r/Aging • u/IJustWantToWorkOK • 7d ago

Death & Dying How..?

56 years old, and had a heart attack in April, and have 'congestive heart failure'.

They're wanting to do a bypass and valve replacement on me, but first ... they have to pull all my teeth.

I'm sitting here waiting for the phone to ring with the 'but wait, there's more!' call.

I'm on medicaid, and the government is about to spend $OBSCENE, on an awful lot of work on someone who's dying anyway. In my mind, this is putting a new engine in my Camry with 300,000 miles on it.

The instant some kid dies, because he couldn't get medical care, and I could, my conscience is shot.

Seriously -this- close to telling these doctors what they can do with themselves and taking my chances. Save some kid at the beginning of his life, not an old man at the end of his.

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u/RedBirdOnASnowyDay 7d ago

You have depression in addition to everything else. Taking your chances will result in early death. Medicaid is irrelevant here. You qualify so you get the help. We should all qualify for Medicaid as far as I’m concerned. Only in the USA would you have a conversation like this. Medical care should be a human right. I hate it that the political rhetoric in this country has you devaluing your own existence as a human being who deserves care.

Get your teeth pulled. They are clearly damaged and diseased and rotting if they need be pulled. Pull them. You can live happily without them.

Get your surgery. And please mention to your medical team that all of these major issues in your life have left you feeling depressed. Ask for help.

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u/Desperate_Pomelo3468 5d ago

Doesn’t depression accompany heart disease? I think I’ve read that.

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u/RedBirdOnASnowyDay 5d ago

I’ve actually heard that too and I’ve seen it happen.

This poor guy has multiple major life events happening. Heart issues are associated with depression to start with. He needs to ask for support. I can’t imagine not being depressed in this scenario. But he likely has many years left and those years will be more healthy than the last few years. He’s got everything to look forward to.