---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: So far, I have decided to take whatever…"
description: "\"So far, I have decided to take whatever my disease can throw at me, and to stay combative even while taking the measure of my inevitable decline. I rep..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/473/christopher-hitchens-117_decided_so-far-i-have-decided-to-take-whatever-m_2532561.jpg"
---

#  So far, I have decided to take whatever my disease can…

![“So far, I have decided to take whatever my disease can throw at me, and to stay combative even while taking the measure of my inevitable decline. I repeat, this is no more than what a healthy person has to do in slower motion.” quote by Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/473/christopher-hitchens-117_decided_so-far-i-have-decided-to-take-whatever-m_2532561.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/473/christopher-hitchens-117_decided_so-far-i-have-decided-to-take-whatever-m_2532561.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/473/christopher-hitchens-117_decided_so-far-i-have-decided-to-take-whatever-m_2532561.jpg)

> “So far, I have decided to take whatever my disease can throw at me, and to stay combative even while taking the measure of my inevitable decline. I repeat, this is no more than what a healthy person has to do in slower motion.”

[Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The speaker accepts illness as a challenge, meeting it with the same proactive attitude as a healthy person, just at a slower pace.

**In simple terms:** Face illness with the same determination as health, but slower.

Key Takeaway

Stay proactive despite decline.

Themes

resilience acceptance mortality determination

Mood

reflective determined

Type

philosophical motivational

When to use this quote

- chronic illness management
- caregiver support
- personal health planning
- end‑of‑life decisions

Key Concepts

existentialism psychology health illness

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you balance combative action with self‑compassion?
- What strategies help maintain agency during decline?

A Different Perspective

May overlook need for rest or emotional processing.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Decline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decline/) [Disease](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disease/) [Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/)

## Related quotes

> [“So far, I have decided to take whatever my disease can throw at me, and to stay combative even while taking the measure of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/so-far-i-have-decided-to-take-whatever-my-disease-can-throw-at-me-and/)

[Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/)

> [I have decided to take whatever my disease can throw at me,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/i-have-decided-to-take-whatever-my-disease-can-throw-at-me/)

[Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/)

> [“Make every occasion a great occasion, for you can never tell when someone may be taking your measure for a larger place” (Marsden).”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-w-wiersbe/make-every-occasion-a-great-occasion-for-you-can-never-tell-when/)

[Warren W. Wiersbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-w-wiersbe/)

> [Make every occasion a great occasion, for you can never tell who may be taking your measure for a higher place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/make-every-occasion-a-great-occasion-for-you-can-never-tell-who-may/)

[Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/)

> [With any work worth its salt, you have to trust the author enough to take its measure. And if you apply too many preconceptions,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-spiegelman/with-any-work-worth-its-salt-you-have-to-trust-the-author-enough-to/)

[Art Spiegelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-spiegelman/)

> [“I do not set myself up as a moral exemplar, and would be swiftly knocked down if I did, but if I was suspected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/i-do-not-set-myself-up-as-a-moral-exemplar-and-would-be-swiftly/)

[Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/)

> [The healing that can grow out of the simple act of telling our stories is often quite remarkable. Even more remarkably, this healing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-wittig-albert/the-healing-that-can-grow-out-of-the-simple-act-of-telling-our/)

[Susan Wittig Albert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-wittig-albert/)

> [“Lying there in silence, Elim thought about how quickly a person’s fate could change, how precious life and health are. He had walked into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-g-riddle/lying-there-in-silence-elim-thought-about-how-quickly-a-person-s-fate/)

[A.G. Riddle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-g-riddle/)

> [I kind of conned you into believing you were falling in love with a healthy person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-kind-of-conned-you-into-believing-you-were-falling-in-love-with-a/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

> [The health care system is really designed to reward you for being unhealthy. If you are a healthy person and work hard to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-huckabee/the-health-care-system-is-really-designed-to-reward-you-for-being/)

[Mike Huckabee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-huckabee/)

> [Self-acceptance begins in infancy, with the influence of your parents and siblings and other important people. Your own level of self-acceptance is determined largely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/self-acceptance-begins-in-infancy-with-the-influence-of-your-parents/)

[Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/)

> [I do spend really focused time with my wife, my kids, grandkids, and so when I'm doing something or on a golf course, work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-duke/i-do-spend-really-focused-time-with-my-wife-my-kids-grandkids-and-so/)

