Laura
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Listen to Laura's interview |
"The most helpful thing in dealing with my illnesses: having wonderful doctors. Not even to worry about whether or not that doctor is working for you. If you doubt your physician, find someone else. They have your life in their hands, and if you’re blasé about it or too scared, how are you going to add those years to your life?
"Financial end has been my nightmare – I see what the seniors go through. My advice for people for the future: uncomplicate your life as much as possible, resolve matters that you may have put off (like I should with my father), put in order your financial affairs so you can live as comfortably as you can. And if you can, hire a maid (one day!) for that daily part, so you can focus on yourself. That self-esteem has to be there – when it’s low, it’s harder to cope with your illness.
"I want people to know that the friendship I gave was in earnest, that I did it to benefit them and not necessarily myself, and as the years go on that’s been stronger and stronger. I think that’s the very most important. Voicing to the persons how much I truly care about them.
"The one piece of advice I would suggest when a person is facing death or having to deal with it with a family member is talk about it. People are scared when they don’t talk about it. To think about the unknown is more scary than the known. The more you know, the more you can ready yourself. The more you know, it’s not as scary.
"I always wanted to be older than my grandmother who died at not much older than 65. My aunt and my uncle on my Dad’s side all lived into their 80s. I’d be happy with that!"