow them to linger on in hopelessness and pain. Why do we not afford human animals the same privilege?

I do not know.  Do you?