Mark Trapp

"The survey findings noted significant attitudinal differences based on age, income, geographic location, and level of education." Uh, obvious. - Wade Dorrell

QOL is what it all comes down to. - Mathew A. Koeneker

I have to fine the statistic, but some article in psychology today said like 75% of women would rather have a shorter life span than be fat. - Kaia is on her deathbed.

Haha, Kaia: I remember reading that. I really wonder how serious people are when answering these surveys. Sure, they're scientifically administered, but that doesn't mean people can't lie. - Mark Trapp

I don't know, I think it's possible most people really are that shallow. - Rahsheen™

That statistic makes me very sad. I have known some incredible people who were disabled whose lives were much richer than a lot of people who were perfectly healthy. - Trish R

Mark - Hypo questions receive quick answers. My Father in Law told us he would not undergo surgery if he ever had cancer. Twelve months later they cut him open. He was so sick I never asked him about his previous statement. - Russellreno

Russelreno - Exactly, these are all hypotheticals until the RW comes crashing down. Then internal fortitude, family, friends, support system come into play. - Mathew A. Koeneker

That's true: people don't think things through. But, there's still some value in what people think when they're healthy: it affects their decisions and worldview when dealing with the scenario in others. If someone thinks they'd rather be dead than fat, they probably think everyone thinks that, too, so when they encounter a fat person, they find that so astounding that someone could live like that. Maybe. Just something I'm tossing around. - Mark Trapp

On a lighter note, more people are afraid of making a speech than death. Therefore most people at a funeral would rather be in the box than give the eulogy. - Russellreno

OK. I am surviving a deadly disease. I could never have imagined being able to deal with it 15 years ago. But with my life experience, home hospice of my grandparents (Holocaust survivors), suicide of one of my nephew the day after his 18th birthday, surviving a nasty carjacking while at Tulane (feel free to google any of this), amongst my friends and family......I have been able to mature into what I hope is a better human being from dealing with and keeping myself healthy. Sorry for the stream of consciousness, I got a wee bit emotional there. - Mathew A. Koeneker

It's not death I'm afraid of, it's dying. - Anthony Citrano

Thanks for sharing that, Matthew: it couldn't have been easy and it's good to get it out there. You definitely approach those issues in a different manner than others who haven't had been through anything close: which makes the results of these types of studies all the more frightening to me. If people would rather be dead than deal with those types of situations, they're going to think you would rather be dead too, and act as such, which is such the wrong way to approach life's hurdles. - Mark Trapp

Also I think it sorta depends on what "disabled" means. I would choose death over certain conditions/situations for sure. - Anthony Citrano

My solution has been to try and live each day as if it were my last gift. It is just as of late that I have even begun to think in terms of intermediate or that I might make it to fifty, which is not old at all. - Mathew A. Koeneker

Which brings us back to Quality of Life (or perceived QOL), I rec that everyone has a living will not only for those reasons but to keep whatever you may have out of the grubby hands of the probate courts. - Mathew A. Koeneker

Thanks Mark! I had this thought that the truth would set me free. I will let you know how it goes. :) - Mathew A. Koeneker

and what percentage of the disabled feel that? - Gregory Lent