Devil D

Working in a healthcare setting, you can't help but constantly be reminded about your own mortality. Recently, a question rings in my head all the time... what is the worse disease that one could get?

The big scary HIV? Not really, with early detection and well developed anti-virals drugs and on-going research, the life-span of a HIV positive patient has been increase tremendously.

The nasty C - Cancer? Yes maybe - but there is still a bleak chance of surviving with the right treatment - Chemo or Radio or more the sophisticated you-name-it, and if a deadly one is diagnosed early you can have your remaining time predicted quite accurately so that you can plan your end-of-life issues.

An autoimmune disorder that doesn't kill but affects your quality of life e.g.: Crohn's or SLE? Well, it does cause major suffering during flare ups, but with optimum control the remission periods could be a blissful break.

So what is it then? Well, this is a very subjective question. What I personally think - the worst condition that could happen to me is something that would cause me to lose myself slowly. Nothing but the Devil D - Dementia. Imagine that losing yourself slowly, starting off by being forgetful, then you forget about things that happened in the past, forget about your loved ones, forgetting who you are... It's like the contents of your brain being digged out bits by bits, until nothing is left but an empty shell...

One day if I am diagnosed with dementia, dear friends, please bring me to Amsterdam or Switzerland for a legal Euthanasia. Please please please.

(This is merely my own opinion, those unfortunate souls out there with the Devil D, I express my deepest sympathy here, and please don't take any offence)

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