During breakfast today, I read about Ebola, the disasters in Israel and the Ukraine, and a shootout in Greenwich Village two blocks from my home so I looked for respite in the Science section of the paper only to find Jane Brody urging us to shop for a nursing home. For me shopping -- whether picking up pesticide-free blueberries at the Farmers Market or ordering Spanx online -- is a diversion, bordering on a hobby. Mine can't be called "retail therapy" since I go for the discounts, caring more about what I save than what I've gotten. I'm not aware of anyone getting a good deal on a nursing home so it holds no appeal for me. If I become a burden, I'm counting on my son to have seen the commercial, "A Home for Mom." Brody quotes someone saying, "The biggest mistake people make is waiting until the last minute, when faced with a crisis, to find a suitable facility." I would argue that some cosmetic surgeries and the country having elected George W. Bush could be bigger mistakes.
It's entirely possible to die without having a lingering condition that requires being institutionalized. Death is more certain. That I'm prepared for, and I like my exit strategy. An urn with family photos embedded in a beautiful mosaic design created with our own plates awaits me.
