The official subreddit for Humboldt County, California. Home to Cal Poly Humboldt, giant redwoods, pristine rivers, and miles of amazing coastline. We call it home. Unofficial discord server: https://discord.gg/Q2fvxTfN
Hi, before you judge, know I’m a terminally ill. I don’t want to go into the nature of my illness. I discovered Humboldt a couple of years ago and its natural beauty brought peace to my soul. Now I’m in my 30s, no kids/ wife/ gf but I have 2 beautiful and very loving dogs at my side who may succeed me. My parents have no idea and I was hoping I would outlast them but while I physically might have a slim chance it’s highly unlikely. The past 6yrs I have worked on breaking connections with all my friends and relatives to distance them from me. I am at a position where if I go, nobody will care or know. I feel this guilt that if I move back to Humboldt to live out my days, I am putting pressure on the medical system, and becoming a burden on the people of Humboldt. I guess I am wondering if morally and ethically it would still be okay to move? I just want to be alone, secluded in natural beauty as I go. Am I being selfish?
Edit1: thank you for the overwhelming response. Was not expecting so much love, so, thank you! I don’t need doctors often. Just need prescribed meds and when I do need doctors I usually have to go to Mayo Clinic’s out of state. For emergencies it would probably have to be UCSF. As per my dogs, I plan to have a trust for them from my 401k and IRA but currently I do not have a guardian. Working on things. I love my dogs to death. Trust me please I don’t plan to just abandon them. They are the core of my being. Loyalty goes both ways.
Edit2: I will delete this account soon. Don’t want to be traced but Parkinson’s is one of the diagnoses. Problem is if I take meds for Parkinson’s it makes my other neurological condition worse. All the conditions are working in tandem causing the neurological decline to accelerate. Quite honestly, even though my life has been hard since birth, I’m kinda glad to be going. I’m very thankful for all life has given me. I have been one of the luckiest people, no joke! The thought of going before my parents is what’s devastating. Seeing my mom and dad asking about why my body is shaking at such an early age, bumping into walls. Not to mention, extreme behavioral changes due to my other condition. Extreme mood swings (non violent). It’s hard to see my mom cry. But no matter what I do, whether I stay or move to Humboldt, they will be crying either way so I guess there’s no way out of it. Thank you for all the advice! Love you all!
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No, don't worry you're not a burden
Interesting.
Most of you people are picturing a polite sad person with stage 100 brain cancer or such,
and what I see in between the lines is a mentally ill person with a severe drug addiction who wants to come here, be quasi homeless, and OD in some bushes in the woods, leaving their pit mixes behind.
It's like people have never seen Leaving Las Vegas...
Finally. :)
Seriously! He told us pretty much exactly what he was planning on with the title alone. I think people should have to watch that movie before they can comment on this thread.
You're making a big assumption about what other people are expecting of this guy. Seems a lot more likely that most people have a sense of empathy that just extends to more kinds of people than yours does. It's genuinely unhinged how badly you felt the need to publicly talk shit about a terminally ill stranger who worries more about the inconvenience his death might cause other people than the death itself.
I've been around a lot of addiction and homelessness including my own. Since you are so sure, invite this person to live with you and let us know how it goes.
And when exactly did this guy ask to live in your house? Or anyone's? Maybe give an ounce of thought before you speak on someone else's situation because the guy who just installed an expensive reverse osmosis system in his home very likely isn't coming without a penny to his name, not that it would impact your sad life for even a moment if he did. Nothing about wanting to die surrounded by nature actually implies anything about what you said. Insane how much you want to assume the absolute worst about the people around you just to support your shitty right wing views on a topic that wasn't even brought up.
lol I am an IT professional and I wfh. I make a base salary of $130k not including benefits or bonuses. The only drugs I indulge in is alcohol and weed. Way to judge AH!
Edit1: by leaving Las Vegas style, I meant distancing myself from society smoking weed all day so I can die in peace. Yes I do smoke weed all day, it’s a lot to take in at my early age as I am deprived of things normal people take for granted. Jeez… I pay more taxes than what you probably make in a year once my bonuses all add up. Also I take no government benefits even though I qualify for disability because my pay is way more money than shitty unemployment and disability. Also I plan to work till my body gives out. I am so disturbed by your comments. Thanks for ruining another day.
