Miriam Margolyes, 84, regrets not taking better care of her health when younger and now uses a walker. She acknowledges she has let her body down and wishes she had exercised despite finding it tedious, because it helps maintain function. She refuses Ozempic, stating it is for diabetics and that medicines for very sick people should not be used by others, and argues against food advertising on television. She would consider assisted dying if she lost independence due to severe stroke, incontinence, or dementia. She lives with osteoporosis and feels increasingly fragile with age.
"I've let my body down. I haven't taken care of it. I have to walk with a walker now. I wish I'd done exercise. It's the most ghastly waste of time, except that it keeps you going. So, I'm foolish."
"Absolutely not. That's for diabetics. You shouldn't take medicine meant for people who are really sick. What I do think is we should not have food advertising on television."
"I don't want to go through a slowly diminishing period of pain and embarrassment. If a stroke meant I couldn't speak, or I was doubly incontinent, or I lost my mind completely, I would ask to be put down. That's because I want to be who I am. I don't want to be less than I can be."
Collection
[
|
...
]