Is there any surprise that I’m turning more and more of my attention to the subject of aging with me spending so much time at the hospital where my mum has been over the last 8 weeks. I have taken in so much that has been going on around me. It can be very distressing seeing what happens on an old people’s ward. When she was on the stroke unit many of the ladies who were placed in the same ward passed away while my mum continued her fight for life.
I would challenge anyone who sees these old people struggling to breathe, or so confused as to not know who they are or where they’re at, question their own future through the aging process. What do I have to look forward to in my future? Will my health enable to continue to enjoy the things I do and those I want to do?
It’s heart breaking to see the effects of old age on some people. Today I felt a shiver run through me. I’m sitting at the bedside of my mother. She’s fast asleep. I’m listening to an older gentleman two doors away screaming incredibly loudly ‘nurse help, please help.’ He must have called this out 10 times. As sad as this may be that wasn’t what got to me. It was when he called out ‘nurse please, can someone help me to turn my computer on.’
To that point he had been ignored, all the nurses were busy. But one did then make the effort to say ‘you don’t have a computer’.
He then said “please will you come here my computer is my life and I need it.” There were no responses until I heard him being appeased by an offer of a cup of tea. But 20 times you heard his panicked voice travelling down the ward virtually begging “please help.”
Anyway this really did happen and I know I never want to be in this position. Like the man said computers are my life, my entire business and the blogging that I love depends on me sitting at my computer.
So of course hearing this resonated with me. Over the last 10 weeks while mum has been ill I’ve pretty much managed to switch off to the goings on around her. But this time my mind just took over.
It’s my life. I want to enjoy it fully without letting age affect my freedom and happiness.
My mind is racing with thoughts. I sit here, one hand typing away on my smart phone writing this blog while the other is stroking my mums arm. She’s fast asleep, a normal occurrence now because she sleeps 23 hours a day.
I never want to lose either my mind nor control over my body. I know I’ll do everything in my power to keep going retaining my health and sanity for as long as humanly possible. If I don’t then the cost is just not worth thinking about. I don’t want to be like that poor man unable to look after myself having to call out ‘please help’ to others when I need something.
I want to be able to keep doing what I do for many more years to come. For me to be inflicted with some illness tat prevents me is frightening. I will do everything in my power to make sure I live a healthy life so as to ain the benefits long term.
We get one chance in life and have to do things to take care of ourselves. After all, us human beings are very fragile. We’re like machines that need oiling. If we’re going to give ourselves the best chance of not just living to a good age but retaining reasonable health we have to do everything to take care of ourselves.
Exercising comes close to the top of our list. We have to use our body or risk losing it. As a gym owner I can tell you about 70 and 80 year olds who have been very active members of my gym. I remember one, an 82 year old man when he joined who told me his reasoning for wanting to do this was his wife had been taken into a nursing home and he needed something to keep him active. The three years he came the transformation in him was unbelievably. He said after about 6 months that he hadn’t felt like he did for over 30 years. Although l’d recommend joining a gym to anyone as long as they have caring and attentive staff, a brilliant alternative is walking.
I will also make sure I get my eating right. I would follow a good healthy eating plan, more than likely a Gi diet, eating lots of fruit and vegetables, lean protein particularly white meat, chicken and turkey, and fish.
Taking up active pursuits, like a hobby, to keep ones mind constantly busy, excited and enthralled is also key to trying to live your old age well.
In fact I will be making available on this site, an eBook I have written called the ANTI-AGING GUIDE and that will provide a great starting point for anyone wanting to adopt a strategy to make the most of their later years. Please help your elderly relatives get more from their life.
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I hope your mum gets well soon. Don’t forget to take care of yourself too!