That person misunderstood you. Don’t take it personally, they don’t know you. Everybody generalizes…go to Humboldt, take your life into your own hands…even if it makes you feel selfish, you have to live your truth. At least to some degree.
More unsolicited advice: don’t distance yourself from those who love you. That’s not selflessly dying gracefully, that’s self-destruction. Repair your relationships before you leave Las Vegas. Share in the sadness that comes with love. Enjoy it while you can. It’s better than weed.
Come and be a little selfish with your life that is left
While I dont think you should feel guilt for your impact on the local medical system, just keep in mind that you will have less access to specialized medicine and in-home care here than in a more populated part of the state. Many locals end up having to travel to Santa Rosa or the Bay Area to obtain the advanced procedure or testing they need to survive.
Yes. This is pretty important. It's hard to get appointments with doctors, Urgent Care can help, but may not be enough.
It is definitely limited. And OP said they don't need much, but IDK if that will stay the same for the rest of life?
If you need regular medical care, humboldt is NOT the place to come to.
Yeah… what medical system? :’) It’s actively falling apart as we type.
I don’t need active medical care. I need passive stuff. For example: prescription meds and a place to get rid of my body when I go. I prefer cremation but I m not picky. You can feed my body to animals if it’d be more efficient (resource wise).
Certain states will allow mushrooms to compost you
Honestly that would give my life meaning. Thank you for informing me of this!
Someone is trying to start green burials in Arcata
Speaking of Las Vegas, I was in an emergency room there last year. In chatting with their nurses and staff, I learned that ALL THE SAME PROBLEMS that plague our local, rural healthcare system…also exist in metropolitan area with more than two million people in it.
Moral of the story: anywhere you go, the healthcare system is burdened. Do NOT let that be a concern. If you have the means, then by all means, you should check out of this world in the place you most want to be, that will give you some measure of peace.
Sounds reasonable. Even though one of the ER travel docs in the area lives in Las Vegas and comes here because he makes bank due to the lack of docs.
🤷♂️
Travelers make bank.
Humboldt is more often desperate than a place like Reno or Vegas. There's a smaller population and it's harder to get to. So our facilities have to get travelers.
Guess what though? Big hospitals do the same, they just get more travelers for their buck. It's possibly even about the same percentage of money per institution, but individual travelers get paid a bit more to be in a backwater like this than they do in a fancy city with more competition for a traveler position.
What’s the plan with your dogs?
"Nobody will care or know"
the dogs will eat him
Circle of life.
I plan to use my 401k and retirement accounts and set up a living trust for them. I am still trying to see if my brother would take care of them.
I thought you said you’d severed all connections with relatives?
The culture I come from, you love people unconditionally. My brother and parents won’t stop loving me no matter what I do. But everyone else is history. I wish I could explain the cultural perspective in words
Ey yo, we got a busta over here! Come on dawg, playa just trying to get his confidence on.
Ya only got so much time on earth. Come be with us. It's a great place and come be a part of it.
There is currently a waiting list of over 600 for a doctor and dental care is even harder to find.
Most of my medical care would be taken care at a Mayo clinic out of state but I would need a hospital to do something with my body. Maybe incinerate? Honestly I am not sure best way Humboldt county could dispose my body. I’ve never dealt with this before.
My mom and step dad both paid a company called the Neptune Society who then deals with everything from collecting the body to cremation/or burial arrangements and connecting with assigned loved ones or maybe you can assign someone I’m not sure. Anyway, they paid it all ahead of time and we deal with them after they passed and it was great and very easy. My folks were in Washington state but I believe they exist on the whole west coast at least.
Thank you for your kind advice
How attached to you to your body? Cal Poly does accept medical donations. If it isn't an idea that bothers you, the nursing students have told me how they interacted with the donated bodies and it sounds pretty cool, IMO.
I am the kind of person who is fine being eaten by coyotes or whatever when I'm dead and gone though. Green burial is pretty neat IMO. You may be able to specifically request a method of final processing once the research has been done.
