We drove to Milwaukee and I had an endoscopic exam of my pancreas. It looks good but has a deposit in its duct. I have to have another exam in a few months to see if anything has changed.
It feels somewhat wrong to announce my health status but I know relatives and friends want to know. Also, this blog is supposed to be about my life and whether my life ends or goes on for a while is certainly relevant. It seems clear to me that once it becomes clear that one's death is coming soon, it makes sense to mention that fact. It hasn't become clear yet, and it could be five or ten years before it does.
In today's world, you aren't dead until you are dead, and many approaches can be taken to extend life. Quite a few of my friends have mentioned the phrase "quality of life" and are thinking about whether a proposed medical extension of life is likely to provide a quality of life that is worthwhile. Several people have mentioned the idea that the first person to live to be 150 years old may be living now. I have heard that the phrase "make death optional" is being used, but the quality of the life as well as the expense, in terms of money and expenditure of material resources, as well as people's worries and efforts, need to considered.
Suffering can be noble and enriching and it can set a useful example for others, including children and grandchildren when they face death. Much of life is a gamble and it may not be clear what the odds are that a given strategy is worthwhile. Just as we are now in a position to discuss details of religion and sex, we are getting more able to consider death completely and sensitively.
