A Look Into the Future
Submitted by mlichter on 2008, July 30 - 11:23.
Ever wonder what the future holds? I just did. It had nothing to do with my health and well-being, not even that of my mother or older brother. It had to do with my daughter.
Being the child of a mother who died of scleroderma and the granddaughter of a woman who died of lupus, it's fairly reasonable to think about whether these autoimmune diseases, which some consider hereditary, will rear their ugly heads some time during my daughter's life. Is she destined to the same fate that took the lives of the two women she loved most? Will there be medicines and treatments to help her that were lacking when her mother and grandmother were ill? Will she need to rely on me to care for her as I cared for them? Or am I worrying for no reason?
My father used to have a saying: "Don't worry until you have something to worry about." It sounds good, but doesn't do a lot when it comes to preparedness. On the other hand, should my daughter be destined to develop one of these diseases, is there anything she or I could really do to prepare? I think so.
No, we can't prevent their occurrence, if they are to occur at all. But there are things that can be done, such as:
Prepare mentally. This is not a suggestion that one be fatalistic. Rather, the idea is to be realistic. Develop the attitude that you might have a fight ahead of you and that you must have your head screwed on straight in order to face the potential problem directly, quickly and with a minimum of fear. And you have to remember that just because it happened to them doesn't mean it will happen to you.
Stay aware. Keep abreast of research and therapies related to the diseases. Be involved in the associated organizations that seek research funding and provide advice and support. Learn who are the leading doctors in the field and at which facilities there is focus on your condition.
Take tests. If there are ways to gauge the likelihood of developing the disease, consider taking them. The questions that arise prior to making these decisions include: If positive, will the knowledge scare me beyond my ability to cope? Will my having this test adversely affect my receiving future insurance benefits, and can I afford to have that happen? What good will come from my knowledge? How reliable are the tests?
Arrange finances. There's nothing like putting something away for a rainy day. You never know when the skies might open up, so create a "just in case" account. You don't know now what the healthcare world will be like in terms of HMOs, universal care, Medicare/Medicaid, as-is insurance, etc., so having some cash set aside could come in handy. And if you come to a point when you think you've passed the point of concern, just re-direct those funds to something more enjoyable.
Prepare paperwork. Healthcare proxies, POAs, care directives, trusts, insurance, wills, the whole nine yards. These things are not just for the ailing and elderly; they're for those who think of what might be.
Relax. What will be, will be. There's only so much you can do about the future. But taking care of yourself—physically, psychologically and spiritually—goes a long way to preventing the onset of a disease and your ability to deal with it should it arrive. See your doctor regularly. Watch your diet. Exercise. Stay calm, maybe with the help of a little meditation or yoga or prayer or by just doing things in life that bring you pleasure. Live life to the fullest and love with all your heart.