--- 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 re..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b80/christopher-hitchens-117_health_so-far-i-have-decided-to-take-whatever-m_888621.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. It is our common fate. In either case, though, one can dispense with…” quote by Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b80/christopher-hitchens-117_health_so-far-i-have-decided-to-take-whatever-m_888621.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b80/christopher-hitchens-117_health_so-far-i-have-decided-to-take-whatever-m_888621.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b80/christopher-hitchens-117_health_so-far-i-have-decided-to-take-whatever-m_888621.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. It is our common fate. In either case, though, one can dispense with facile maxims that don’t live up to their apparent billing.”” [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. Facing illness with the same resolve as a healthy person, just slower. **In simple terms:** Combat disease as you would any obstacle. Key Takeaway Maintain agency despite decline. Themes resilience mortality agency Mood somber determined Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - chronic illness - aging - caregiving - personal health planning Key Concepts Stoicism existentialism Questions to Reflect On - How can you preserve dignity in decline? - What small actions keep you proactive? A Different Perspective Illness may limit capacity, not will. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Combative Taking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/combative-taking-1124130/) [Decided Disease](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decided-disease-1124131/) [Facile Maxims](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facile-maxims-1124132/) [Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) [Healthy person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/healthy-person/) [Repeat Healthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/repeat-healthy-1124133/) [Stay Combative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stay-combative-1124129/) ## 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-2/) [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/) > [“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/) > [As a healthy person, my breakfasts are very bland and boring. Think kind of a white pasty gruel. Or there can be an occasional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-corgan/as-a-healthy-person-my-breakfasts-are-very-bland-and-boring-think/) [Billy Corgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-corgan/) > [“It’s not about how women are deficient. It’s more about how men are deficient. Our social deficiencies, lack of perspective, or whatever you want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/it-s-not-about-how-women-are-deficient-it-s-more-about-how-men-are/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“By 1950, the slogan of he Mid-Century White House Conference on Children and Youth was "A healthy personality for every child.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/by-1950-the-slogan-of-he-mid-century-white-house-conference-on/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [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 Health quotes > [A thing of beauty is a joy for ever;It's loveliness increase;it will never pass into nothingness;but still will keep a bower quiet for us,and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/a-thing-of-beauty-is-a-joy-for-ever-it-s-loveliness-increase-it-will/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [Water is life, and clean water means health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-hepburn/water-is-life-and-clean-water-means-health/) [Audrey Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-hepburn/) > [Advances in technology will continue to reach far into every sector of our economy. Future job and economic growth in industry, defense, transportation, agriculture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bond/advances-in-technology-will-continue-to-reach-far-into-every-sector/) [Christopher Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bond/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) [Markus Herz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-herz/) > [I believe in taxation and health care that is outside the usual libertarian mandate, because I don't want people to have to suffer. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/i-believe-in-taxation-and-health-care-that-is-outside-the-usual/) [Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/) > [It is irresponsible to set an arbitrary cap on how much therapy a Medicare beneficiary can receive. It ignores the health needs of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ensign/it-is-irresponsible-to-set-an-arbitrary-cap-on-how-much-therapy-a/) [John Ensign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ensign/) > [The vast majority of organizations today have more than enough intelligence, experience and knowledge to be successful. What they lack is organizational health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/the-vast-majority-of-organizations-today-have-more-than-enough/) [Patrick Lencioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/) > [Leaders need to compromise, negotiate with members of both parties and ideologies, and reform health care the right way - by developing a strong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-boustany/leaders-need-to-compromise-negotiate-with-members-of-both-parties-and/) [Charles Boustany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-boustany/) > [I listen to my body, I give it things it wants and I eliminate things it doesn't want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/britt-ekland/i-listen-to-my-body-i-give-it-things-it-wants-and-i-eliminate-things/) [Britt Ekland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/britt-ekland/) > [As an adventurer...I try to protect against the downside. I make sure I have covered as many eventualities as I can. In the end,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/as-an-adventurer-i-try-to-protect-against-the-downside-i-make-sure-i/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [Mental health is an issue close to my heart - an issue, indeed, I've covered repeatedly for Channel 4 News.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-newman/mental-health-is-an-issue-close-to-my-heart-an-issue-indeed-i-ve/) [Cathy Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-newman/) > [If you’re going to die on screen, you’ve got to be strong and in good health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-garbo/if-you-re-going-to-die-on-screen-you-ve-got-to-be-strong-and-in-good/) [Greta Garbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-garbo/) > [Every patient carries her or his own doctor inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/every-patient-carries-her-or-his-own-doctor-inside/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [Making sure that people have access to preventive medicine for the first time ever as a nation? That's a big deal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-schneider/making-sure-that-people-have-access-to-preventive-medicine-for-the/) [Brad Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-schneider/) > [Not only is a healthy America a strong America - it's vital to our national defense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-e-james/not-only-is-a-healthy-america-a-strong-america-it-s-vital-to-our/) [John E. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-e-james/) [Browse all 17,127 Health quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) ```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. It is our common fate. In either case, though, one can dispense with facile maxims that don’t live up to their apparent billing.”", "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/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Health" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/so-far-i-have-decided-to-take-whatever-my-disease-can-throw-at-me-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b80/christopher-hitchens-117_health_so-far-i-have-decided-to-take-whatever-m_888621.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b80/christopher-hitchens-117_health_so-far-i-have-decided-to-take-whatever-m_888621.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b80/christopher-hitchens-117_health_so-far-i-have-decided-to-take-whatever-m_888621.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/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/so-far-i-have-decided-to-take-whatever-my-disease-can-throw-at-me-and/#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 } } ] } ```