General Chat

Just finished watching this and I was so upset after it. Really makes you think about things, it was very moving. catherine

I saw the trailer but thought it would be too emotional to watch. I'm a wimp! Jacky :-)

I wimped out too Catherine, though I have to say it did look very interesting. xx

I only watched half of it...I am a nearly wimp....BC

Yes I did. I thought it was very good, and it highlights the need for all terminal illnesses to be treated the same & for people to get the pallitive care they need. Shame they had Patricia Hewitt on there though. A pack of lies about how they will improve things makes it an even bitter pill for carers to swallow & listen to her & her drivel. Joan

Yes it was interesting - about time the subject was tackled on TV.

It was very interesting, lots of different views, on how people die, assisted or not. Not something you think about really.

Yes i did, very moving indeed.

I agree Joan, Patricia Hewitt was not convincing. She was cold.

When you are getting to close to a subject for comfort - really entertaining for us oldies tonight - how to have a good death and as parents not to live too long!!!!

I'm sorry Ann. I did't mean to offend anyone. That wasn't my intention, just wondered if anyone watched it that's all. x

Didn;'t offend me - it is just that lately there are nothing but programmes on re retirement homes/care homes etc and there are more bad than good and then today I hear the MPs have given themselves a pay rise! Again. Parking fees in hospitals are getting beyond a joke. I could go on and on.

Catherine, Half the problem is we don't talk about it, and when the time comes how can we ask our loved ones what it is they want ?? Surely it is better if we tell our relatives whilst we are in good health (of mind & body) of our wishes rather than leaving them with the distressing task later on ? Joan

I agree Joan. Should be talked about more. It's always avoided.Something I had not deeply thought about before. I think I would like to prepare my family, no matter how difficult it can be.

Joan - the trouble is that there are people who do not wish to talk about death - nearly eleven years ago a friend of mine was given 3 months to live (this came out of the blue) - her husband knew, she knew, their daus knew but she wouldn't talk. They reckoned that if anyone could get her to talk - it was me - (we had been friends since we were young mums together). We went for a weekend - the husbands went out - I asked her straight away 'do you want to talk'. 'No' was the reply - instead we had a wonderful evening going down memory lane and laughing a lot but she never ev er mentioned her forthcoming death to anyone.

Having sat with a loved one at the end I no longer have any fear of death itself, it's the pain that may be involved that frightens me more. It is a shame it should be talked about more, even starting in secondary schools. I wouldn't put anyone through what I went through. I would want them to know what I wanted, for their sake, not myself. 10 minutes of morbid talking could save a lifetime of someone else worrying whether they did the right thing. Joan

I think it is our culture - we shy away from death - the Irish for instance welcome a good hooley and if it is a wake - so what - everyone has a good time except the deceased! Ann

Have recorded it. With only a short time to go, I have a vested interest. Personally, I hope to die in my own home, quietly in my sleep. len

When my grandfather died three years ago I made a point of telling my son and my mum and sister's what I want (I don't want to be cremated). I am only in my mid thirties but you never know when your time is going to come. If you have strong feelings about what you want then it is important to make them known. You only need the briefest of conversations or let someone know that you've written it down somewhere. I have had five deaths of friends and family in the past couple of months, four of whom were under 55, and it has made my mum and sister talk about what they want/don't want. The programme itself was very interesting and I was in tears at the end. Louise

Unfortunately I forgot to turn the video recorder on and was watching the Stairlift to Heaven programme which was quite sad. I caught the end of Esther's prog. and thought it looked interesting. I will have to hope it is repeated at some time.