If you were female, a senior, with just ten years to live what would you do in that remaining time?

I would work on making things that outlived myself. These might include things like art, poetry, acts of kindness that will be remembered after I’m gone, etc.

I would kennel my pet and travel, spend time with friends, enjoy music and people watching, and go outside as much as possible for walks in nature and the woods.

I’m 75 years of age and probably have about that or less time. I have reccurring Bladder Cancer, a low grade, but it ties me down as I go for checkups about 3 – 4 times a year and for treatments. I love my animals and found a wonderful place, Hubbards Hounds that has a senior for seniors program. I just adopted a 10 year old Shitzu/Poodle whose owner entered a nursing home. The foster care givers there are wonderful and the adoptions are successful so, I know I have a good place for my animals when my times comes. I love to go to theater, lectures, concerts and I do often with friends. And, the internet, emailing and now Fluther connects me to others via my fingers. What could be better? My house backs onto Fillmore Glen state park and I take wonderful walks with my dogs. I rescue cats that are dumped in the park, get them vaccinated, neutered/spayed and rehomed. I do Storytime Plus for preschoolers. My life has been full even though I have gone for cancer treatments often. My best advice is to find things you like to do and do it! Don’t ponder on the negative.

10 years is actually a long time (though, of course, shorter than hoped for)...

I would make a lot of lists, and they would form a 10-year plan. The final year may well be dedicated to family and friends, but the previous 9 may be dedicated to making more friends! I would want to have touched people’s lives in positive, beautiful ways, and I would want to thank those who have done the same to me.

I would think about the places I have always wanted to see, and I would prioritise to decide what order and which I would now decide to make the effort to see.

I would want to think of other things that are important to me (for me that’s my work teaching the harp) and what I would have wanted to achieved in these areas before I was gone – what legacies I would want to leave behind I guess. I would plan time for this into my 10-year plan.

I would re-visit people that I have lost touch with who had been important to me. I would tie up loose ends. I would make sure that the people I love knew it. I would make sure that the people who were bad for me no longer impacted on how I felt.

I would grasp opportunities, eat foods I liked, worked on being healthy for as long as possible in order to make the most of my remaining life… Ooh, and I would write a lot of letters.

Have sex with lots of young virile men.

@Lightlyseared I confess that crossed my mind…

I would read lots and lots of philosophy. As George Christiansen put it (Ted Danson’s character in the HBO series Bored to Death), I can’t die now; I haven’t figured anything out yet. If I had no idea where to start, I would start here.

I would also learn to sing and to play a few instruments I never got around to learning before – the banjo, the guitar, and the harmonica, in my case. And plant some trees. And one other thing – I would re-read (and finish in the re-reading) Proust’s novel In Search of Lost Time, which feels more like having a seminal life experience than reading a book.

I’m a 69 year old male but this question interests me. I guess my first thought is since when could a doctor assure us that we have ten years to live? It could just as well be ten hours, or ten days, or ten months. So, no changes. What would be different? I am engaged full time in business. I see friends. I’m in good physical condition and good health. I workout several times a week. I take vacations at my leisure, but I also work a lot because I thoroughly enjoy what I do, knowing, as I have for many many years, that it all could end at any moment. We are not guaranteed a certain time upon this earth. Therefore, the mere possibility that a doctor thinks I could live another ten years would change nothing I do.

I meant a team of doctors have estimated ten years in this hypothetical person. You know: nine to twelve ?

I would start a journal, writing to my grandchildren and travel, taking my journal with me and writing things to them that I would want them to know about.

I would travel and spend loads of time with people I REALLY truly loved and consequences be damned.

And dogs/spouses be damned too? LOL

I’d take my pet where I could, but some of the places I would want to go, I couldn’t take it.

I’d write about my life. My son asked me to do this long ago because he said he didn’t know much about my life. I’ve written a few vignettes, but I’d do it in earnest if i knew I had only so long to do it. I can’t take the time right now. I’m too busy.

