Getting Ahead of it All

For those who have read enough of my posts, you realize that I focus a lot on trying to make the most of the time we have, and slowing down to enjoy life. I’ve always had this mindset, but as I get older, my experience only reinforces the need to enjoy the time we have and to try to extend the healthy part of our lives.

My father has what is termed cognitive impairment. Most of us think of this as leading eventually to some sort of dementia like Alzheimer’s, but that is not necessarily a guarantee— it’s also a matter of how one lives, how the disease progresses and the time we even have left. My grandmother was diagnosed with dementia in her 70s. My aunt was recently diagnosed with ALS.
As you can see, there is a bit of a pattern in my family and this is only in regards to nuerodegenerative diseases. Never mind the high blood pressure, diabetes, and cancer that also run through my family. I have recently started reading a book, titled Outlive by Peter Attia. I was drawn to this book because I have listened to Peter’s podcast and I have also questioned why it is we treat these diseases only once we are diagnosed as being sick? We don’t we do anything sooner to try and stop this from happening?

As the caregiver for my father, I often ask myself why someone would want to continue living in this declining condition? I am sure for the moments my father is in his right mind, he would tell me that this is not how he imagined living in his old age . It would not surprise me to know that those suffering from some of these illnesses also suffer from depression, just given their circumstances. But does it have to be this way?

Before witnessing how dementia or Alzheimer’s plays out, I would have suggested that one just write lots of notes or create lists or label things. There are so many suggestions that I have thought of and then implemented only to find them somewhat useless. It makes me feel naïve and helpless against these diseases. But I’m an optimist and have to hope for better in the future. Peter’s book Outlive inspires me to do better for myself and my family as well as hope for more from science.

Happy writing this week and may you be inspired in some way as well.