A SERIOUS SUBJECT

I am getting exceedingly tired of reading all the reports about dangers to our health. Eating red meat has reared its head again. Eat it at your peril! 

Then there’s the instruction to eat five-a-day portions of fruit and vegetables, discounting bananas, of course, because they are now accused of filling our tummies with fat! FAT? IN BANANAS? Fruit doesn't agree with me but I do take Vitamin C on a daily basis, have done for nigh on 50 years. This means I rarely have a cold (first one last week in about ten years) and keep reasonably healthy. 

The latest don’t-do is the taking of statins, which are/were supposed to be the be-all-and-end-all of medication guaranteed to save our lives. I’ve taken them for years and I’m still here, folks. I checked with the doc because I am taking the medium range dosage. He said it was fine so I guess if it was going to kill me it would have done so long ago.

Almost every day there are reports in the newspapers about new discoveries to prolong the lives of oldies, yet – to balance out the news reports – there is great concern that oldies are eating up a fair portion of the economy. If we can’t afford to be kept alive in the comfort of our care homes, why on earth do they keep discovering ways so to do? Before we know where we are euthanasia will be introduced. I say it jokingly but who knows what’s on the cards if the elderly keep costing thousands to keep alive.

My admiration goes to our lovely actress Linda Bellingham who has chosen the time she will die, by curtailing the chemotherapy which is keeping her alive. 

Click picture to read the article)

Not too many people have the strength of will to make such a decision. I have stated to doc and family that if ever I had a stroke or something else just as serious, I do NOT want to be resuscitated. In fact, I now wear a bangle to that effect. I couldn’t bear the thought of lying in a machine waiting for someone to switch it off and just think of the heartache they would have. I wouldn’t know about it, of course, but I would much rather go quickly and get it over with.

 This month the magazine WI Life published an article about Death Cafes, places where groups of people go to discuss the matter of dying. How healthy is that? Death has always been a forbidden topic so it’s good that people can discuss it openly, thereby helping to eliminate the fears associated with it. It is so important to discuss it with family members so they know what our wishes are.

 

My funeral plan was fun to do, I had more laughs in the planning than were expected. It was planned with the aid of the undertaker, a lady, who asked me all sorts of unexpected questions.

‘What make-up do you wear?’

‘Huh?’

‘Make-up. You want to look nice don’t you?’

‘Er… yes!’

‘Well, it’s part of my duty to make sure you do.’

‘Oh right!’

‘Do you want a viewing?’

‘A viewing?’

‘Yes, you might want people to have a look at you.’

I thought about it and decided that a viewing would only take place if requested by family.

‘What do you want to wear?’ she asked.

‘Wear?’

She explained that if I wanted a ‘viewing’ (Gawd help me) you might ...

I interrupted at that point. ‘Well,’ I said’ ‘if I’m going to be gawked at I want to look good.’

So, best clothes are ordered on the understanding that the undertaker lady selects what suits my complexion. Until then I intend to keep a close eye on my wardrobe and remove all the stuff I don’t like. What a great excuse for more shopping….hehehe. She will also pay close attention to the make-up. That was something I didn’t know they did. I said I would leave it to her providing she didn’t make me look like a clown.

I hope you took this post in the way it was intended, to help put things in context and to eliminate fears, plus giving you a damned good laugh in the process.

Altogether now….. whaaaaaaaaaaaaa!