My grandmother passed away recently and I have had time to ponder her life and the eventual circumstances that led to her(early in my opinion)passing.
Ruth was a very active woman. Whether it be her children, grandchildren, husband or the church, my grandmother never stopped and was always on the go. She was a cook and a fantastic artisan. In my younger days, she would bake a cake for my birthdays. I’m not talking any ordinary cake, I mean a beautifully decorated masterpiece. Along with the cake, she would have a “theme” birthday party-my 5th birthday was a “pirate” theme. She hand-made clothes for this party, eye patch included.
As my grandmother aged, she eventually needed help with household chores, cleaning and domestic duties. She and my grandfather bought the lot next to my mom in middle Tennessee and built a house. It was after this move that I became aware of the prescription medications she was taking, and had been taking, for over 30 years. I became hyper-sensitive to this health cycle after becoming an insurance agent. She took medications for everything. One for lowering blood pressure, one for her cholesterol and several for other “conditions” she had. Her doctors would see her on an almost weekly basis and it would seem she would come home with a new prescription. Now, I am a person who believes very strongly in the idea that “you are the first person who can improve your health”. By that I mean, eating right, exercising and taking overall good care of your body. After all, you only have one.
I don’t go the doctor very often and I attribute that to my first line of health defense-me.
I miss my grandmother very much and hope to see her again one day. I just can’t help but think that the years of medications and surgeries eventually took a toll on her health, and eventually to her early passing.
Do keep your loved ones closer.
Photo: Michael Chen