If you aren't picky about what your remains are used for, donating for research purposes can help others when you pass on. <3
Ayers Cremation in Eureka for final arrangements.
Sad post. I’m sorry you’re ill. Humboldt is a great place,as you know. Your pups would love it here. If your medical care can be partly remote/ video, combined with visits to UCSF, you could probably do this. Many people here cannot afford the time or cost of traveling to SF and paying for gas and a hotel. If that’s not a barrier-come on up. Do give your family some love.
Do you care about what happens to your body? Do you want to be cremated. Why are you isolating yourself so much?
The only drug I take part in is Weed. I do smoke it all day. Helps me deal with things. I am isolating so much so maybe I can avoid passing the pain on to others. And if people hate me then they won’t feel sorry for me. “O yea that guy was an asshole, no wonder he is dead” lol
Drugs.
Traveling to and from Humboldt can be extremely difficult as well. Roads go out. Planes will cancel if there's fog. If you need to travel for medical stuff it can be nearly as bad as trying to find a doctor here.
What’s the worst that could happen? I’ll die? Whoops what’s new? See my point…
There’s always the Fickle Hill burn dump 🔥
And?
And.. I didn't mean to respond to you
Ok! I hope you have a good day!
A lot of us are up here because we want to be alone.
Come and be selfish. Just know that the medical system here is absolute garbage so there’s nothing to burden— and you aren’t a burden anyway. You’re why these systems exist.
From a chronically ill person: come here and enjoy the trees and the coast to your hearts content for however many days you have.
Also I’m up in Del Norte county and we’ve had a lot of folks on hospice come through here. The trees and ocean are just good for the soul.
I sure hope you have some kinda plans for your pups though.
Good luck.
You should have a backup plan for medical treatment. Honestly, for better access to care and accessible natural beauty, I would recommend Medford OR.
On the real, if you want to establish care with any clinic/dr in humboldt, it's going to be at least six months out, likely longer, until you get an establishing care visit. There is also a private option, but it costs $100 per month to be a member, and doesn't include any visits or anything...but that's the nature of the market in Humboldt right now.
I don’t need active medical care. I need passive stuff. For example: prescription meds and a place to get rid of my body when I go. I prefer cremation but I m not picky. You can feed my body to animals if it’d be more efficient (resource wise).
Sounds like Humboldt might be OK for you then. As long as you have access to a physician that can/will renew your meds...even if it's via Zoom or whatever. I would just hate for you to get here and then it not be what you were expecting and you have to pivot when you want to be savoring your available time in our beautiful nature.
I spend a month or two each year in a rental in Humboldt. So I do have some idea. But I am not a local
You are always more than welcome here! This community can use more people actually living their lives and enjoying the beauty than being hermits. Be here, be happy.
Wow, after reading through these comments, it's pretty obvious that the people commenting have never seen "Leaving Las Vegas". In it Nicholas Cage decides that he's going to drink and do drugs with a hooker till it k!lls him as he's decided he's had enough with life. Rather a sad movie about severe alcoholism. It's somewhat telling that no one has told OP that the hookers around Humboldt are both in short supply and from what I've heard, not very attractive ( I kid, but we are a rural area without much access to such things). I'm sorry for what you're going through OP, and I understand your choice. The only thing I ask of you is to make sure that you find someone who can take care of your dogs.
Unfortunately my only drug of choice is weed to help me cope with my symptoms and psychological pain. Don’t worry about the doggos. I’d rather die than leave them deserted
Jeez, you can't smoke yourself to death on weed, but you can definitely try. And I'm glad to hear you have plans to take care of the dogs.
Haha you’re right. I have been smoking between 7-14g daily for about 19yrs. Unfortunately I am not really into harder drugs. Maybe MDMA with my long term gf back in day but now I stay single just to avoid passing the pain forward haha. But nothing uplifts me more than smoking weed and making other people laugh. Making other people laugh is the highlight of my life.
Well luckily we have plenty of high quality cannabis around here and lots of people who like to laugh.
I'm assuming that sometimes people say things in a festitious way. I assumed OP meant it's their last stand.
If I told you that something was my "Moby Dick" would you actually think that I was chasing around a whale with a harpoon?
