TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2023 - SENIOR HEALTH EXAMPLES - DAY 2

 TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2023 - SENIOR HEALTH EXAMPLES - DAY 2

This week I’m looking at senior health examples - today Tommy Thompson.

*****

Tommy Thompson is 75. Tommy played basketball in high school and college. Looking in a mirror, he sees that college athlete looking back - although older and grayer. He doesn’t know the potbelly and that his pants are hanging under his belly with a belt keeping them from falling off.

Until his retirement seven years ago, Tommy was a lawyer with Wisconsin Accident Lawyers in Madison, Wisconsin. He did pretty well. He was paid well and traveled frequently. He had been to Hawaii three times and to Europe several times. He had a house on Lake Mendota and a jetski tied to his dock in the backyard. His father loved to fish, but Tommy gave up on fishing (he could buy all the fresh fish he ever wanted), but he likes speed. He keeps his speedboat on Shorewood Hills Marina - and loves to take his grandchildren waterskiing.  

(Speed must be part of Tommy’s nature. Over the past 30 years, he had ten speeding tickets, which keeps his car insurance high!!!)

He used to play golf but found it too slow (even when he used a cart), and he wasn’t good at it. He also used to mow his grass, but he hires a lawn service now to do it.  

And in the past three years, he had to pant for breath when he climbed stairs. ‘Just a part of growing older,’ he told himself.

He rarely went to his doctor. There were some reasons for that. Dr. Weaver had retired, and Dr. Modi had replaced Dr. Weaver at the Wisconsin Clinic. Dr. Modi was hard to understand, with a heavy Indian British accent. His physical had been scheduled for March, but his wife picked that date for a Mediterranean cruise. And he hadn’t rescheduled it yet (he’d get around to it soon).

*****

About a week ago, he woke up stiff, and his left shoulder was achy. He stretched, and it felt better. But it hadn’t gone away. Again, he rationalized it as   ‘Just a part of growing older.’

He put some generic Bengay on the shoulder, and it felt better for an hour or two. Silvia, his wife, suggested he see the doctor.  

He said back to her, “It’s nothing, dear. It will clear up in a couple of days.” 

But a couple of days later, it was worse.  

“Okay,” Tommy said to Silvia, “Let’s see if I can get an appointment with the doctor.” 

The first opening was eight days away, so he kept applying the salve. He drove to Walmart and got some of the generic muscle relaxants. At least it was cheaper than the Bengay.

Silvia insisted she go with him to the doctor’s office. So they drove to the Wisconsin Clinic and found the waiting room complete.  

Tommy suggested to Silvia, “They are too busy today; we’ll come back next week.”

Silvia gave him one of her powerful stares. “No, we won’t. We will wait our turn.”

It wasn’t all that long - with six doctors at the clinic, the patients flowed through quickly. But instead of Dr. Modi, they got Dr. Androski - a female doctor with a heavy Russian accent.

The nurse took his blood pressure, temperature, and oxygen concentration. She seemed a little surprised at the blood pressure of 160 over 120.  

“Have you checked your blood pressure lately?” the nurse asked.  

Tommy said, “It’s been a little while” (about two years).

Dr. Androski came in a few minutes after the nurse left. She listened to his heart (“breath deeply” was her request) and then suggested an EKG and blood work.  

All this riled up Tommy, who said,  “I’m healthy. I don’t need all those tests.”  

Silva reached over and looked him in the eye, “Tommy, it’s been two years since you’ve been to the doctor - let them check you out.”

Dr. Androski left, and the nurse returned with an octopus-like machine. 

“What’s that,” Tommy asked.

The nurse responded, “It’s an EKG machine. It lets us see how your blood is flowing.”

After the test, the doctor returned.

“Mr. Thompson, I am sure you’ve had a mild heart attack. Nothing too major - but you have some blood vessel blockage. Your blood pressure is high, and your EKG shows some irregularities in heart function. I need to get some blood work at our lab. It will show various heart enzymes and help determine our next steps.” 

Dr. Androski used her table computer and typed something in. She said, “There we are - the lab will get you in right away. They will take three small vials of blood to analyze. I asked them to rush the analysis. I don’t want you going home thinking you are okay when you are a walking timebomb waiting for a major heart attack. 

*****

Karen adds. The medical field has improved in terms of diagnosis. Tommy Thompson has ignored his health long enough; what could have been solved easier might be more challenging now.  

Tommy eventually got the blood work and a CT Scan showing blockage in several blood vessels. He was put on blood pressure medications, and the doctor sternly admonished him to change his lifestyle, get more exercise, and eat better. 

*****

Epilogue:

Tommy did make the changes. He did have heart surgery to open his blood vessels. He walked three to five miles a day. He and Silvia changed their diet and eating. He lost weight and started to play Pickleball at the Community Recreation Center. They joined Silver Sneakers and a Yoga class.  

He lived to 92. He was killed by a drunk driver in a car accident. He saw his grandchildren graduate from college, get married, and have families.  

*****

Day Two of a week of senior stories on health.  

Men, in particular, avoid doctors and hospitals - and have a higher chance of heart attacks. Tommy has a choice, change his life and live longer (and enough his grandchildren more), or face an early death.

LOVE WINS

LOVE TRANSFORMS

KAREN ANNE WHITE, © AUGUST 15, 2023