Getting an annual physical at the doctors

[Fuddyduddy1952]

We have a very dear friend Sue who has cancer, she was 87 in November. She smoked since she was 12, growing up in Asheville N.C.
Ironically as I was writing my grandfather story his daughter, my Mother, her caregiver called me because she couldn't wake her up!
Mom will be 97, caregiver called 911 apparently she was sleeping soundly. They checked everything...all was well.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

I thought of another strange death experience (so many). I've been retired 10 years now and had a consumer electronics repair business, mostly TVs. There was a fellow 64, I was 60 who stopped by my business one day, also a TV repairman. We never knew each other but he said "I was driving by and something told me to visit".
So we chatted for an hour or so mostly about hobbies, his was RC model planes & he knew my friend & neighbor who also flew RC planes. He wanted to smoke, knew I didn't but no problem, he was near an exhaust fan.
Very nice guy it turned out...all those years same town but never met.
The next day I'm looking at obituaries and he was listed saying he passed peacefully in his sleep that night.
So after work I stopped by the funeral home, an open casket, I sat there thinking how such a short time ago he seemed fine, joking, talking about different things.
Life is short.

 

[Sigarms]

So after work I stopped by the funeral home, an open casket, I sat there thinking how such a short time ago he seemed fine, joking, talking about different things.

Everyone mourns differently.

For myself and for my own reasons, do not an open casket.

My dad got convinved about cremation after dealing with a brother in law, and after my dad dying in NC and having to take him back to Pa to be laid to rest, cremation makes to much sense not to do per my own death.

 

[Ken]

I thought of another strange death experience (so many). I've been retired 10 years now and had a consumer electronics repair business, mostly TVs. There was a fellow 64, I was 60 who stopped by my business one day, also a TV repairman. We never knew each other but he said "I was driving by and something told me to visit".
So we chatted for an hour or so mostly about hobbies, his was RC model planes & he knew my friend & neighbor who also flew RC planes. He wanted to smoke, knew I didn't but no problem, he was near an exhaust fan.
Very nice guy it turned out...all those years same town but never met.
The next day I'm looking at obituaries and he was listed saying he passed peacefully in his sleep that night.
So after work I stopped by the funeral home, an open casket, I sat there thinking how such a short time ago he seemed fine, joking, talking about different things.
Life is short.

We live in a very rural part of Arkansas. and with this Covid, I started to keep track of friends that have passed and are related. in a 10-mile radius, there have recorded over 30 friends that I grew up with, All active working and having a busy life.
Routine check and Doctor found Lymth cancer and Basel cells talking with my primary Doctor he suggested to think about quality of life. then mention that at now 88 would probably outlive him. talked with him about taking the Chemo. again suggested it would be 10 years before overcoming the treatment. so chemo Doc got a crook in the tail but did accept the Radiation 2 years later now shows no cancer cells and visiting neighbors or driving down the road think of all the old timers in the area that have passed. the closest neighbor was a mile away now Shanty trailers have been shoved in everywhere there is room to place them. I have met none that seemed to want to be friendly. or have stopped by in there driving down the road. Getting Old is causing us to rethink living here in the area. But then think if we move will it be the same.
Soon we will have to learn another language or continue to become an outsider in the area where I grew up and now know to visit friends there is a rock seat in the cemetery since they are all there now.
None of the younger neighbors know anything about repair or fixing anything just toss and buy new.
It is a different world and came so fast still not ready to give up,
Have friends we meet every other 2 weeks for breakfast, and commented they have the same experience.
getting down to fix anything and then having to wait for simple parts to arrive from China because none of the local dealers have them in stock anymore.
Feed prices are unreal, and medicine have to decide if worthwhile or just sell to canners. Chemical fertilizer the
extra cost does it return in hay or wasted money?
Guess time to get out and shake the bushes to check if anything has moved.
ken

 

[Sigarms]

Ken

The one thing I learned from my grandmother when we lived with her (and when she passed in 1976) is that the world is always going to crap. It's a natural occurance that comes with age

 

[Torvy]

Everyone mourns differently.

For myself and for my own reasons, do not an open casket.

My dad got convinved about cremation after dealing with a brother in law, and after my dad dying in NC and having to take him back to Pa to be laid to rest, cremation makes to much sense not to do per my own death.

I had a young employee whose father died of brain cancer. Another manager and I drove the hour or so out of town for the funeral. Much to my surprise, the casket was open and in the narthex (entry) of the church. Really no choice but to view the body on the way in. In my experience prior, that is usually done near the altar, so those who prefer not to view the body have a chance.

That was a strange summer. Two young employees lost fathers to brain cancer and a middle aged wife/mom lost a husband. 3 funerals in one summer on a team of 50.

 

[Sigarms]

I had a young employee whose father died of brain cancer. Another manager and I drove the hour or so out of town for the funeral. Much to my surprise, the casket was open and in the narthex (entry) of the church. Really no choice but to view the body on the way in. In my experience prior, that is usually done near the altar, so those who prefer not to view the body have a chance.

Yes, I would agree with your assesment on how wakes are generally laid out either at a funeral home or chuch.

I had a long in depth discussion on this with a funeral home director when I was in charge of my aunts funeral.

Like I said, everyone mourns differently, and there is no right way that fits all. Funeral home director pointed out to me that by viewing a dead body, it helps for closure for the loved one of the deceased. I get that. It's just that our body is nothing more than a shell of our former selves and that person really isn't there, even if their body is. Personally I don't need to see a body to realize and understand that the person is no longer on this earth.

