Report confirms that Arakawa died of hantavirus and her husband, who had heart problems and Alzeimer’s disease, may not have realised she had died
Definitely a sad story and why I think right to die is so important. Im curious if anyone has been close to someone with alzeimers and not walk away wanting a right to die for themselves in the right circumstances.
Thr right to die is being denied in the US because existence is monetizable.
My dad gate-kept access to his mom after she declined to a problematic state. I have no memory or her deep in the throes of it, and for that I’m ultimately grateful.
He was a paramedic and fireman in his time. He already had a DNR/no-heroics order from that. But yeah, he says it solidified his plans.
"Hantavirus pulmonary disease is fatal in nearly four out of 10 people who are infected, but fewer than 730 cases were identified in the US between 1993 and 2017.
Further police investigations of their grounds discovered widespread evidence of rodent infestation."
They shouldn’t have been living on their own; like many very elderly people, they both needed supervised care.
like many very elderly people
Though he was in his 90s and had Alzheimers, she was 65. You might be shocked to find that most people her age are not only living independently, but still working full-time. Most of us can even drive to the supermarket, then find our own ways back home.
65 isn’t very old, but it’s a lot on anyone’s plate if she was also taking care of a 90+ Alzheimer patient and 3 dogs.
The fact that they had a rodent infestation (which are known vectors for Hanta in NM) on their property seems like a pretty significant indication that she was overwhelmed. It’s not like they are average retirees; resources were not an issue.
What IS an ongoing pattern though, is elderly people overestimating their capabilities based on their younger selves, and ignoring the signs they need additional support. Eventually something catastrophic happens, like a car accident, and then people shake their heads like, “well, we kept telling Bill he was too old to drive at night anymore, but he’s just stubborn like that.” Meanwhile the collateral damage is done.
This is a truly tragic situation, especially because I believe that there were dogs there too.
It’s all hugely suckful
According to the article two of the three dogs were found and are okay
I’m glad to hear that, I couldn’t bring myself to read it, just in case it was worse
Like I said, it’s all awful
Did I miss it in the article, but what did the dog die of? I see 2 dogs were found.
The dead dog was trapped in a closet. The house had dog doors so the other two could roam outside.
I never though of dog doors in that way.
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Prime example of the “humanity” I’ve come to love and respect in my fellow “man.”
That comment you’re replying to might not be a “I don’t care about the pain and suffering of old people” so much as a “I don’t like it when evil media companies exploit the pain and suffering of famous old people for click bait headlines,” which I don’t really agree with (talking about problems is how problems get fixed imo and bad elder care is a problem), but it’s a take in good company (arc)
They MIGHT also be three raccoons in a trenchcoat. I dunno.
Edit: Nevermind. With their attitude on display, it’s obviously three chihuahuas in a muumuu.
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This feels like the kind of comments I wrote when I was 15 and look back on now and cringe.
TIL Surrendering my freedom to Nazis is “cringe“
We’re talking about Gene Hackman, try to keep up.
When were you talking about Gene Hackman?
Lay off the drugs
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“We” who? You and… the mouse in your pocket? I know I’m certainly not included in that “we.”
Only kings, presidents, editors, and people with tapeworms have the right to use the editorial ‘we’.
So what exactly is your problem with this news story? It’s just a human interest piece. People are curious. Of all the news stories of the last few months why is this one is so objectionable?
