Ladies of a Certain Age ~ for those invisible powerful, dynamic, vital women

The topic of health, including docs and pills, seems to come up every time I am with a group of ladies of a certain age.  For example, this past Friday night a good portion of the conversation revolved around cholesterol and its treatment, including curbing sugar grams and taking medication such as statins.

Frankly, I don’t know what is wrong with me because I try to escape to another room when talk about health, docs and pills come up.  I find my behavior particularly strange because I worked for the American Cancer Society, one of the world’s largest drug makers, Novartis, and Colorado’s only academic medical hospital.  As a child, I was taught doctors are gods by my parents.  I vividly remember “waiting for the doctor to call” when my mom was sick.

Frankly, I am cynical as ”H-E-Double Toothpick” about doctors and drugs and their salaries and profits.

Yet, examples of Western medical progress easily come to mind.  In 1955 President Ike Eisenhower had a heart attack in Denver, and he spent seven weeks at the Fitzsimons Army Medical Center (now called Building 500) on the Anschutz Medical Campus.  John Carroll, M.D., Co-Director Cardiac and Vascular Center at University of Colorado Hospital, told me he would now spend two days in the hospital.  I remember the sadness my La Leche League group felt in the early 1970s when one of our members lost her 6-month old son, to spina bifida.  It was rare for a baby then to live that long.  Today, my 5-year-old grandson, who has spina bifida, and I enjoy Slurpies and giggles together.

I think my cynicism is due in part to the routine prescription writing many doctors do for women of a certain age.  These medications often include: drugs such as Boniva (bisphosphonates) for anticipated bone loss, anxiety or depression medication, statins for cholesterol, and Lunesta and others for sleep problems. Fifteen years ago, the list would have included estrogen, too. In my mother’s day, tranquilizers, such as Miltown, were commonly prescribed for ladies of a certain age.  Her younger sister took Valium.

Another part of my cynicism comes from my grandpa’s belief, “Say you won’t be sick and you won’t be sick.”  That part of the family stayed away from pills and docs.  My grandfather lived to his late 80s, many others lived into their 90s and my grandpa’s big brother surpassed the 100 mark.  My grandfather grew a huge vegetable garden, ate very little meat, drank some wine and beer and walked a lot.

I’m not sure what I would do if I got cancer.  My father’s (and other family members’ and friends’) last days and months were centered on surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and drug therapies. They all tried so hard to fight cancer so they could stay here longer for their families. But, he and the others “in their fight” did not have much quality time for family.  A couple of things I learned from that experience is that even though my father had great insurance, the surgeries, treatments, and hospital stays still cost an enormous deal of money. (It is expensive to run a hospital, pay docs, buy equipment and medication); and my father for the most part received good pain management thanks to the vigilance of his family who were always at his bedside, monitored his care closely and spoke up assertively for him.

It takes a great deal of courage and stamina for a lady of a certain age to do two things regarding her health: 1. Take the time to research pills, docs and procedures in order to be clear what she feels is right for her; 2. Stand up for her beliefs amongst the barrage of marketing and advertisements,  and the DOCTOR AUTHORITIVE FIGURE — aka,  a western medicine god or goddess.

For me, I have decided that I will undergo certain cancer screenings such as those for breast and colon.  I may do surgery or other therapies if these conditions are detected and I may not. If I didn’t, I would tell my family and friends I want to spend time with them and not “fight it.”   I will not take Boniva or any similar drug for my osteoporosis, and I will continue to follow my grandpa’s example of growing a garden, walking lots and drinking wine with dinner.  In addition I have found yoga to be most beneficial for body and soul and the discipline of the spiritual program I follow helps with anxiety, depression and sleep.

Can we change the subject, Ladies?