I'd want to talk to everyone I knew, one more time.

Yes - though I would take the the news with a grain of salt since 38 years ago I was told I had less than five years to live.

Yes, I'd want to know so that I could "get ready." I'd hate to leave things in chaos like they are now.

Yes, I would want to spend as much time as I could with certain people.

Definitely yes! Not that I have a 'bucket list', but because I am a planner and I'd like to have things in order before I go.

YES indeed! And I also wish we were told how long our loved ones have.

Yes for me too.

ME!! I would not want to know how long I had to live.

Trisha, is this theoretical or specific? Are you, perhaps, asking what you should do in your brother's situation? I think that we can each answer with what we think we'd want, but that doesn't mean it's right for others. You know your brother. If he has a wife (I can't remember what you've said) she knows him, and only those that know him can decide. I'd venture to say that the decision is his wife's above siblings'.

If this is theoretical, in my case, I guess I'd want to know. Not sure.

Suzieque

I am currently working on getting 'things in order'. I am making written directives for my son, who will be the executor of my belongings after I die. I am doing passwords to websites and financial matters, I have my cremation paid for and all that goes with that.

I don't want to know how long I have, but I DO want to make sure my son isn't left with lots of loose ends to figure out.

Here's an answer from another viewpoint. My DH is a specialist who all too often has to handle this type of situation. In nearly every case the patient wants to know. In fact he believes that as long as the patient is compos mentis that legally and morally he should tell them that there are no further treatment options and help them prepare for the inevitable.

It's difficult to always know what unfinished business or arrangements the patient might want to complete. This allows them the opportunity to make decisions that are important to them and may even help them as the end nears. There have been times when other members of the family want the information withheld - they don't think their loved one should be burdened with this information but often it's because they don't want to deal with it.

I'm with Kay on this one. DH and I have a notebook with all that information gathered together and my kids know where it is. We jokingly call it the Doomsday book. But it will make it so much easier for them if something happens to us.

No, things are better left unsaid. When DFIL was about to die someone told him and he went very quickly soon after.

No, I wouldn't want to know. I can't imagine the agony of each new day--knowing you're one day closer. Things are "in order." No, I think that would be an awful thing to know.

If I had a terminal illness yes I would be very angry if I were not told.

If I had 3 months it should be my choice on how I would want to live them. If I found out by accident that family or doctors witheld the information it would put a pallor on the time I had left and my relationships with those who tried to deceive me. Spoken or not, there you have it.

Oh, I would definitely want to know. I would want to share things with people and have certain things in order. And I would want to choose how I would spend each day.

A friend and I just talked about this topic this morning, and we both said that we wouldn't want to know. I'd like to know that I had an illness that could potentially take my life so that I could get my things in order, but don't give me a termination date.

There's a movie on cable where the girl only has 3 months and she quit paying her rent.

If there were anything to know, I'd want to know. The thing I think is completely immoral is when family members know that a loved one is dying but no one ever tells the person who's dying. Talk about the elephant in the room!

If I were a doctor, I'd be like Quilly's husband, because I think that people have a right to know.

Seriously, each of us could die tomorrow, so if you want to "get your things in order" you better start now.

I have said I want to live to be a hundred, and that is only 14 years from now. Hope I make it.

I have things in order. Financial PA, Medical PA, Will, Cemetery lot bought and paid for with marker in place, preacher designated for the funeral. Hmmm, what am I forgetting?

As for knowing ahead of time, when that time will be? I guess it doesn't really matter.

My very old cat is sick, and probably will die soon. I hope she will just go to sleep and not wake up.

I told my kids when they were here for Christmas I hope that is what will happen to me . . . . just go to sleep and not wake up.

But not anytime soon!!

Happy New Year!

Sue

I've known several people that were given dates. It gave them all time to prepare and decide how to spend the time they had left.

Yes, I'd want to know.

I don't think so, but if I found out, I wouldn't want anyone else to know! That's when people start treating you all nice and stuff! If they don't treat me nice now, I sure don't want them sucking up to me on my deathbed! The time to get things in order is NOW! Someone reading this tonight, might not be here to read it again in the morning.

It's pretty much guaranteed,ready or not, we're all going to leave things undone when the time comes. There will be plans that won't get to be carried out, projents unfinished, etc.! That's just the way life..and death are.

Yes, then I would get a 2nd opinion then a 3rd. If came back with the 3 months to live I would stop by the gas station and get me a pack of smokes.

Yes! I would want to know. I would hurry and spend as much time with my grand kids as possible. And enjoy my life as much as possible.

Then, once it's over, no big deal.

Moni

I'm with you Moni. Even though my closest grand kids are in their 20's, I think I would like to see them again and let them know that "this IS life"; it comes full circle and they have been special contributors to the parts that I have loved the most. My children and DH too. I have been so blessed.

NANNY

I came extremely close to death when I had my heart attack... The doctor in the local ER told my husband that there was no point in him driving to Nashville to the hospital because I would not make it in the ambulance even to the interstate.... but I did.. and I made it the 100 miles to Nashville to St. Thomas Hosp... That was 11 years ago..

We both have all our funeral arrangements made, and paid for... and our wills, etc. are in order. So, no... I wouldn't want to know. I am totally at peace, and ready whenever the Lord decides it's my time to go on home.

Carolyn

No. I wouldn't want to know. (I think when someone gets real ill they know anyway) :(

I was told when I was 18 Iwould die by 40 so I lived my life basically like a zombie,in between depression etc.Everything I did I said why bother.Thought about suicide,till one day I thought I have a child,husband that needed me so I put all my energy into crafting,gardening,pen pals,Im 55.and still fighting..

NO, I don't think I would want to know. I wouldn't change the way I live or do things if I did.

Sue

Trisha - you asked this question but I don't see what your thoughts are on the topic?

Yes I would want to know. A little while back I thought I only had about 15 months to live........the prognosis for my lung cancer but I'm still alive and my cancer is in remission at the moment.........what I found out though is that people tend to be more open and honest and you can be too when you don't think you are going to make it. People said things to me that they wouldn't normally have said......we are all way to reserved to put our feelings out there. I would want to know so I could make sure that all of those that I know and care about, know exactly how much they mean to me.

Dang right I'd want to know and if I found out that anyone was lying to me about MY life or death, I'd be livid and so disappointed in them. If there was EVER a piece of information that I'd expect to have, that's it.

Granted, though- I'm sure there are a lot of people who wouldn't want to know. Depends on the person.

I've tried to be (more or less) realistic throughout life ...

... and would want to know what the prognosis may be.

Yes, many who were given the three months, etc. sentence, have lived for five years, and more.

I'd assume that the statement was an educated guess on the part of a medical person ... as only God knows for sure, I imagine (and maybe S/He's not too sure: maybe it was expected to be in three months or so, from an illness ... and I get run over by a truck tomorrow morning??).

ole joyful

Yes, I would want to know..I'm going in on Monday for the second appointment with an Elder Care service. They are getting all my papers that my family will need when my time comes. I don't want it to be difficult for my children to know what has to be done. I had some papers that were legal in Maryland that aren't in Ohio.

No, because then I'd have to kill myself after having just gone through gastric surgery.