Do whatever you want. There’s really not a burden to the medical system because it’s beyond burdened and busted. The wait to get a local primary care in the eureka/arcata/mckinleyville area is over 2 years. So hopefully you won’t need to see anyone regularly. If you do, you’re going to have to travel 3-6 hours. That’s just how it is for anyone new up here right now.
If you’re just planning to use the ERs, depending on the nature of your illness, they may have to fly you elsewhere so make sure to buy medical flight coverage.
Just have a plan for your dogs because our animal shelter system is always taxed.
Let me know if you find a doctor accepting new patients!!
Good luck to you in finding what you need And please, make plans for the pooches.
Everyone is essentially terminally ill.
You have been given some foresight in the way you will go and approximately when, which most never know, going about their days as though there will always be another.
Rather than being lost in introspection, live your days fully in the present as if they were truly your last.
Last night I was listening to someone who tells themselves they only have 2 weeks to live. Therefore a sense of urgency to do the things you want to do. She wrote 3 books and had them published.
I'm going to attempt the same because tomorrow is truly not promised.
Everyone deserves medical care, not just those who are healthy. It’s not your fault or ours that medical care is lacking. Of course you should go wherever you want to live if you have ten days or 90 more years of life.
The people beholden to our medical system are not the reason its as bad as it is, like everything else, its corporate greed and short term returns on investments.
Shareholders dont care about the well being of others, they see medical systems as an industry that has they can cut away as much as they want from it and people still have no option but to use it and pay what they are told.
All that being said, we are not the ones to dictate if the medical system here will be able to support you, theres a very high likelihood if you show up to one of our hospitals in critical condition they will air lift you to santa rosa to live out the rest of your life in a room down there
We got you. And your dogs. Come live in peace 🕊️. If you need anything please send me a message.
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I will delete this account soon. Don’t want to be traced but Parkinson’s is one of the diagnoses. Problem is if I take meds for Parkinson’s it makes my other neurological condition worse. All the conditions are working in tandem to causing the neurological decline to accelerate. Quite honestly, even though my life has been hard since birth, I’m kinda glad to be going. The thought of going before my parents is what’s devastating. Seeing my mom and dad asking about why my body is shaking at such an early age, bumping into walls. Not to mention, extreme behavioral changes. It’s hard to see my mom cry. But no matter what I do, whether I stay or move to Humboldt, they will be crying either way so I guess there’s no way out of it
You won't be a burden my friend, but I will say medical care is nearly non existent if you don't have connections/money. I struggled to find a primary care doctor for over 4 years and still remained on a waiting list. Finally got sick of it. Part of the reason I moved away was medical care and dental as well which there is also no availability. Had to drive to Santa Rosa just to see one. Good luck on your journey
Come be with your nature family and enjoy the love from the Church of John Muir! Best of luck while on your journey friend.
Be wherever makes you feel joy and comfort
https://www.wwlp.com/news/i-team/dead-alone-and-unclaimed-heres-what-happens-when-someone-dies-without-family-or-money/
You should tell your parents and spend time with them while you can. They would want that chance if given it, I’d imagine. Im sorry you’re going through this. Humboldt is a beautiful place and they would be lucky to have you.
https://www.hospiceofhumboldt.org/
If you need frequent doctors, not a good spot. If you wanna leave well enough alone, welcome to Humboldt.
Dude, this is a special place and you are More than Welcome here. You would not be the first person to choose this for yourself.
In the Winter it can be damp and moldy, its more than likely you WILL lose power at some point. Be prepared for that.
Otherwise it is already Heaven here. No worries.
I spent 2023 winter in Humboldt. I’ll take Humboldt weather to sweating balls in the hottest place in US haha 🤣
You can fight to live if that is your wish. Doctors get my utmost respect, but even they will tell you the human mind and heart is capable of unlimited outcomes. I feel you'd be no burden at all. I mean shoot, Im thinking of sneaking out the country and then sneaking back in the country to see if I can receive the benefits of the Biden Border program. And I'm a citizen. So you go ahead and be where you choose with no apprehension. Humboldt County has tried to steal so much money from property owners... They deserve some financial responsibility... Ridiculous fines and fees ... Somebody in local govt has a fat wallet