[MartinSE]

Originally Posted by Happydaz

I had a slow start in the healthy living category. I smoked up until I was 31 and I stayed out too late on occasion. (Understatement) I did quit smoking among other bad habits in my early thirties and that did have an effect on my five sons. I didn’t preach but I told them the mistakes I had made and left it at that. I was always a very aggressive gardener and spent hours digging, cutting, etc.. all the time. That kept me in moderately good shape, but in my middle age I ballooned to 212 pounds and didn’t feel in any position to talk about good health habits. Finally in my 60’s I started to lose weight and tried to eat better.

The most dramatic change occurred nine years ago when I moved to The Villages. Right after moving here I bought a carbon fiber road bicycle and now bicycle well over 100 miles a week. My weight dropped to 160 pounds and I am in the best shape of my adult life. I still garden like crazy and lift hand weights. What have I seen? The neighbors who moved in at the same time used to chuckle when they saw me all dirty and sweaty from gardening and they would ask me why I do that to my self. So what has happened? They no longer laugh as now many of them are having health problems, etc and they no longer give me a hard time. This is the lesson I mention to my sons, I am shocked about the divergence I see among my friends and neighbors who are in their mid seventies. People who have drank too much, ate too much and didn’t exercise over these last years are really getting sick. Heart problems, circulation problems etc. One of my son’s father in law, the same age as me, drinks excessively and just quit smoking. At a graduation party for our granddaughter I noticed how sick he looked. His wife said he had COPD but looking at his swollen feet (he was wearing sandals) it appeared that he had other issues. He drank beer after beer. He mentioned to me that getting old was really bad. When I returned to The Villages I was so thankful that we have the opportunities here to have the best possible health. We can’t blame our problems on the weather or work pressures. That is what I try to instill in my sons that you can improve your health at any age.

I think you were my neighbor in McClure? I was always impressed with how active you were. Jealous was the word that came to me... Keep up the good life!

[Michael G.]

Trouble with all this talking about bad health habits in your youth is when your in our teens and 20's,
we think where going to live forever.

Do some of you veterans when in the service remember getting cigarettes in you C-rations?
I think mine where Lucky Strike.

[asianthree]

All in our immediate family is in health care, from premed, med school, RN, to Doctors. We have to so many colleges to support sports, it’s hard to keep up.

Health conversations has been a staple in our family from the time they could talk. We’re good on any level

[MartinSE]

Originally Posted by Michael G.

Trouble with all this talking about bad health habits in your youth is when your in our teens and 20's,
we think where going to live forever.

Do some of you veterans when in the service remember getting cigarettes in you C-rations?
I think mine where Lucky Strike.

Yes, I recall the smokes. it was a "good thing" for us smokers, and a windfall for the cigarette companies.

I liked that in Boot camp (in the Marines) you had to declare if you were a smoker BEFORE boot camp. If you didn't you didn't get to smoke. Period. LOL! I said I didn't. Boy did I regret that!

[MartinSE]

Originally Posted by asianthree

All in our immediate family is in health care, from premed, med school, RN, to Doctors. We have to so many colleges to support sports, it’s hard to keep up.

Health conversations has been a staple in our family from the time they could talk. We’re good on any level

Outstanding! An example for all of us!

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

It's a good idea, but probably won't do much good. I don't even think that doctors spend much effort talking to their patients about bad health habits. They would rather write a prescription. Also, I don't understand why anyone would start smoking today, but a lot do.

Except for your last sentence, you are 110% wrong

[asianthree]

Originally Posted by MartinSE

Outstanding! An example for all of us!

Funny story, when our youngest went to college, medical history box said hadn’t been to a doctor since his vaccinations. Doctor asked what did you do if you needed stitches? He laughed..in our family sutures done at kitchen table.

[MartinSE]

Originally Posted by asianthree

Funny story, when our youngest went to college, medical history box said hadn’t been to a doctor since his vaccinations. Doctor asked what did you do if you needed stitches? He laughed..in our family sutures done at kitchen table.

Our family was almost the opposite.

My grandfather was a Christian Scientist that did not believe in Doctors.

He fell off the roof (he was building a house for homeless people) when he was 82. He was taken to a hospital and they said he had some broken bones including hip (maybe? it was a long time ago). The put a cast on him that went from waist to foot. That night he climbed out the hospital window, limped out and hitch hiked home. Got a saw out and cut off the cast. Laid in bed until he was better and then finished the house. He was VERY stubborn.

[Nucky]

I had the good fortune to get a great doctor at the age of 34 when I was in the hospital with the second case of double pneumonia in 3 years. He really put some time into connecting with me on several issues which could have taken me out at any time.

