~Dying At 50~

[Dabs]

I have been bothered by something for the past 2 days.
This past week, and up till Monday, I have personally known 3 people who have all died at the age of 50, recently.
One was my daughter-in-laws Aunt, she died from leukemia. (Last Thursday)
One was a guy I have known for years, he had a live-in, and one day while at work, on lunch, he keeled over- apparent heart attack that we know so far. (Last Friday)
And at our local Wal-Mart, which btw, is one of THE largest Wal-Mart stores in the state of Tennessee, a good friend I have known for years, and has worked at this store for 22 years!--she went home Monday and said she wasn't feeling well. So she told her husband she was going to lie down, and when he went to check on her a little bit later, she was dead. She had a heart attack. (Monday afternoon)
Our Wal-Mart has wreaths displayed at all entrances, with her photo. And her calling hours were this evening, well Wednesday.
Now I don't know about the rest of y'all, but when I go to tell someone my age, and I never lie, I always admit my age, I say I'm 49- which I am- but I think I sound old.
But when I read an obit in the newspaper, and it lists the age of the deceased as "50"....my first reaction is- "Omg, so young!"
And I guess when I think about it, 50 is young, and for 3 people to have departed at that age, all within a matter of a few days of each other and I knew them all- I just feel......well....crappy. I don't know how else to say it

 

[editec]

Two members of my high school posse (of about 8 guys) both died within months of one another, one at 50, the other 51.

That was a rather alarming and somewhat sobering event. (this happened about 10 years ago for me)


I mean you know? ~ These were guys who I'd known since elementary school, we'd grown up together, we raised hell together, and POOF!, they're worm's meat.

 

[sparky]

one's mortality isn't something most dwell on , until confronted by the spectre of age, illness, or the loss of those around us hammers the perspective home

live love & laugh while you can my friends....

 

[Sallow]

Turned 50 this year.

No great shakes.

 

[sparky]

welcome to the youth of old age Sallow

 

[Anachronism]

My father passed away ON his 54th Birthday (8/22/01) from complications of Cancer. I'm hoping to make it longer than that, but I have no great interest in hanging around past my late 60's or early 70's at the latest.

 

[peach174]

My Father died at 50.
I felt the same way when I was 49 reaching to that age.
I lived past it though. Still here and kicking and in good health.

 

[Mad Scientist]

There's no guarantee that anyone will live to 80 or 90. It sounds corny but you gotta' live life to the fullest now.

My Uncle was an A-Hole, abused himself with alcohol and lived to age 80. My Aunt never smoked or drank, went to church and was the nicest person you ever met. She died from lung cancer at age 53.

You gotta' do what you want and live like you want, right now.

 

[Dabs]

Thanks everyone, and I agree with you Anach, I honestly don't care to live past 65, hell I don't care if I go much earlier!
Nobody in my immediate family has lived past the age of 66......so I don't foresee a long life for myself.
I lost my Mother when she was 66 and my real dad was 54 when he passed away.
I guess it's also the fact, these 3 people I talked about, didn't look 50!!!
Especially the gal who worked at Wal-Mart, she always looked so happy and was so energetic, I imagined her to be much younger. When I found out she was older than me, (which was a long while back) I was shocked!
Yep...you just never know when your time is up.

 

[saveliberty]

At 48 I decided that I was going to be in better shape @ 50. Lost 50 pounds since then. Most people treat their bodies like crap. Bodies pay people back.

 

[saveliberty]

My body is going to pay me back with a left shoulder needing rotator surgery.

 

[Bill Angel]

There's no guarantee that anyone will live to 80 or 90. It sounds corny but you gotta' live life to the fullest now.

My Uncle was an A-Hole, abused himself with alcohol and lived to age 80. My Aunt never smoked or drank, went to church and was the nicest person you ever met. She died from lung cancer at age 53.

You gotta' do what you want and live like you want, right now.

You did not mention whether your Uncle the A-Hole was also a smoker. It's possible that your aunt contracted lung cancer from being exposed to second hand tobacco smoke from your uncle's (or some one else's ) smoking. My father was a cigarette smoker for many years, and my mother contracted breast cancer. There is some evidence (though not yet well established) of a link between exposure to second hand tobacco smoke and contracting breast cancer.

