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FROM GOOD OLE UNCLE VICDecember 2006
Happy Holidays, everyone. With the weather outside in the 60's as I write this, it sure doesn't feel like the holidays but it is. I can tell by Lynne's credit card bill.
The answer to last month's trivia quiz: What is the tallest building in the world, in terms of the number of floors? The answer? Why the Sears Tower in Chicago with 110, of course. Those that got it right were: Victoria Wright, Stephen Brockelman, Donna Kropkowski, Pat Hargest, Jonathan Olmstead, Terri Hartka, P. Heuman, Fannie Yorkman, Brandon Thomas and Tony Zingarelli.
This month's trivia quiz, name Santa's eight original reindeer! E-mail your answer to Lisa at Lisa.Hemovich@BrickBodies.com
My mother had a real scare the other day. She almost lost her leg. She doesn't even realize it but she did. My mother is 89 years old. She suffers from peripheral vascular disease. Basically that is poor circulation to the extremities usually due to lack of exercise. You see, my mother is in terrible condition. Oh, sure, she is 89 years old and that is an accomplishment unto itself, but she could be in far better physical condition if she only participated in a regular exercise program.
Anyway, getting back to how she almost lost her leg, her peripheral vascular disease causes blood to pool in her lower legs and ankles. Sometimes the pooling of her blood causes her to break out into open sores in those areas. Well, one of the sores on her left leg got infected. She woke up one morning in terrible pain with an open wound in her lower left leg. Fortunately my father called Lynne and me to ask us our advice and we instructed him to get Mom to an emergency room immediately. That was Sunday, November 5th. She has been in the hospital ever since.
They immediately cleaned and dressed the wound, and then had to determine if the bone was infected. If it was, they would have had to amputate the leg. Fortunately it was not. Then there was some concern of her losing a toe. Fortunately, this passed as well. Now the wound has healed well enough that she is in a rehab center trying to get her mobility back. They are waiting to see if she is going to need plastic surgery to completely close the wound. All this at the age of 89.
My mother is taking it well. She feels it is the price you pay with aging, and constantly says "That's the way it is". But it doesn't have to be that way. You don't have to gradually run downhill as you age until you literally can't function for yourself anymore and need constant medical attention. You can just "fall off the ledge". We are all going to die. But we can maintain a high quality of life well into our 80's and 90's if we simply invest in our health and fitness on a regular basis.
My mother is incredible. She is 89 years old. She still has fairly good eyesight. Her hearing is fading a bit but her mind is still as sharp as a tack. She has no serious ailments associated with aging such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure or diabetes. Her resting pulse is in the 60's and her blood pressure is usually 120 over 68. She was a lawyer before she met my dad in the Philippines during World War II. She survived the Japanese occupation of her country during the war, came to America, assimilated into another culture and raised a family of four boys and one girl. I firmly believe her native diet of fish, rice and organic meat and vegetables that she ate while growing up in the Philippines is one of the main reasons she has no respiratory or cardiovascular diseases today. That and the fact that she did not smoke.
But she is out of shape. And she has no muscle tone. And she has a terribly painful back. And she had trouble walking even before the wound issue. And she had problems falling. And she does have peripheral vascular disease. And it will come back if she doesn't do something about it. Now!
Why am I telling you all this? You are not in your 80's (Mom will be 90 in February). No, but you will be one day. And you probably know someone who is. Please, please, please, realize that your body is the only one you have. Invest in it now so that you just "fall of the ledge", as you get old and basically live a very healthy, active lifestyle until it is your time. Medical issues do develop, of course, that are unavoidable, but don't let lack of physical activity be one of them. This goes for your loved ones as well.
By the way, you do not do seniors a favor by holding doors for them, helping them get up or sit down, reaching for things in cabinets or picking up things so they don't have to bend over. The more you do for them, the less they will be able to do for themselves. It is one thing if they are totally incapable of doing something for themselves. It is another thing if you are just trying to be a good son, daughter, grandson or granddaughter and do something for them that they can do for themselves.
I know it is tough. But your entire family should have this attitude. You have to tell your parents or grandparents the same thing they used to tell you when they wanted you to do something you did not want to do: "It is good for you!"
See you at 100! (And my mom will as well. I will see to that!)
Yours in Health and Fitness,
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