[Mike Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-duke/)

> [A healthy person goes 'Yes,' 'No,' and 'Whoopee!' An unhealthy person goes 'Yes, but,' 'No, but,' and 'No whoopee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-berne/a-healthy-person-goes-yes-no-and-whoopee-an-unhealthy-person-goes-yes/)

[Eric Berne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-berne/)

> [You're - psychotic. There's something wrong with you." "I know," Benteley agreed. "I'm a sick man. And the more I see, the sicker I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/you-re-psychotic-there-s-something-wrong-with-you-i-know-benteley/)

[Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/)

> [“Others praise ceremonial Magic, and are supposed to suffer much Ecstasy! Our asylums are crowded, the stage is over-run! Is it by symbolizing we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-osman-spare-2/others-praise-ceremonial-magic-and-are-supposed-to-suffer-much/)

[Austin Osman, Spare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-osman-spare-2/)

## More by Christopher Hitchens

> [“The spirit of our accurate and exact philosophy is outraged by conclusions that contradict each other so glaringly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/the-spirit-of-our-accurate-and-exact-philosophy-is-outraged-by/)

[Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/)

> [“Many governments employ torture but this was the first time that the element of Saturnalia and pornography in the process had been made so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/many-governments-employ-torture-but-this-was-the-first-time-that-the/)

[Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/)

> [ It's \[Los Angeles\] mostly full of nonsense and delusion and egomania. They think they'll be young and beautiful forever, even though most of them… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-s-los-angeles-mostly-full-of-nonsense-and-delusion-and-egomania/)

[Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/)

> [To be against rationalization is not the same as to be opposed to reasoning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/to-be-against-rationalization-is-not-the-same-as-to-be-opposed-to/)

[Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/)

> [ \[Religion\] attacks us in our deepest integrity - the core of our self-respect. Religion says that we would not know right from wrong, we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/religion-attacks-us-in-our-deepest-integrity-the-core-of-our-self/)

[Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/)

> [“In the very recent past, we have seen the Church of Rome befouled by its complicity with the unpardonable sin of child rape, or,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/in-the-very-recent-past-we-have-seen-the-church-of-rome-befouled-by/)

[Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/)

> [It's surprising to me how many of my friends send Christmas cards, or holiday cards, including my atheist and secular friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-s-surprising-to-me-how-many-of-my-friends-send-christmas-cards-or/)

[Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/)

> [Suppose there were groups of secularists at hospitals who went round the terminally ill and urged them to adopt atheism: 'Don't be a mug…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/suppose-there-were-groups-of-secularists-at-hospitals-who-went-round/)

[Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/)

> [There are, after all, atheists who say they wish the fable were true but are unable to suspend the requisite disbelief, or who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/there-are-after-all-atheists-who-say-they-wish-the-fable-were-true/)

[Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/)

> [“It isn’t so long since a test of Anglican orthodoxy was applied to anyone seeking to study or teach at Oxford and Cambridge universities.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-isn-t-so-long-since-a-test-of-anglican-orthodoxy-was-applied-to/)

[Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/)

> [Gullibility and credulity are considered undesireable qualities in every department of human life - except religion ... Why are we praised by godly men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/gullibility-and-credulity-are-considered-undesireable-qualities-in/)

[Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/)

> [It's much worse to see a woman drunk than a man: I don't know quite why this is true but it just is. Don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-s-much-worse-to-see-a-woman-drunk-than-a-man-i-don-t-know-quite/)

[Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/)

> [It's true that obscenity is a matter of taste and in the eye of the beholder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-s-true-that-obscenity-is-a-matter-of-taste-and-in-the-eye-of-the/)

[Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/)

> [I worked out early on to give up things I couldn't do well at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/i-worked-out-early-on-to-give-up-things-i-couldn-t-do-well-at-all/)

[Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/)

> [Writing is what's important to me, and anything that helps me do that - or enhances and prolongs and deepens and sometimes intensifies argument…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/writing-is-what-s-important-to-me-and-anything-that-helps-me-do-that/)

[Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/)

[Explore all 1,241 Christopher Hitchens quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/)

## More Decided quotes

> [My first ever job after college was as a flight attendant. I wanted to travel and could not afford it, so I decided to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-winspear/my-first-ever-job-after-college-was-as-a-flight-attendant-i-wanted-to/)

[Jacqueline Winspear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-winspear/)

