My Dad died 17 months ago...

[catnhatnh]

...he died confused and scared in the grip of Alzheimer's...after just 5 months in a nursing home that giant heart of his gave out. They said his heart killed him but we all know he chose to die because losing his mind was not an option so strong a man could tolerate...

My President tore away a roadblock to stem cell research this morning that was instituted by the "culture of life" party under the past criminal regime. I thank President Obama for this.

In my mind I have started a calender today and that calender runs for 5 years...if before this calender expires that horrible disease is defeated I will lay one more (treasured/precious/beloved) body at the feet of George Bush and the religion crazed fundamentalist whackos that defeated science that could have saved his life. May they AND their petty God rot in the Hell of their own invention...

Rest in Peace, Dad...

[Frustratedlady]

1. Bless your heart. I feel your pain.

My husband died of ALS and it is another they think they can help. Maybe justice will come when he meets up with both of them, some day.

No, George won't be goin' there.

[OneGrassRoot]

2. It's heartbreaking....

I lost my dad nearly two years ago, but it was not in this fashion; it was a sudden, very unexpected heart attack. And, I'm grateful for that. He didn't suffer.

I'm now experiencing what you experienced with your dad with my grandmother (a strong, southern, farming woman), and it is beyond heartbreaking. She is in a nursing home, also, and very near passing.

I'm sorry your family endured that tragedy, one which hopefully won't be winning so often in our lifetime.

I hear you.

I'm sure your Dad is resting in peace now....thank goodness.

:hug:

[ZombieHorde]

3. "I have started a calender today"

Will turning grief into anger help you?

I am just trying to say, be careful with yourself.

[peace13]

4. The * / Shooter years of living *ell.

I am so sorry for your pain. May the scientist speed their work along to help those who wait in the wings. Peace, Kim

[QueenOfCalifornia]

5. Yes... you are right

the deaths due to delayed scientific research must be included. I have a good friend who is a research scientist and the Bush anti-science agenda crippled his work.

I am so sorry for your loss. I have lost both parents and many others close to me and the pain and empty spot that is left is so hard to express. It just is.

Peace to you.

[Vehl]

6. may he rest in peace

I feel your pain...i lost my granddad two years ago.


Lets hope that this new impetus would find cures for Alzheimer's and many other ailments.


nothing would make me happier than seeing people who were once condemned to death by religious fundies live their lives happily.

[spanone]

7. k&r

[roguevalley]

8. My hero, my dad, died about the same time as yours. He died of

lymphoma. It could have been cured before that. He could be here with me. But he isn't. My mother's conditions could have been cured too and she wouldn't have died TEN MONTHS LATER. I am bereft in this world without my heroes and I blame the FUCKERS who care about embryos and not my parents. Fuck them. May the cures come. I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy. I hug you for your sweet father. Alzheimers is evil.

[chill_wind]

9. I am so sorry. The grief at 17 months still feels so fresh

and raw.. I lost my father two years ago-- there are days when it seems that long now, and too many others still when it feels like last week or last month. He was a dialysis patient, and the last 5 years of his life were difficult beyond words on too many of those days. Like so many advances in medicine over time, I too know one day we will look back on the current state of treatment for his condition and it will seem truly primitive. I share your regard for President Obama's commitment to this cause.

[davsand]

10. My father died one year ago last Saturday.--March 7th.

He died of Congestive Heart Failure. He laid in a bed at the last struggling to stay alive while his heart function continued to deteriorate--never once asking "Why me?" My mother lost the love of her life and declared her life over the day he died. She cared for him at home for five years while he died by inches, and she did it by choice because she wanted as much time with him as she could have.

Meanwhile they played politics with a potential help for him and every other CHF patient--Stem Cells. I share your anger, catnhatnh. I do not think there is a place in hell that really is horrible enough for those politicians.



Laura

[XOKCowboy]

11. I remember talking about it with my dad before he died.

His mother died after many years of suffering Alzheimer's. He'd be happy today.

[vadawg]

12. my condolances

though i disagree with you. Losing a parent is always bad and hard.

[Richard Steele]

13. Y'know, catinA...I don't fear death.

I fear losing my mind.

I FEAR that I'll spend years in some facility not knowing
where I am or who I was.

There are a lot of medical scientists who are THISCLOSE
to some breakthroughs that would save a lot of us from
that sort of thing...but 8 years of BushCabal rule has
set back their work so much, it'll be DECADES before they
get their breakthroughs to help us ordinary folks.

If there is a HELL, its fires await the B*sh Administration.

[tavalon]

15. Actually, to give you a little hope

The true scientists did their best to work around the ban and they did a lot of the supporting work so some of this might go faster. Having the genome project as fine tuned as it is will help immensely.

[robinlynne]

14. My mom has alzheimers now. stem cells are not going to help with alzheimers.

Stem cell research is a wonderful thing, but this particular disease is not going to be curable in 5 years. It is just a tragic loss. You can see on my mom's MRIs that larger and larger portions of her brain are simply not there. She fights to do memoryy exercises on her good days, and tries the medications and there are moments when it seems to slow down, but there is no cure waiting in the wings, unfortunately.

all the best to you.