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My mom's 90. She was an RN in a medical/surgical ward in a county hospital her entire adult life until she retired. Her view is people get well despite their medical care.
* Mom has never had a colonoscopy
* Mom has never had a mammogram
* Mom's knee has been bad for 30 years, but she has never seen a doctor about replacing it.
Aside from childbirth and cataract surgery, mom hasn't seen a doctor for decades... but a couple years ago she had a TIA, so consented to see a gerontologist once/year. Aside from an annual blood test, she declines all medical care. In her case, she's willing to have the blood tests because they've shown she has a cholesterol issue (now on a statin) and a thyroid problem. Her first meeting with her doctor she told him she had no interest in anything more extensive, so he doesn't push her.
Mom's view is when it's her time to go, it's her time to go.
Similarly, my view is when it's my time to go, just push me in front of a bus.
Your uncle is a grown man. He doesn't have to take any test he doesn't want to take. Don't blame the doctors.
True...but just as you probably shouldn't say "yes" to all suggested tests (recommended seems too strong a word) you also probably shouldn't say "no" to all tests unless your death is imminent. That puts the patient in the position of researching each and every request to come to an educated opinion when even the medical field isn't 100% decided. For some that may be "fun" research to do or at least something possible to do in your 40's, 50's, and 60's. It quickly becomes less doable with greater numbers of conditions to research and less ability to actually do that research.
We need to advocate for ourselves but we also need REASONABLE recommendations that are at least somewhat personalized based on our individual overall state of health and our preferences. In the past it at least felt like you could have a real discussion with your doctor and your doctor worked for YOU and not an insurance company - they had YOUR best interests at heart - I'm slowly learning that's not the case.
I'm not 85 yet but when I am, I would guess I'd be as eager to keep living at that age as I'd be at 65, unless I was already in a lot of pain. People at 85 and even 95 aren't always as keen on dying as you think they are. So why shouldn't they be allowed tests and stents, as long as it's something they want? Just because some people are ready to hang it up when they're 85 doesn't mean everyone is.
well said, what he was suggesting were death panels.
This reminds me of when my father was in the hospital at close to his end, he was over 95 and 3 different heart surgeons came to my sister and I trying to talk us into getting him a pacemaker so he could live longer....NO was the clear and loud response...but 3 different surgeons came on 3 different days. Dad was ready to go.
When my FIL was in the hospital, hooked on every machine known to man the surgeon came in ready to do surgery to clean a wound from a previous surgery. He was hovering like a vulture. I had to pull a nurse aside and ask her to pull my hubs and BIL aside and explain to them that the surgery was a waste of time. Anyway looking at the monitors could see it wasn't needed, that the writing was on the wall.
She did. They agreed. She sent the surgeon away. Thank god for that nurse.
FIL died 3 hours later.
Medical "care" at end of life seeks to line a lot of pockets with a lot of $$$. Buyer beware. Patient beware.
I also wanted to add that yearly wellness checks are designed to catch any abnormality and turn it into a chronic illness.
They really aren't designed to keep most people well. What happens is they get hooked on a cycle of medications for chronic illness that continues for 20-30 years.
And yes, if you are on medication, you are NOT well, you have a chronic illness. And some people do have some illnesses that need treatment. But a lot of them don't, and should just make healthier choices.
It's why if doctors really wanted to patients to get well, they would have nutritionists and a gym at their offices. healthy food and movement. Not drugs.
My mom's 90. She was an RN in a medical/surgical ward in a county hospital her entire adult life until she retired. Her view is people get well despite their medical care.
* Mom has never had a colonoscopy
* Mom has never had a mammogram
* Mom's knee has been bad for 30 years, but she has never seen a doctor about replacing it.
Aside from childbirth and cataract surgery, mom hasn't seen a doctor for decades... but a couple years ago she had a TIA, so consented to see a gerontologist once/year. Aside from an annual blood test, she declines all medical care. In her case, she's willing to have the blood tests because they've shown she has a cholesterol issue (now on a statin) and a thyroid problem. Her first meeting with her doctor she told him she had no interest in anything more extensive, so he doesn't push her.