I would find my box of photos and begin the labeling process. I have my Mother’s photo albums, but I have no idea who most of the people in the pictures are.

@YARNLADY Great idea. I have 2 hatboxes jammed with photos plus albums. One percent of the photos I cannot identify but , then, most of the pictures are of my kids and grandkids. I am so happy I asked my mother years ago , “who is this?” and for one of them she said, “that’s me in my Christening dress!” I would never have known. So it’s now in a frame . Some genealogists have generously sent me old photos so I have a great one of my grandfather in a curio cabinet.

Redacted.

I thought about this question for quite a long time after I was diagnosed with incurable cancer. My oncologist had given me 5 years to live ( which was about four years ago ), and I thought about what I should do with that time. I concluded that the measure of a man’s ( or woman’s ) life lies not in the things we do, but in the lives we touch. I have made a hurculean effort to listen to, comfort, and assist others when and as I can. You would be amazed at how appreciative most people are when you just take a few minutes to hear what is bothering them, and, if you can do nothing else, just let them know that you care.

@CaptainHarley You are an inspiration to us all in that.

YES, @CaptainHarley you are an inspiration. Thanks for being here and being you.

@CaptainHarley Ditto!!! Just keep on keeping on and being you!

The dog will likely be dead before the 10 years is up so I’ll not worry immediately for the dog. With my remaining time I will travel with my spouse. We’ll treat ourselves to flying 1st Class because flying otherwise absolutely sucks these days.

@janbb @Aster @comity… thank you so much, but it’s just hard experience that has brought me to this point. The last time I visited my oncologist, she said that I was apparently going to last a lot longer than she had anticipated. I want to stay with my Vicky as long as I can, but I don’t want to stay one minute longer than I should. For those of us who are christians, death is just a one-way ticket home.

I was thinking like @Neizvestnaya that probably the dog won’t live the entire 10 years, but it sucks to be waiting for your dog to die, especially since I would assume in the scenerio I love my dog. I think if the dog was young I would hope to find a home for him near me where I could have visitation. But, it really depends on the individual, because for so many people theor pet brings them great happiness. But, this is about me for purposes of the question, to I might seek a new home for the dog, but take my time finding the right home. The ideal would be a neighbor I could kind of share the dog with.

I would probably buy a condo or house in a maintenance included active adult community back in florida. Swim, play cards, play tennis, be in the sun and palm trees.

I would want to travel. I would take a few cruises, Greek Islands, Hawaii, and some cheapy last minute ones since I am living back in FL (parts of Latin America and the Caribbean). I like the idea of living in Italy for a couple of months, but while there touring a few more countries. Australia for a month during one of the American winters. Also, several long trips to areas of the US. Maybe 2–3 weeks at a time. The Rockies and New England come to mind.

I would spend time with some of my closest and dearest girlfriends, which can include a football game at my university during the right time of the year.

I would do everything I can to make my husband happy, and have harmony at home, while not ignoring my own selfish desires to live my life and do what I want to do while I can do it. I hope my husband is able to accompany me on my travels, is he retired?

I also would consider starting a business if I can do it only part of the year, really control the hours. If I know I am going to live only 10 years, I can do some spending, and risk taking. Maybe take a risk I was always afraid of. I don’t know, it seems unlikely, but it would interest me.

It really depends on how much I’ve already accomplished. I can’t imagine changing my life in any drastic manner, just live and love.

It seems to me that you should always be doing whatever it is that is most important for you to do—whatever gives the most meaning to your life. If you are indeed doing that, then this question is beside the point. You would not change what you are doing. If you are not doing that, then the real question is why are you not currently doing what is most important for you to do?

I’m late to this Q. I would spend a full month going room by room organizing and labeling everything. I’d have the will, executor, and all legal matters wrapped up. Then I’d start visiting friends and relatives.
I would not burn through my funds because you never know if a treatment will be developed 5 years from now that might fix whatever ails you. I’d spend a year making a concerted effort to find a soulmate.
Live, love, laugh.