Cheers to the Death of Health!

One word would describe this month for my aunt and uncle on my dad's side: discouraging. Last year my aunt was diagnosed with the rarest form of pancreatitis that exists. She was in the hospital for four months. Not only the general hospital room where you get a television and a curtain to separate beds. She was in the ICU unit - for all four months. I think she had something like 12 surgeries, including exploratory, and packing her organs to stop internal bleeding. She was on a ventilator and had supervision of family 24 hours a day. The prognosis was never good. She made it out, however. With some major setbacks and lots of follow-up visits. We thought she was pretty much out of the woods.

My uncle, on the other hand, is the all around healthy good lookin' guy that helps all the neighbors and always volunteers to save someone in a crisis. He has never had more than the flu and at the young age of 60 something looks like early 40's! Having been diagnosed with a simple case of acid reflux, he was taking some kind of medicine for about 3 months. It had been getting more intense, so during a trip to the doctor requesting a stronger prescription, he mentioned a tingling in his arm. He was ordered to the E.R. on Friday. To our surprise, he needed open heart surgery! Not only that, but a quadruple by-pass! He was rushed into O.R. on Sunday. The procedure went smoothly, but after he awoke he was having a hard time breathing and there was fluid in his lungs, which was probably caused by the million dollar surgeon cutting his lung by accident. My mother made it sound like he was dying and when I went to visit I was informed he was doing quite well and would be released on Friday.

I then received a call Saturday night that Uncle Dave was back in the hospital complaining of pressure in his arm, but had been released. I hung up the phone and turned my attention back to the movie I was watching. The phone rang again and again it was my mom saying Aunt Darlene was now in the hospital for vomiting a liter of blood. They do not know what caused it and are bewildered as usual. And, of course, are pushing her home sometime tomorrow.

So, here we are having Uncle Dave unable to drive, holding a pillow to his chest so when he coughs his incision doesn't bust open. While my aunt is in the hospital hooked up to who-knows-what kind of machines. I have a hard time taking the whole situation with grace.

I have been forced to take a hard look at life and be thankful for how well I have it. That I am not soon anticipating saying farewell to my parents (even though it could happen anytime) and my family is pretty healthy. Makes me consider drinking another chocolate milk or eating the next piece of pizza that call my name in the cafe.

Everyone has heard of the "Little ole Lady" whether she be watering her garden or sitting in a rocking chair on the front porch. Maybe she is baking cookies for her grandkids or buying a witch decoration at Michaels. The picture of this lady warms my heart as I think of how content she looks in her ripe old golden years. And hopes that myself along with friends will be able to enjoy these years like she is fills me for hope of the years to come when depends is more than an answer to a nagging teenager's question to go to a party on a school night. On the opposite side, do you ever wonder why you never hear of the "Little ole Fat Lady"? It's because she is either dead or so huge she can't get out of her wheelchair and walk outside. I want to be the little ole lady! That is what I have told the slim lady at the weight center when she asked my why I wanted to lose weight. She smiled and continued to write "doesn't want to get old" in the blank.