The first thing he got me to see the light on was wearing a seat belt. I had not had any accidents before or since his talk with me but he talked to me, not at me. Don't forget I was still at the invincible age. Then by divine intervention he actually got me to consider stopping smoking because he didn't think opening the 4th pack of Marlboro's every day was a good idea. It took almost a year but eventually, I did quit. Then he did the impossible. He sent an actual Geek to my house complete with a pocket protector and he looked like Michael Douglas in that movie where he went beserk on everyone. I asked him what can I do for you sir and he said he just wanted to hear my story about my drinking career and drugs if it applied. I was open to speaking to him but not quitting drinking. No way. I didn't care for drugs at all so no problem there. It took a while for me to hit my first A.A. meeting but I finally surrendered and haven't had a drink in a little over 28 years. We are still best of friends, actually brotherly with that Geek. The years don't matter as you just take it day by day and then repeat.

I have kept in touch with Dr. Patel since I was in my 30's. My kids know him and so does my wife. I owe this man my very life.

I talked to my kids and now my grandkids about how much better their lives can be if they just try to do the correct thing and don't succumb to peer pressure. I adjust my story depending on the age of the child. The lines of communication are always open with all the youngins in our family because I learned to listen and then talk to them, not at them.

My Dear Mother called me Otis. I'm most grateful that she got to see me sober for a couple of years before she passed.

We have Dr. Patel in charge of everything when the time comes for decisions to be made. then it would be our oldest son. He's logical and a good decision maker.

[MartinSE]

Originally Posted by Nucky

I had the good fortune to get a great doctor at the age of 34 when I was in the hospital with the second case of double pneumonia in 3 years. He really put some time into connecting with me on several issues which could have taken me out at any time.

The first thing he got me to see the light on was wearing a seat belt. I had not had any accidents before or since his talk with me but he talked to me, not at me. Don't forget I was still at the invincible age. Then by divine intervention he actually got me to consider stopping smoking because he didn't think opening the 4th pack of Marlboro's every day was a good idea. It took almost a year but eventually, I did quit. Then he did the impossible. He sent an actual Geek to my house complete with a pocket protector and he looked like Michael Douglas in that movie where he went beserk on everyone. I asked him what can I do for you sir and he said he just wanted to hear my story about my drinking career and drugs if it applied. I was open to speaking to him but not quitting drinking. No way. I didn't care for drugs at all so no problem there. It took a while for me to hit my first A.A. meeting but I finally surrendered and haven't had a drink in a little over 28 years. I'm still best of friends, actually brotherly with that Geek. The years don't matter as you just take it day by day and then repeat.

I have kept in touch with Dr. Patel since I was in my 30's. My kids know him and so does my wife. I owe this man my very life.

I talked to my kids and now my grandkids about how much better their lives can be if they just try to do the correct thing and don't succumb to peer pressure. I adjust my story depending on the age of the child. The lines of communication are always open with all the youngins in our family because I learned to listen and then talk to them, not at them.

My Dear Mother called me Otis. I'm most grateful that she got to see me sober for a couple of years before she passed.

We have Dr. Patel in charge of everything when the time comes for decisions to be made. then it would be our oldest son. He's logical and a good decision maker.

Sounds like Dr. Patel is one of the great ones. I think most doctors are excellent. I know mine at the VA is, she has the patience of a Saint with me and my Dr Google questions. If I find a study I think might help she either explains it to me, or researches it and always gets back to be within days. I am surely blessed with her.

[Happydaz]

Originally Posted by Nucky

I had the good fortune to get a great doctor at the age of 34 when I was in the hospital with the second case of double pneumonia in 3 years. He really put some time into connecting with me on several issues which could have taken me out at any time.

The first thing he got me to see the light on was wearing a seat belt. I had not had any accidents before or since his talk with me but he talked to me, not at me. Don't forget I was still at the invincible age. Then by divine intervention he actually got me to consider stopping smoking because he didn't think opening the 4th pack of Marlboro's every day was a good idea. It took almost a year but eventually, I did quit. Then he did the impossible. He sent an actual Geek to my house complete with a pocket protector and he looked like Michael Douglas in that movie where he went beserk on everyone. I asked him what can I do for you sir and he said he just wanted to hear my story about my drinking career and drugs if it applied. I was open to speaking to him but not quitting drinking. No way. I didn't care for drugs at all so no problem there. It took a while for me to hit my first A.A. meeting but I finally surrendered and haven't had a drink in a little over 28 years. I'm still best of friends, actually brotherly with that Geek. The years don't matter as you just take it day by day and then repeat.

