I was just speaking with a client, who is now in her 70′s. She had spent a year caring for her mother at home. She had had to make a lot of decisions for her mother who had had a stroke and was unable to participate in this. She had few regrets about what she did for her mother, and would have done it all over again.
But she had no children of her own and was beginning to worry about who would make those decisions for her, should she have a stroke.
I suggested to her that she start to think about that now and get it written down, just as she had done for her will. Does she want to be at home with care takers there? Does she want to go to assisted living and if so, where?
The next step will be to find someone to carry out her wishes. If there are no family or friends who can do this, there are agencies, attorneys and others when will take this responsibilities.
This is not a bad idea even if you know that there will be family there for you. You wished that your parents had been more open in talking to you about this, well, its time to talk to your children now.
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Wouldn’t it be great if our doctors just knew how to ask questions and had all the time in the world to look into all the possible reasons why we, and our parents or children, are ill? Ya, that would be wonderful, but it isn’t reality.
My worst care taking night mare came the day Dad was hospitalized with aspiration pneumonia. He was floridly hallucinating from the high fever, couldn’t take anything by mouth and the doctor was insisting that I take him home. This was a huge battle and while I won, I sure wish I had known more about how to do it. Months later he had another minor bout and saw things that he knew weren’t there. A doctor who had never met him prescribed an anti-psychotic that would have dulled his brain.
But other were many other instances when things just didn’t seem right and the doctor, most of whom were trying, just weren’t getting something right. I needed a system. I wish I had had these two doctors teaching me how to communicate with doctors in a way that would help us all work together. This book is filled with examples of compelling stories that show what can go wrong and then specific advice to follow, to make it better for you and your loved ones in the doctor’s office.
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My Mom had shingles when she was in her 50′s. She complained of back pain so they put her in the hospital, flat on her back, in traction! Doctors know best, after all. When she kept complaining they just assigned that to her personality. Finally, when she was taken out, they saw her back was riddled with shingles. Just another example of How Doctors Think
However, shingles is in the news again, well, at least its in drug company advertizements. A client of mine is getting her shot because her mother, at 82 has shingles in her eye. That got me thinking that I might make an exception for this one. Well, at least I am doing some research.
NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE
Don’t mean to scare you with the picture, but to be fair, it is nasty
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Believe it or not these flourless brownies, with lots of protein and fiber are irresistible. When your parents or even grandchildren see you enjoying these they will know that this isn’t the usual chalky drink stuff, but a real treat. In fact, it can be a party, a nutritional one!
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 c. unsalted butter
2 c. canned black beans, drained well
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
2 scoops Chocolate Herbalfe Meal Replacement Powder.
1 c. walnuts, chopped
1/4 c. instant coffee grounds
1/4 tsp. sea salt
4 eggs
1 c. light agave syrup
Preheat the oven to 325. Line a baking pan (11×13) with parchment paper.
Melt the chocolate and butter in a glass bowl in the microwave for 2 minutes.
Once melted completely, stir with a spoon. Place the beans, 1 scoop meal replacement
powder, the vanilla extract, and 4 or 5 spoonfuls of the melted chocolate
mixture into the food processor. Blend until the beans are very smooth.
In a large bowl, mix together the walnuts and 1 more scoop Prograde Protein
powder. Add the remaining melted chocolate mixture, coffee grounds, and salt.
Mix well.
In a separate bowl, with a mixer, beat the eggs until light, about a minute. Add
the agave syrup, and beat well. Set aside.
Add the 3 separate bowls (bean and chocolate mixture, coffee and chocolate
mixture, and egg mixture) together. Blend well. Pour into your prepared pan.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the brownies are set. Let cool in the pan
completely before cutting into squares. Better yet, let these cool, and then
refrigerate, and they cut even easier.
Nuts may be substituted or omitted. (but what are brownies without walnuts)
Also, coffee can easily be omitted and it may be best to do so if that is an issue. I make them without it and they are great.
Call me @ 919 844 7904 for information about the Heralife Meal Replacement
Makes 32 servings
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I was just speaking with a client, who is now in her 70′s. She had spent a year caring for her mother at home. She had had to make a lot of decisions for her mother who had had a stroke and was unable to participate in this. She had few regrets about what she did for her mother, and would have done it all over again.
