MONDAY, AUGUST14, 2023 - SENIOR WEEK

 MONDAY, AUGUST 14, 2023 - SENIOR WEEK

It is time for me to look at seniors (that is old age seniors - not the seniors in high school or college!!!)

Guess what - we are ALL GOING TO DIE!!!

(Nothing like starting with the “elephant in the room”)

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Last week, I took a friend to the emergency room. She was dehydrated and hadn’t eliminated urine or bodily waste for five days. She had tried to eat and had vomited what she had eaten.

She might be like her sister who, five months ago, decided she was old enough and stopped eating.  

She might be like NM - who I saw as a resident in independent living who is now lying in a bed almost 24 hours a day. He is ready to die.

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There is an old statement that Americans fear speaking in public than dying. That might be true - but many are still scared of dying.

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JANE DOE - OUR SUBJECT THIS WEEK

So, this week, we will follow fictitious people. Today it is Jane Doe.  

Jane Doe (at the start of this series) is 70. Her husband died three years ago of a heart attack.  

Now Jane should have been aware of her health years ago. She should have adopted a healthy lifestyle in her 40s, 50s, and 60s. But Jane liked to cook, liked desserts, loved her family, and loved treating them. Her ideal weight is about 140, but she is a solid 185. She used to try to diet, but she gave up on that. Her thought - ‘life is too short to be on a diet.’

She saw her family doctor every year - and more than that when she had her children, John Doe (now 45), Janet (Doe) Smith (now 42), and Thom Doe. At age 70, she has six grandchildren (whom she absolutely adores) - two from each of her children.  

Jane lives in Peoria, Illinois. She still has the house she and Charles bought 40 years ago and where they raised their family. Janet (who lives the closest) says, “Mom, you need to downsize - get an apartment or a condo.”  

Jane likes the sound of that - but the reality is that the attic has boxes of toys, papers, pictures, and related keepsakes from the children, from her parents, and her childhood. She’s not a packrat but doesn’t know what to do with things. She’s asked the children to come and pick up boxes and stuff they want. Janet had been over a few times, but Janet hadn’t been able to help much as she and Mom sat down over a cup of coffee and talked about the pictures and things - and then the boxes went back in the attic.

Jane keeps busy. She plays cards at the Peoria Senior Center on Tuesdays; Wednesday night is choir practice for the church. She has sung in the choir for almost 40 years. Many of her best friends sing as well. She has coffee (and Danish) with Nancy on Thursday morning. Nancy is her best friend. Jane keeps the weekends free. Jane gets to the grandchildren’s events. Janet’s son is playing sports - so Jane gets to football and basketball games. He is a good player and is being looked at by college scouts, but maybe not a top 10 percenter. Jane is in a Book Club. They meet once a month. (Jane hosts the group every April). (They sometimes discuss the book, but it is primarily a social gathering).

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From Megan Palmer - her doctor: Megan had gently shared these ideas with Jane. These are part of Megan’s records.

Megan writes:

Jane is overweight - about 45 pounds

Jane is borderline  or pre-diabetic

Jane is out of shape 

Jane is a sweet person - but Jane needs to lay off sweets

Jane didn’t ever smoke (hurray!!)

Jane’s knees are getting weaker from carrying the extra weight

If there aren’t changes, I expect Jane to have Osteopenia and then Osteoporosis 

Her blood pressure is slightly high and will probably get higher

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Jane knows some of this but hasn’t accepted the future. She generally feels good, and if there are minor problems, she just says, “I’m getting older.”

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At 70 years old, Jane is at a crossroads. She can continue her lifestyle, but her weight will catch up.

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Karen adds:

I’ve been there (and not too far removed from this situation with Jane Doe). 

My uneducated analysis: (I might be a doctor, but a Ph.D. differs from an MD!!)  

The extra weight is going to hit her someday. She is borderline diabetic. Her blood pressure is building. 

Jane didn’t tell me if she still mowed the lawn herself. While that can be good exercise, it also can put stress on her knees. And is she using sunscreen if cutting the grass in the sun?  

An adage that seems to apply is “the straw that broke the camel’s back.” At what point will the weight and other issues converge? 

LOVE WINS

LOVE TRANSFORMS

KAREN ANNE WHITE, ©, AUGUST 14, 2023