Saturday, March 31, 2007
Cholesterol Follies
I want to bring your attention to the comment left by Mona of The Tangled Neuron on a recent post in which I discussed actions I intend to take regarding bring my mother's cholesterol a bit more in line (if that's possible). Mona left the comment this morning, and I had to grin because, last night, well...
Yet again, as I have the last few days, I brought up for general discussion in our household the subject of, as Mona puts it, "tweak"-ing Mom's diet and life style towards the end of lowering her cholesterol numbers, at least a little bit. I began by saying, "You know, Mom, your doctor has never been shocked by your cholesterol numbers, but he was this time."
"Does him good," she responded. "Doctor's should be shocked from time to time."
"Well, I was shocked, too."
"I know. You have a low threshold for that kind of thing."
Actually, I don't, and, in fact, my high shock tolerance is, I think, a definite benefit in being my mother's companion, caregiver and, especially, medical advocate, but I let this one go. "So, you know, Mom, moving around a little more will also bring your cholesterol down."
"Yes," she said, sighing, "I'm sure it would."
"Mom," I continued, putting on my best diplomatic tuxedo, "I know you're at a point in your life where you don't really want to move around much, anymore. I know that it can be more unpleasant for you to move than it is for you to sit still. I know you're 'of an age'..."
"Watch it, girl," she interrrupted...
...I smiled, "...where it could be argued that movement isn't necessarily going to improve your life significantly, maybe not even noticeably, although this is completely against what medical science has determined..."
"...and we all know how dependable medical science is," she said with a lopsided sneer...
"...I know, I know, but..."
"...you want me to do it for you."
I had to laugh. This took me by surprise. "Yeah, Mom, you caught me, I want you to do it for me."
She sighed. I'm sure my display of disarmament had something to do with her generous detente, "All right. We'll give it a try. Again. For you."
I thought it might help if I included, "You know, Mom, you've mentioned, lately that you're looking forward to getting outside in the yard. That involves movement, you know."
"Don't push you're luck," she warned. "I could just as easily decide to do what I want to do for me."
Point taken.
So, you know, there's something that, lately, has been swirling around in my mind, a point made by Anne Robertson in one of her lately published books, God's Top Ten, that we've read and enjoyed, a point with which I agree, that a person's age should not be used as an excuse for withholding the best of medical care and life style improvements. Sometimes, though, it's a challenge to balance this against the sturdy will and implacable spirit of an Ancient One, such as my mother, who believes (and is probably right) that the way she's lived her life is exactly why she is, now, standing on the threshold of her tenth decade. What makes it even more challenging is that I agree with my mother, as well, and am sure that her longevity has little to do with her medical conditions and much to do with her continued refusal to face her own mortality. So, what do you do? You ask her to do it for you...and hope she tolerates you enough to assent, for at least awhile...
Later.
Yet again, as I have the last few days, I brought up for general discussion in our household the subject of, as Mona puts it, "tweak"-ing Mom's diet and life style towards the end of lowering her cholesterol numbers, at least a little bit. I began by saying, "You know, Mom, your doctor has never been shocked by your cholesterol numbers, but he was this time."
"Does him good," she responded. "Doctor's should be shocked from time to time."
"Well, I was shocked, too."
"I know. You have a low threshold for that kind of thing."
Actually, I don't, and, in fact, my high shock tolerance is, I think, a definite benefit in being my mother's companion, caregiver and, especially, medical advocate, but I let this one go. "So, you know, Mom, moving around a little more will also bring your cholesterol down."
"Yes," she said, sighing, "I'm sure it would."
"Mom," I continued, putting on my best diplomatic tuxedo, "I know you're at a point in your life where you don't really want to move around much, anymore. I know that it can be more unpleasant for you to move than it is for you to sit still. I know you're 'of an age'..."
"Watch it, girl," she interrrupted...
...I smiled, "...where it could be argued that movement isn't necessarily going to improve your life significantly, maybe not even noticeably, although this is completely against what medical science has determined..."
"...and we all know how dependable medical science is," she said with a lopsided sneer...
"...I know, I know, but..."
"...you want me to do it for you."
I had to laugh. This took me by surprise. "Yeah, Mom, you caught me, I want you to do it for me."
She sighed. I'm sure my display of disarmament had something to do with her generous detente, "All right. We'll give it a try. Again. For you."
I thought it might help if I included, "You know, Mom, you've mentioned, lately that you're looking forward to getting outside in the yard. That involves movement, you know."
"Don't push you're luck," she warned. "I could just as easily decide to do what I want to do for me."
Point taken.
So, you know, there's something that, lately, has been swirling around in my mind, a point made by Anne Robertson in one of her lately published books, God's Top Ten, that we've read and enjoyed, a point with which I agree, that a person's age should not be used as an excuse for withholding the best of medical care and life style improvements. Sometimes, though, it's a challenge to balance this against the sturdy will and implacable spirit of an Ancient One, such as my mother, who believes (and is probably right) that the way she's lived her life is exactly why she is, now, standing on the threshold of her tenth decade. What makes it even more challenging is that I agree with my mother, as well, and am sure that her longevity has little to do with her medical conditions and much to do with her continued refusal to face her own mortality. So, what do you do? You ask her to do it for you...and hope she tolerates you enough to assent, for at least awhile...
Later.
