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Summer is an excellent time to take mom and dad to the doctor.
Don’t wait until they have a heart attack to show your devotion by
harassing the hospital staff. School is out, traffic is light, you
have plenty of time, and the doctor’s office is empty (no one get sick
during summer).
Your gesture will be much more valuable than the sweater you gave dad at
last Xmas, or the toaster (another one) you offered mom on
Mother’s Day.
Assuming mom and dad are 65 or more, here is a 10-point checklist to be
followed. If your doctor misses out on them, CHANGE practitioner,get another one.
(1) Mom and dad's blood pressure must be 130/80. Ten units or more
at the upper or lower figure (140/90) must be taken very seriously.
Arterial hypertension (blood pressure higher than normal) is a silent
killer. It causes stroke, heart failure, kidney failure, and
sudden death. The person feels great until he/she suddenly
falls... dead.
(2) Inspect skin for sign of cancer. Mom and dad must be
completely undressed for this one. Caught early this diverse tumor is
easily amenable to treatment. If you wait until they start
complaining of an ulcer, or some other ugly sign on their skin, it will
be too late.
(3) Test stools for trace of blood. A minute amount of blood is a
sign of colon cancer. This test is done in the office.
Because, stools examination will not detect all cancers, make sure mom
and dad get a colonoscopy (visual examination of the colon via a tube
inserted in the anus) every five (5) years. Without a regularly
scheduled colonoscopy Georges Bush Sr. would be dead today.
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(4) Palpate
dad’s prostate for enlargement, complete with a blood test for
prostate antigen. Palpate mom’s breast for a lump, complete
with a mammogram, if mom has not had one in five years or more.
This mammogram, likely to be her last, remains important: Breast cancer
though rare in the elderly is not unheard of.
(5) Check mom and dad’s urines for sugar, blood, and protein. You have
no idea how many deadly diseases this simple test can catch. It
can easily be done in the office using a dipstick. It takes three
minutes.
(6) Check their blood for cholesterol. If the total cholesterol is
more than 280 and the bad cholesterol (LDL) more than 190, please panic.
Mom and dad are not likely to enroll in an exercise program at
Bally’s, or to observe a strenuous Weight Watcher diet. So, ask
the doctor to start them on a cholesterol-reducing drug.
(7) Send mom for a bone density test. If it is low, she must be
started on a medication to avoid debilitating fractures and their
complications. Discuss with the doctor about estrogen,biphosphonates. PTH was approved last month by the FDA for this
condition.
(8) Check their vision and hearing. The acuity of these senses is
slowly lost with aging. Their unnoticed deterioration is the cause
of car accidents, falls, burns, etc…
(9) Mom and dad will need a vaccine against pneumonia (pneumococcal
immunization). This will be even more important if they used to be
smokers or if they suffer from asthma.
(10) Finally, ask the doctor whether there is any problem about mom and
dad taking one baby aspirin (81 mg) a day. This small dose
protects against many conditions such as heart attack, stroke, colon
cancer, leg clots, pulmonary embolism, etc. No TV commercial will
ever tell you about the numerous virtues of this cheap and simple drug
for the simple reason no one is making money out of it.
Print this list and take it to the doctor with you. MAKE SURE all
the ten points are checked before you leave. You do take time out to
service your car twice a year. Schedule this yearly
hangout with mom and dad. If you do so, they will be around
for many more sweaters and many more toasters to come. And, God
will bless you.
(OdlerRobert Jeanlouie, Monday, July 02, 2001)
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