- Here's a fairly recent interview with him: http://www.earwolf.com/episode/fear-and-living-well/
- Here's an open letter he wrote to Brittany Maynard: http://america.aljazeera.com/watch/shows/america-tonight/articles/2014/10/30/a-letter-to-brittanymaynardtheresmorethantherighttodie.html
- Here's another interview about the Conversation Project https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09w3Lv9QiR4&feature=youtu.be
What do you think about Joe's attitude?
What do you want for your final words, legacy, memorial, obituary? What are you doing now to bring that about?
First, I am sorry for the loss of your friend, Dr. Cate. It is so inspiring that Joe wrote that letter to Brittany. He could have just ignored her opinions but he wanted to help her. His attitude about death is absolutely amazing. I hope that I can be as open minded about death as he was if something like that ever happens to me or when I am just old and close to dying. I am not sure what I want my final words to be but I know I want others to remember me as a positive and sincere person. I always try to be nice to everyone I meet and I hope that people that know me will remember me that way. It's hard to put myself in the shoes of someone that is dying but in general, I would just like my loved ones to remember me as a genuinely good person.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry to hear about your friend Dr. Cate. But it is outstanding to see how he was when in the face of death. He is someone that I hope that I will able to be like at the end of my life. He was not worried about what waited for him after he died but what had happened while he was alive. I just hope that I will be able to show everyone what they meant to me and for them to remember me as a good person.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry to hear about the loss of your friend. But I would also be proud to know that a dying friend of mine could be so strong and so determined to not roll over and let life take its course. He has an interesting outlook that I think I would want to have in my final days, and I am certain that his letter was as inspiring and encouraging for others as I understood it to be. While I'm not that familiar with the story of Brittany Maynard, I think that Joe's decision would be more preferable if not less depressing. To me, scheduling in suicide seems like giving up and I don't think I could make that decision, even if I decided to not get treated like Joe did.
ReplyDeleteThe courage it took to tackle his disease in the way that he did is remarkable. I think this shows that dying with dignity changes on each individual case. For some it might be taking their own life early so they aren't reduced to a non-responsive state, or fighting on your own terms until the very end. I think it is important that we all realize that there is not one way that is correct, we might believe one thing but that doesnt mean we have the right to push it on to others. Also this story really makes one think about the view that we portray on people with terminal illnesses. we tend to think of them as the walking dead instead of people who are still alive and fighting. This ha to have a major effect on those peoples psychological state. As Mr. Neyer so eloquently stated, "[...] I can't live well today if I'm worried about dying tomorrow."
ReplyDeleteDr. Cate, I am extremely sorry to hear about the loss of your friend. However, I feel that Mr. Neyer's view of dying was unbelievably inspirational. It seems that he truly tackled the fear of death. I love how accepting he was of his prognosis regardless of terrible it was. I also think that it was great how he wanted to "live well" for the remainder of this life. I honestly do not feel that I would be able to let go of the fear as bravely as Mr. Neyer did. It seems that this was an absolutely amazing man who will be truly missed.
ReplyDeleteNot everyone can be so brave in the face of death, and in doing so Mr. Neyer has left quite a legacy. I am so sorry for your loss. I have always been aware of my own mortality, but this class helped me to be even more aware of it. Even though we are mortals, I do think that we can leave behind an immortal legacy, as Mr. Neyer did. After we leave this earth, what will be left behind is how we made the people around us feel. After I die, I want people to remember how loyal I was and how I was always there for them. That is important to me. A lot of things and people in this life are temporary, but I want to be someone that my good friends and family can always count on; someone who is not temporary. To bring this about I try to not only be present in my loved ones lives, but active in them. I think there is a difference. I think being active in someone's life includes experiencing the highs with them, but also being there just as much through the lows.
ReplyDeleteMr. Neyer did an incredible thing by going with what he wanted and he beat the odds and that he will always be commended for. I am deeply sorry for his death, but in his death is the reassurance that he lived the way he wanted to and with such great enthusiasm and positivism. He spread the word about how assisted death can be an option and supports the right of choice. The more that happens the greater awareness to those who are suffering and feel as if they have no where to turn.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry to hear about the loss of your friend. He is an inspirational person. The selflessness he show's while focusing on his families comfort through his own personal struggle with death is the sign of a genuinely remarkable person. For my final words, legacy, memorial, and obituary I would hope that when faced with death I can show the same strength as Joe and focus on my loved ones around me. In my opinion, when I die I hope to be going forward to a positive place in my afterlife so my legacy, memorial, and obituary can be made by my loved ones in the manner they would like to remember me by. Right now I'm not doing anything to bring that about. However I should be explaining to my family my wishes because it's never too early.
ReplyDeleteI think Joe's attitude is remarkable. Even after he tried chemo and surgery to try to fight the cancer and was told it came back even stronger he was able to keep his head up. He saw that he should try to focus on the quality of his life to push on through to fight the cancer. He was able to still have this positive outlook on life even though the doctors kept telling him his odds weren't great. He is a role model that we all can take from to better our own lives. For my final words I would want to tell people to live their life that is true to themselves and do what makes them happy and not what makes others happy at the expense of your own. For my legacy I want people to know me as a caring, loving, and sincere person. I have no idea what I want for my memorial or obituary.
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine remaining as strong as he did through his fight. i can't imagine remaining so positive through all of that hearing one piece of bad news after the next. Not to maintain the selflessness that he showed towards others. You can really tell how much he cared for people and what a passionate person he was. he never lost his strength even when the told him he didn't have great odds. i pray that someday if i ever have to go through that that i can remain even half as strong and at peace as he did. may he rest in peace. he is a true role model for all facing this horrible disease.
ReplyDeleteJoe's attitude takes a lot courage. To still have a positive outlook knowing that he could die at any moment is honorable. For Joe to still have determination to do good in the world, while he has time left reminds me of Lauren hill. With her diagnosis, she still made goals for herself and surpassed those goals just like joe has.
ReplyDeleteI want people to remember about me is that I cared about other's and made a difference in the world. Also that I was a good friend or daughter, who loved life.