I have kept in touch with Dr. Patel since I was in my 30's. My kids know him and so does my wife. I owe this man my very life.

I talked to my kids and now my grandkids about how much better their lives can be if they just try to do the correct thing and don't succumb to peer pressure. I adjust my story depending on the age of the child. The lines of communication are always open with all the youngins in our family because I learned to listen and then talk to them, not at them.

My Dear Mother called me Otis. I'm most grateful that she got to see me sober for a couple of years before she passed.

We have Dr. Patel in charge of everything when the time comes for decisions to be made. then it would be our oldest son. He's logical and a good decision maker.

Great story! We have a lot of similarities. I too talk to the grandkids on taking it easy in college and trying to avoid drugs. You can’t stop anyone from doing what they want to do even if you have a little conversation with them, but you will always be there in the “back of their heads” when they run into trouble. Some problems tend to run in families and I have talked to all my sons about our medical history. They are now communicating that information and concerns to their children. Sometimes I am asked for advice. I offer it up and then let it go. It is up to them if they want to run with it. My best role is to be a good example to them. I tell them what I did, what happened to me, how I felt and what I did to get back on tract. If they see anything they can identify with than they can make some changes in their lives, but that is solely up to them. I try not to lecture. I know how I hated people telling me what I should do, but if someone told me how they got sick or screwed up totally and then told me how they got better, I might listen to that.

[Happydaz]

Originally Posted by MartinSE

I think you were my neighbor in McClure? I was always impressed with how active you were. Jealous was the word that came to me... Keep up the good life!

That wasn’t me, I live elsewhere, but thanks for the positive remarks!

[La lamy]

I appreciated hearing about health issues when I was young. Seeing my mom's dentures sure helped me take extremely good care of my teeth, seeing heart issues in my dad's family also made me aware of trying to avoid those problems. Even seeing painful arthritis helped me research how to avoid it best I can. My dad was from the school of "don't talk about health issues", but my mom was a wide open book. I much preferred being in the know.

[Sandy and Ed]

Originally Posted by Michael G.

Trouble with all this talking about bad health habits in your youth is when your in our teens and 20's,
we think where going to live forever.

Do some of you veterans when in the service remember getting cigarettes in you C-rations?
I think mine where Lucky Strike.

Yup. Remember it well. Four cigarettes in a pack. My nonsmoking friends gave me their packs. Only casually smoked until I went in service. Then free or very cheap cigarettes and “light ‘em if you got ‘em” and eventually I became a chain smoker. Dad, an avid smoker, had throat cancer take him. He kicked my butt when he caught me as a child smoking but no real conversation about the ills of smoking. At 75, after a lung resection and some subsequent proton therapy sessions I think I may now be cancer free (?? Can never tell for sure).
EDUCATION and negative societal/peer pressure is the best way to discourage smoking

[Ginmato]

[QUOTE=MartinSE;2128016]Now that I am in my 70's things are starting to wear out and some of those clubs I paid dues into all my life are starting to pay dividends (smoking 2 packs of non-filter Pall Mall's a day for 45 years - approximately $98,000 not counting interest) like the membership in the "I got cancer" club...

I have been pondering lately if it would have made any difference if my parents and grandparents had ever discussed how their health was and how it was impacting their quality of life. My family considered any discussion of health taboo, off limits - those dark little secrets not to be discussed.

Since I retired I have encouraged my children (7 kids - almost countless grand and great-grand kids) to ask questions and openly discuss health issues.

What is everyones opinion.

Do you openly discuss growing older with your kids - not preaching, just openly discussing it.[/QUOTE]

I’m trying to decide. There is a lot of cancer in my family. For years, doctors have been asking me about genetic testing. We all know we have a strong chance of getting cancer in my family. It’s starting to hit my generation now. A first cousin has bladder cancer. Most of us are vigilant and have started early screenings for various cancers. I don’t understand what genetic testing will do. I had blood drawn for tumor markers. They all came back negative. I do have CLL and see my oncologist every 6 months. I have a colonoscopy ever 3 years. I guess genetic testing would tell me definitively that I have the genes for certain cancers. What would I then do any differently? Maybe my doctors would treat me more aggressively when something comes up rather than with a wait and see attitude? They tell me my kids would benefit. If my blood tumor markers are negative ( which they were) and my gene tests are negative, it ends with me. My kids don’t have to worry and get tested beyond normal screenings that everyone should have at certain ages. Comments? Opinions? I’d appreciate them.