 

[Mousehog]

I don't do doctors. I go to a naturopath. I gave up on BigMed after being lectured about high cholesterol. I asked for and received a coronary scan. Zero Plaque.

Also the zombie conformity to C-19 protocols was unbearable to me. Doctors are drug pushers.

 

[MAX-24-Dean]

I don't do doctors. I go to a naturopath. I gave up on BigMed after being lectured about high cholesterol. I asked for and received a coronary scan. Zero Plaque.

Also the zombie conformity to C-19 protocols was unbearable to me. Doctors are drug pushers.

My, Dad always said, "the side effects get them repeat visits."

 

[Sigarms]

My family does not agree or consent to do the annual "Medicare Wellness Exam." It is helpful for a baseline to measure against later, no doubt. But our objection is intrusive government spying possibly leading to all sorts of things ... suspension of driving license, taking guns out of a house, or whatever. We believe those things are coming.

I'm not at that point with my tin foil hat when it comes to getting a physical done.

That said, at what point should a elderly person stop driving? I was lucky when my dad lived with us. He kind of slowed up on his driving when he hit 87, then let me son drive him for the last two years of his life because he knew he just couldn't drive responsibly enough on his end so he basically stopped without saying anything to us about it.

 

[Jstpssng]

I kept ignoring the doctors who wanted me to go on cholesterol meds, saying I would control it with diet. I stopped eating hamburger and it did drop, and 150 isn't that bad. It turns out that isn't the number which I should have been concerned about.
Aug 2020 I was driving home with a load of OSB on when I temporarily lost the vision in the bottom of one eye. It turns out that both of my carotids were partially blocked and I had to have stents put into each side. I'm not saying a healthier diet wouldn't be wise, but instead I am now on cholesterol meds.
The worst part is that my brother had encouraged me to get them checked 5 years earlier. I asked my PA at the time who told me I had never been a smoker so not to worry about it.

 

[plowhog]

I'm not at that point with my tin foil hat when it comes to getting a physical done.

I'm not opposed to physical care at all. The Medicare Wellness Exam also include a mental health and cognitive evaluation. You get certain words spoken to you, then other distracting events take place. Later you need to recall those words. If you don't, bad news. The doctor tells you to draw a picture of an analog clock based on a time he will state to you. If you can't do that reasonably quickly, or put one of the hands in a wrong place, bad news. And there is more.

These things have nothing to do with physical health or preventive care. If I want to seek cognitive assessment or care, I believe that is my right, and my choice.

Even succeeding at the tests is a slippery slope. Imagine doing 100% on the Wellness Exam for 10 years. Then because of some gradual forgetfulness that is coming on, or other reason, you decide you don't want to do the test any more. In the Government's view, is that refusal, by itself, an admission that you are not up to driving? Or owning a gun? After all, if you did them before and won't do the test now, isn't that proof that you *know* something is wrong and you may be a danger to society?

I have watched our civil liberties get progressively chipped away over the years. Organized all-night long DUI traffic stops using officers, cones, and flares used to be illegal to do. It was considered detainment without probable cause. Then in my community, the police announced they would only do it on New Year's Eve, only on one street with plenty of "escape" lanes if you didn't want to go through. Then it grew to all major holidays. Then the escape lanes went away. Now they seem to be all over the place and are quite intrusive.

The City of Berkeley, CA went one step further. During the organized DUI traffic blockades, where you were detained without probable cause, they also required you to pop your trunk to submit to a weapons search. That got overturned very quickly.

I know exactly how the civil liberties slowly get chipped away. I don't want to hand the government data on my mental or cognitive acuity. Unless I commit a crime or other offense, it is none of their business.

 

[ultrarunner]

I thought of another strange death experience (so many). I've been retired 10 years now and had a consumer electronics repair business, mostly TVs. There was a fellow 64, I was 60 who stopped by my business one day, also a TV repairman. We never knew each other but he said "I was driving by and something told me to visit".
So we chatted for an hour or so mostly about hobbies, his was RC model planes & he knew my friend & neighbor who also flew RC planes. He wanted to smoke, knew I didn't but no problem, he was near an exhaust fan.
Very nice guy it turned out...all those years same town but never me

And it's ironic it happens in venues like Berkeley after being a bastion of free speech and freedom to be and do as you please.

 

[MAX-24-Dean]

Edited:
Just wait till the day when you say ***** and you its not liked in general.

This may end up what actually gets read,

*** **** ********* **** ******!

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

At the Dr's. office I love messing with the lady giving me a wellness check.
"Draw a clock showing 8:05
Me: "AM or PM?"
"Doesn't matter" she says.
So I hand her this...
"No, analog" she says. So I remove a compass from my pocket. "Not my first rodeo" I say.
"1:52 is what I want. And remember these three words: home, car, red".
She says "wow, Roman numerals and everything. Now what were the three words?".
"I can't remember. I just need to get in my red car and go home."

 

[EddieWalker]

Before my dad passed away from Alzheimer's, the therapists that would come to see him a few times a week would also give him a few simple tests. I was surprised when he couldn't draw a clock. He sort of tried, but the circle was more of a square. He put one arm in there, but it wasn't centered, or even clock like. Then he didn't know what to do next. It was sad, but also very telling on how far the Alzheimer's had progressed.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

My Dad passed from Alzheimer's at 88. Thankfully it was the last year of his life. Now 97 y.o. Mom has dementia.