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I’M HEALTHY, I’M NOT SICK

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I think of myself as being healthy, I am definitely not sick. I don’t drink or smoke, I am told to lose weight, drink more water, exercise but like I said I am not sick.

The question is being healthy the same as not being sick?.

Let me reminisce for an instant. My father was a healthy man. Worked hard all his life, never went to extremes, he smoked and had the social drink. Our meals where always cooked by mom and they were fairly well balanced. A restaurant meal was a special occasion and were few and far between. Dad worked in carpentry in his spare time and mom, I believe, sometimes worked harder than he did.  As for me, if not in school, I was outside, in the playgrounds playing baseball or what ever game came up at the time.  Life was great and everybody was healthy. We were not sick.

At 62 dad had chest pains, it was diagnosed as angina and it was controlled with the occasional nitro pill. Thanks to mom she ensured he kept a proper diet as describe by the nutritionist. At this point I was on my own but mom was there to watch over dad.

My mom passed away at 66, it was a long illness that took a toll on everybody. In his grief he started to drink more and with this, his smoking increased.  His diet consisted more on take out and a lot of process food when he did cook at home.  He gained weight and by now his blood pressure was high and controlled by pills. He did join a bowling league and bowled a few times a week, but then it was an occasion to have a few drinks with friends. Chest pains were more frequent at this time and we were all anticipating a coming heart attack.

He did not suffer a heart attack, I did get a call that he was rushed to the hospital, he suffered a massive stroke.  I was told to bring his medication in, I filled a 4qt basket with pill bottles, pain pills, nitro pills, blood pressure pills, some I was uncertain what they were.  Completely paralyzed on the left side he lost his speech and after therapy never recovered from those symptoms.  Unable to care for him at home he was admitted to a long-term health facility. 

Prisoner of a wheelchair, he was taken off all the pills except one for digestive purpose. He never smoked or had a drink again, not that he was forbidden but he choose not to. He got around the facility in his wheelchair. Being a very social person he accumulated many friends, co-workers and acquaintances.  In his silence he listen attentively  and an agreeing nod and smiles he listened attentively as they talked about the good old days.  He may not of liked the situation he found himself in, but he accepted it and made the best of the situation.  He survived for a several years and always had a smile.

I realized that he became healthy after his stoke, being healthy does not mean not being sick but living a balance lifestyle.  Taking everything in moderation and including all the elements that life has to offer, nutrition, water, exercise, fresh air, rest and faith that we are not alone and there is purpose to our life.  

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