My friend's mother died yesterday. She had recently turned 94 years old, and likely only lived that long because of modern pharmaceuticals. It's amazing how long we can keep hearts pumping and lungs breathing, while the rest of the body slowly decays (including the brain), until there's eventual systemic organ failure.

It's just a shame we've come to think of longevity as a weird "cure" for death, and that "managing" chronic diseases for decades has become the norm, even though quality of life suffers greatly. Oh, I understand the deep human drive to stay alive, save life, and eke out every minute on earth....

but you're right, wiggin. We'll have to figure out ways to ration health care. Just look at the crisis in Puerto Rico after hurricane Maria: patients needing ventilators and dialysis can't live on an island without electricity, and need to be evacuated to the mainland. Talk of "cures" probably rings hollow after more than a week without power