Mom's view is when it's her time to go, it's her time to go.
Similarly, my view is when it's my time to go, just push me in front of a bus.
That's my mother's view as well, she's 91. And I can imagine should I live so long (and I doubt I will), that will be my stance too.
I'm a senior (age 70), and so far haven't done a lot medically wise other than the preventative visits or monitoring of a couple chronic things ( glaucoma and hypertension, cardiac arrthymia issues) and take a few medications for those, and figure I will do what I need to within reason to keep those at bay, as long as I'm still active, my mind is good. (I still work as an educational consultant-home and internet based). But I've told my family, and indicated in my advanced directives, that should I get Alzheimer's disease, mentally or physically impaired so that I am only a burden to my loved ones, I want only comfort measures, no tests, procedures, surgeries or anything else like that.
Oh yes, and doing what I need to do to keep in reasonably decent health includes regular exercise, healthy eating and avoidance of the things that trigger those issues (such as alcohol, smoking, use of stimulant type substances.
My mom's 90. She was an RN in a medical/surgical ward in a county hospital her entire adult life until she retired. Her view is people get well despite their medical care.
* Mom has never had a colonoscopy
* Mom has never had a mammogram
* Mom's knee has been bad for 30 years, but she has never seen a doctor about replacing it.
Aside from childbirth and cataract surgery, mom hasn't seen a doctor for decades... but a couple years ago she had a TIA, so consented to see a gerontologist once/year. Aside from an annual blood test, she declines all medical care. In her case, she's willing to have the blood tests because they've shown she has a cholesterol issue (now on a statin) and a thyroid problem. Her first meeting with her doctor she told him she had no interest in anything more extensive, so he doesn't push her.
Mom's view is when it's her time to go, it's her time to go.
Similarly, my view is when it's my time to go, just push me in front of a bus.
My mom passed at 91, never had
Mammogram, Colonoscopy and nasty OA but never surgery for the OA issues. Maybe I'll end up with NO knee replacement too. She did have cataract surgery and back in their days they didn't wear SUNGLASSES and she lived in SNOW climate too and that brightness affects the eyes too.
I'm 79 had I think 2 mamms in my early 50's and none since..No colonoscopy and don't leave the house without SUNGLASSES. No eye problems.
I too would love to go in my sleep when it's time.
We've learned so much on HOW to take care of our health and thank goodness for all the functional medicine greats out there showing us the way. And the older folks didn't run to doctors that's what I saw in my parents. No hardcore drugs in their lives.
This is what I also have seen with my parents and inlaws. My mother in law had at least two doctor appointments each week. She saw a rheumatologist, cardiologist, pulmonologist, orthopedist, and a few other doctors regularly. She was chronically ill with all sorts of problems and diseases none which were curable yet she constantly had tests done and took literally 40+ pills a day. I used to wonder what would happen if she would have quit all her medications and doctor appointments.
I know a lot of older people as I've played a lot of bridge and that's an OLDER folks group...and so many were always running to doctors, like their hobby. I go to my MD once a year to check and get my couple meds and do labs and work to keep my knee working. I do all I can to heal myself.
This is how they make money on Medicare patients. Lots and lots of tests, over and over again. I have a cousin who is retired and has nothing better to do so he spends all his time going to doctors and having more tests done. He pays nothing so he just goes from test to test to doctor to doctor.
He sees a cardiologist twice a year but he has no heart problems but of course he has to have an ekg/dopplers/whatever else they can think of. He sees a podiatrist twice a year but he has no foot problems either. He has extensive blood work done 4 times a year but he is healthy. The only meds he takes is a small dose of antihypertensive meds. And with the new BP guidelines almost everyone over 30 will be on those soon!
There are many like your cousin, fills their days with doc appts.
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