 

[whitehall]

"We live a while and then we die sooner than we planned"... Darius Jedborough

 

[High_Gravity]

There's no guarantee that anyone will live to 80 or 90. It sounds corny but you gotta' live life to the fullest now.

My Uncle was an A-Hole, abused himself with alcohol and lived to age 80. My Aunt never smoked or drank, went to church and was the nicest person you ever met. She died from lung cancer at age 53.

You gotta' do what you want and live like you want, right now.

You did not mention whether your Uncle the A-Hole was also a smoker. It's possible that your aunt contracted lung cancer from being exposed to second hand tobacco smoke from your uncle's (or some one else's ) smoking. My father was a cigarette smoker for many years, and my mother contracted breast cancer. There is some evidence (though not yet well established) of a link between exposure to second hand tobacco smoke and contracting breast cancer.

Are you serious?

 

[Baruch Menachem]

51 now. I am feeling very mortal myself.

 

[Spoonman]

my two best friends died before 50. I've past that milestone. now I'm going for 100

 

[Big Black Dog]

My brother died when he was 11 of a congenital heart problem. My uncle died when he was 38. My father died at 58. My mother at 60. Everybody in my family has died except for a couple of cousins and 1 Aunt. My health is not good. I will turn 60 next month. The odds of me hitting 61 are against me due to all the health issues I have.

You can't do anything about death. When your number is up, your number is up. I've had a great ride and a terrific life. Can't think of too many things I'd do differently. I'm happy to have been a part of it all. Don't worry about death or dying. It will only make your hair turn grey and fall out. Enjoy the here and now and try to live each day like it might be your last because it just might be.

 

[Spoonman]

51 now. I am feeling very mortal myself.

I know the feeling

 

[percysunshine]

51 now. I am feeling very mortal myself.

With modern technology, you are only half way to the finish line.

(Not to be confused with the Swedish line. You probably passed that at 40.)

 

[geauxtohell]

I have been bothered by something for the past 2 days.
This past week, and up till Monday, I have personally known 3 people who have all died at the age of 50, recently.
One was my daughter-in-laws Aunt, she died from leukemia. (Last Thursday)
One was a guy I have known for years, he had a live-in, and one day while at work, on lunch, he keeled over- apparent heart attack that we know so far. (Last Friday)
And at our local Wal-Mart, which btw, is one of THE largest Wal-Mart stores in the state of Tennessee, a good friend I have known for years, and has worked at this store for 22 years!--she went home Monday and said she wasn't feeling well. So she told her husband she was going to lie down, and when he went to check on her a little bit later, she was dead. She had a heart attack. (Monday afternoon)
Our Wal-Mart has wreaths displayed at all entrances, with her photo. And her calling hours were this evening, well Wednesday.
Now I don't know about the rest of y'all, but when I go to tell someone my age, and I never lie, I always admit my age, I say I'm 49- which I am- but I think I sound old.
But when I read an obit in the newspaper, and it lists the age of the deceased as "50"....my first reaction is- "Omg, so young!"
And I guess when I think about it, 50 is young, and for 3 people to have departed at that age, all within a matter of a few days of each other and I knew them all- I just feel......well....crappy. I don't know how else to say it

I am sorry for your losses.

I do think we have deceived ourselves as a nation into thinking that everyone is entitled to meet the average life expectancy. It's an average for a reason.

Not to be flippant or dismissive about it.

Furthermore, your post makes an excellent point: Cardiovascular Disease is the number one killer in this nation. This is a preventable disease. Eat better, stop smoking, and exercise.

Otherwise you are playing your odds.

And I know I this will be met with "Well my uncle billy bob smoked 15 packs a day and lived to be 99 years old while my uncle Jimbo was a marathon runner and died at 40!"

I would submit that such posts are the proverbial "whistling past the graveyard". There are always statistical outliers. But most people fall within two standard deviations of the mean.

That's most likely you.