Be patient, understand and forgive

Several weeks ago, I had a check-up with my heart Doctor. When the nurse who was checking me in couldn't feel my pulse, she used an oximeter to check my heart beat. It was still questionable, so she hooked me up to an EKG machine, which clearly showed my pulse rate was in the low 60s.

Two weeks later I called Mick, my brother, and told him about the whole deal. Mick shared that his oximeter usually recorded his pulse rate in the low 60s as well.

I got to thinking about that later and somewhere in between when I had my heart check-up and my telling Mick about it and him telling me his oximeter reading was in the 60s, I recalled I had already told him everything. I simply was repeating my story to Mick, and he never let on he knew it already. I kind of remember telling him but not totally. Makes me wonder how many stories I tell and then retell and retell. Or even how many articles I write and then rewrite later on. I sure hope if I do I'm telling the truth both times or I'm exaggerating about the same thing in both stories.

I've been around guys who have told and retold the same story time after time. It may be a little different each time, but the basics tend to be the same. And I've stood right there and listened and acted surprised about the punch line. Why? I guess I didn't want to belittle them or cut them down for repeating the story. Maybe I didn't want to make them aware they are slipping. Or maybe make them realize they are getting old, and their mind isn't as sharp as it once was.

But is this the response that's needed? I don't really know. I'm sure if we ask an expert, they will have an answer as to what we should do or how to handle the situation. We have a friend who seems to be slowly losing track of their mental history, forgetting past events and friends and events. Slowly getting mixed up about events and people's names. Up to now it's been on a random basis, but we're wondering if in time we may have to intervene. We care enough that we can't let our friend get lost in the cracks of our society.

As we age, our eyesight tends to degrade, especially at night and especially when around bright lights. Some of these new lights are downright blinding. Our hearing takes a nosedive. Never heard of ear protection and ear muffs. Our reflexes are a passel slower. Our balance makes it questionable as to whether us old timers need to be climbing ladders or up on the roof. In general, our body is wearing down. But as long as our mind is sharp, we seem to be able to do most tasks within reason. But what happens when we slowly over a period of years our mind or memory begins to forget or get foggy or just confused? It happens so slowly that it's hard to even recognize.

Back to our friend. We recognize it, because we might not see them for a week or two or even on a monthly basis.

We know they have children, but we aren't real sure about their names and addresses and where to contact them. We are wishing we did, but we don't. I'm wondering that as we age we need to take the initiative to inform our friends as to our family ties but also inform our family as to our close friends. Maybe arrange a meet-and-greet between our family and our close friends. Trade phone numbers and addresses. I guess what I'm driving at is for our family to stay in touch on a regular basis.

Possibly utilize texting or emails or cell phone or Facebook or even facetime. When our own loved one began displaying symptoms of dementia, one of the first keys was their inability to use simple technology.

To do nothing or to ignore the issue invites problems.