Getting an annual physical at the doctors

[Torvy]

^that could have been me. Fortunately, mom made it through the troubles. Retired RN. Daily Mass warrior. They were actually married in San Jose in 1955.

 

[ultrarunner]

San Jose California, St. Martins, 1959…

RN 2 blocks away at O’Conner Hospital…

Moved to Oakland in the 1960’s…

I have wondered how different life might have been had mom and dad not relocated to Oakland to be closer to Dads family… several generations in Oakland at that time and now just me…

 

[Torvy]

San Jose California, St. Martins, 1959…

RN 2 blocks away at O’Conner Hospital…

I don't remember which parish. The family lore is that it burned down shortly after.

I don't know if I ever knew the hospital in which she worked. Her and dad met at a USO thing. Her older sister (also RN) had moved out there and mom went there for work.

 

[ultrarunner]

Mom met dad on a blind date set up by her nursing supervisor… mom had no intentions of dating and was in California as part of a nursing exchange program…

Mom’s supervisor said let’s make it a foursome so supervisor and her husband “Chaperoned” the date.

Mom said Dad was a very nice guy and sure he had no problem getting dates but mom’s focus was returning to the Catholic nursing order of nuns…

Anyway… back to annual physicals… many here missed several years of physicals, blood tests, etc… as routine medical all but shutdown during much of Covid… even today it’s common for doctor offices to require masks to enter and I go through 50-75 each morning in the public lobby where masks are NOT required but available.

The last 6 months of 2023 surgery was quite busy as people that had put off procedures plus newly injured are back…

I’m on the surgery side of things.

 

[Torvy]

Last post on the sidebar...checked with mom. St. Patrick's (now our Lady of La Vang). San Jose Hospital...went to daily mass nearby at Cathedral.

When I was working full time, finding time for medical, dental or vision visits was tough. Easier to just go when 100% necessary.

Plan for this year is to start getting those done.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

Alzheimer's sucks.

That's why the new lady friends.
That happened to our 88 y.o. neighbor, wife dies and he has alzheimers so he finds a 40 y.o. lady friend, gets married and ends up in jail after finding her looking for money and valuables and smacked her.
With help from his daughter & her husband he's bailed out & gets a divorce.
Then he gets caregivers who are pretty, we see them driving a new car, etc.

 

[Sigarms]

My Grandfather always wanted to be cremated and so he was. He wanted his ashes dispersed on his farm. My grandmother couldn't bear the thought of that so she had his ashes buried!
That meant they had to be placed in a concrete vault and I believe it cost about $10K, (1985).

We put our son's ashes on his favorite place where he'd sit out in the back in the woods overlooking the creek. No cost.

Have no clue why even in 1985 you would have to place cremated ashes in a vault?

That said, went to a funeral here in NC where the body was laid to rest in the back yard. After looking, only like 4 states outlaw private burials on your own property.

 

[ultrarunner]

Seems elderly well to do men have more options than women in the same situation.

I was surprised to know several... mostly retired military that basically said chuck it and are now expats in the Philippines with wives 30 and 40 years their junior and quite happy about it.

They do have military connected health options in the Philippines and more in Guam.

One guy just turned 70 and wife is mid 30's... he was back for a short business trip itching to return to the Philippines and he spent time there in the service as a very young guy.

He did say medical is a concern but not going to live the sunset of life in worry...

Maybe moving to a place with more bang for the buck has a positive effect on well being as in quality over longevity???

 

[Jstpssng]

mom was not able to understand why everything changed… why could no longer visit with cherished neighbors… why no one came to visit… no contact with loved ones and as a daily attendee of Catholic Mass… no more mass

We made a lot of choices back then which were based on emergency dialogs. It was supposed to be temporary, yet got dragged out for whatever reason. Now it seems some of those "temporary measures" have become long term, and I wonder what we have given up.
For 3 years my mother said we'd have a family gathering "When things settle down." Now at 86 she still mentions it, but when it comes down to it she doesn't like a lot of people around.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

We put our son's ashes on his favorite place where he'd sit out in the back in the woods overlooking the creek. No cost.

Have no clue why even in 1985 you would have to place cremated ashes in a vault?

That said, went to a funeral here in NC where the body was laid to rest in the back yard. After looking, only like 4 states outlaw private burials on your own property.

It was a family plot, pre-paid graves for grandparents & their (Downs Syndrome) son.
To me a lot of funerals and cemeteries is a racket. The family is distraught and many times buy the more expensive coffin, flowers, service. His wish was ashes on his land...but what to do about grandmother?
The funeral home insisted on if buried of course in a vault 6 ft. deep. They made a major production out of it ($$$).
My other grandfather was a Mason. My Dad received a plaque & two screws. Cemetery wanted $300 to install it. Dad & I went to grave, Dad "installed it" in two minutes with pocket screwdriver. This was years ago.