> [The only thing I try to watch carefully is that I never lose the love for the instrument. That's also why I decided against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nils-frahm/the-only-thing-i-try-to-watch-carefully-is-that-i-never-lose-the-love/)

[Nils Frahm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nils-frahm/)

> [As a professional athlete and someone who has spent almost his entire life in boxing, not a day goes by when I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-de-la-hoya/as-a-professional-athlete-and-someone-who-has-spent-almost-his-entire/)

[Oscar De La Hoya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-de-la-hoya/)

> [One day I decided I would like to put a record into my system. So I picked up a record that was lying on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauline-oliveros/one-day-i-decided-i-would-like-to-put-a-record-into-my-system-so-i/)

[Pauline Oliveros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-oliveros/)

> [I'm truly, 100% guided by the characters and my Muse. If one of the characters suddenly decided to do something very different, I'd just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-foster/i-m-truly-100-guided-by-the-characters-and-my-muse-if-one-of-the/)

[Lori Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-foster/)

> [I just decided to take some time off. I've been modeling since '93, '92, and that's a pretty long time. I'm a single mother…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-murphy/i-just-decided-to-take-some-time-off-i-ve-been-modeling-since-93-92/)

[Carolyn Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-murphy/)

> [When I became 21, I decided that nobody learned anything about politics after the age of 21.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grover-norquist/when-i-became-21-i-decided-that-nobody-learned-anything-about/)

[Grover Norquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grover-norquist/)

> [Before I started doing the film and when I found out I was going to be doing it, I just decided to pump up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parminder-nagra/before-i-started-doing-the-film-and-when-i-found-out-i-was-going-to/)

[Parminder Nagra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parminder-nagra/)

> [In a personal way, to do with family and the father-son relationship, in a kind of artistic way with regard to him being an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-serkis/in-a-personal-way-to-do-with-family-and-the-father-son-relationship/)

[Andy Serkis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-serkis/)

> [You've decided to love me for eternity, I'm still deciding who I want to be today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/you-ve-decided-to-love-me-for-eternity-i-m-still-deciding-who-i-want/)

[Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/)

> [I turned to my mom and said, 'I'm going to be a martial arts movie star.' She didn't believe me, and neither did my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adkins/i-turned-to-my-mom-and-said-i-m-going-to-be-a-martial-arts-movie-star/)

[Scott Adkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adkins/)

> [He decided then that he would love her forever no matter what came to pass. It was not so much a matter of deciding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-guterson/he-decided-then-that-he-would-love-her-forever-no-matter-what-came-to/)

[David Guterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-guterson/)

> [At age 28, I had no retail experience, no consumer marketing experience and no real Internet experience. But I decided I wanted to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariam-naficy/at-age-28-i-had-no-retail-experience-no-consumer-marketing-experience/)

[Mariam Naficy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariam-naficy/)

> [Work hard on each opinion, but once the case is decided, don't look back; go on to the next case and give it your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/work-hard-on-each-opinion-but-once-the-case-is-decided-don-t-look/)

[Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/)

> [You see, years ago I was just an ordinary bee minding my own business, smelling flowers all day, and occasionally picking up part-time work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/you-see-years-ago-i-was-just-an-ordinary-bee-minding-my-own-business/)

[Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/)

Browse all 3,155 Decided quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "So far, I have decided to take whatever my disease can throw at me, and to stay combative even while taking the measure of my inevitable decline. I repeat, this is no more than what a healthy person has to do in slower motion.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Christopher Hitchens"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/so-far-i-have-decided-to-take-whatever-my-disease-can-throw-at-me-and-2/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Decided"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/so-far-i-have-decided-to-take-whatever-my-disease-can-throw-at-me-and-2/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/473/christopher-hitchens-117_decided_so-far-i-have-decided-to-take-whatever-m_2532561.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/473/christopher-hitchens-117_decided_so-far-i-have-decided-to-take-whatever-m_2532561.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/473/christopher-hitchens-117_decided_so-far-i-have-decided-to-take-whatever-m_2532561.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“So far, I have decided to take whatever my disease can throw at me, and to stay combative even while taking…” — Christopher Hitchens",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Christopher Hitchens",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "So far, I have decided to...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/so-far-i-have-decided-to-take-whatever-my-disease-can-throw-at-me-and-2/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/so-far-i-have-decided-to-take-whatever-my-disease-can-throw-at-me-and-2/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
