Fat Happy and Seventy

If we're any indication Pearlie Mae did NOT live longer than her twin sister Mamie nor her older sister Alice. Alice was less mobile than either younger sisters but what she did have they didn't was weight. Not just the weight of her wisdom and memories of older children long since passed but size. In her final days the family had to assist in her hourly care which we did grateful though not tirelessly. It wore us out. Her son traveled by plane weekly to assist in her care. Her daughter maintain primary and overall care of Mother Alice.

Currently the "study published today in the Journal of The American Geriatrics Society (AGS). Researchers looked at data taken over a decade among more than 9,200 Australian men and women aged between 70 and 75 at the beginning of the study, who were assessed for their health and lifestyle as part of a study into healthy aging. The paper sheds light on the situation in Australia, which is ranked the third most obese country, behind the United States and the United Kingdom."

The results are in and though not an American study only one conclusion can be reached and that is - the couch wins! While it might be true for the US there are other research studies that point in a different direction for other nationalities. Specifically, "Lean Mass Index: A Better Predictor of Mortality than Body Mass Index in Elderly Asians" from the same Journal of The American Geriatrics Society (AGS).

"[T]he researchers concluded that the type of disease which caused their death, for example heart disease or cancer, did not affect the level of protection being overweight had. To remove any risk of bias in participants with illnesses which caused them to lose weight, and also increased their risk of dying, the researchers contrasted subjects who were relatively healthy compared with those who had major chronic diseases or smoked and found no apparent differences in the BMI: mortality relationship."

But we're neither asian nor concerned about negative news. We'll listen here and just think of us ourselves as Aussies! Of course you've got to get to seventy (70) years of age before you can really derive any benefits from being fat and happy! From other studies we know if we want to live to sit on our butts to old age that that extra spare tire or chin and a half can protect you against heart disease or cancer rather than be a source of heart disease or cancer. We're not sure why this is we're just glad it's so. Maybe its more of that everything in moderation we've heard so much about.

Pearlie Mae, Mamie and Alice all lived beyond seventy (70) years of age. First there were five (5) including Buddy and Nellie when there were just the few. Nellie was the baby and Buddy the baby boy. The baby Nellie went first and then Buddy - both big fat and happy. Buddy more than Nellie though his respiratory strength was the worst. In their cases Nellie only left to go to church and Buddy needed full time nursing care when sitting up became too much for his lungs. One by one and then there were gone.

It's Back - Legionnaires

You'd think once we identify and treat an illness it should be polite and go away. Just get on its high horse and ride out of town. It's truly disturbing when things like small pox and legionellosis reappear. To paraphrase Michael Corleone: "Just when we thought we were out, they pull us back in."

From the Illinois Daily Herald comes this story: "Three cases of Legionnaires' disease have been confirmed in a lab and seven others are suspected, according to Victor Plotkin, epidemiologist for the Lake County Health Department (The Park at Vernon Hills, IL retirement community). "It appears to be contained and limited to this facility only," he added. The disease, which is contracted by inhaling contaminated mist or vapor, is not contagious and is not transmitted from person to person."

The story began three (3) days before what they've now discovered according to the Daily Herald: "In this case, the suspected source may be the aquatic elements in the atrium of the facility, which includes a rain forest, waterfall and spa. Those facilities have since been shut down. One of the deaths occurred in September, but that case was not indicative of a potentially larger problem, Victor Plotkin, epidemiologist for the Lake County Health Department said. That changed when the health department was notified of a second case earlier this week. Subsequent investigation revealed a third confirmed case and the other suspected cases."

Like the H1N1 virus, detection was not apparent until one death became two. Disease care is not the most efficient or effective for the retention and preservation of life - in our opinion. While the Center for Disease Control and Prevention is in society's benefit it might not be in yours and our benefit. Health care has to start with us not just taking care of ourselves. Granted the number causes of death are largely preventable.

What we didn't know about Legionnaires disease could fill a book but thanks to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) we learned: "Legionnaires' disease can be very serious and can cause death in up to 5% to 30% of cases. Most cases can be treated successfully with antibiotics [drugs that kill bacteria in the body], and healthy people usually recover from infection."

While we aren't very good at exercise and eating properly we can look and find danger where we're told to look. Fake water walls, artificial lakes, don't usually attract our attention but we can make an effort not to position ourselves near bodies of water that are natural whether they're spas or decorations. Unfortunately disabled seniors might not be able to remove themselves from such artificial environments where their well meaning caregivers might park them. But you can. Add it to your lists so you or your loved ones don't kick the bucket!

Maryland may have more deaths to the H1N1 virus as compared to the reporting numbers of the District of Columbia or Virginia it's still rated better for health care than DC or VA. Numbers matter as in the H1N1 death statistics but they don't tell the whole picture.

Breast Life

This story had it all. It's not as recent as the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) Advisory Group refusing two new cancer drugs for seniors but this story has breast cancer, minority women and survival rates. How could we not focus on the mailed survey results of the over thirty-one hundred (3133) "Latina and African American women"? Their conclusion: "Greater patient involvement in decision making was associated with receipt of mastectomy for all racial and ethnic groups. Patient attitudes about surgery and the opinions of family and friends contribute to surgical choices made by women with breast cancer." In the WebMD story young women afraid of dying from breast cancer opt for a radical mastectomy and the older women with family involvement choose "breast-conserving surgery."

Unfortunately for our Aunt Pearlie and many women seniors a lump means cancer, means never leaving the hospital and means death. The big "C" (cancer) fear is the earliest of our AIDS, terrorism, swine flu for the generations.

As the health care debate rolls on in the media at the very same "Journal of the National Cancer Institute" you can listen to the nine minute fifty-six second (9:56) interview with Dr. Peter Bach of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center discussing the issue of treatment and health concerns being waged out of patient earshot and awareness - "How much is life worth?" It's being called the $430 Billion Dollar Question. The podcast is in the very same issue as the study from the August issue of the journal. For many seniors with a healthy, active lifestyle and strong family ties the answer is priceless. Unfortunately when pain and inoperable medical conditions apply many individuals like Pearlie Mae Leach decide the answer is a financial concern.