Very clever. My wife wasn't overly impressed. She reckons it looked "weird". On the other hand, when I showed her the one with your dad and uncle she was "a bit moved".
I might see if I can dig out a photo of my grandfather and try one with him and dad. Grandpa died about the same age as dad.
He went to the docs for a checkup and the doc said "Your blood pressure is looking good Jack". So grandpa took that to mean he could stop taking his blood pressure meds. Cold turkey.
He was back at the docs twice in the next 2 weeks for "cracking headaches" and the doc never thought to either ask him if he was still taking the pills, or check his blood pressure.
He stroked out at the kitchen table after breakfast.
It's not infrequently I repeat this story because I feel it's an important "learning moment" and I'd hate to think someone else made the same mistake when it could have been avoided so easily.
We've lost at least one of every generation of our family prematurely. My grandfather to blood pressure meds (in his 70's), his brother to an improperly installed hot water heater (CO poisoning in his 40's). Dad to Cancer. My cousin (she was 4 years older than me) to a rare (12 cases in the world) disease and my son to Cancer. Yet my grandfather (at 104) keeps going even though he has bugger all memory and has no idea who I am, let alone his kids. He keeps saying "I don't want to be here, just knock me on the head", but the law prevents us.
If nothing else it's a solemn reminder that "nobody gets out alive". I went to a networking dinner last night where several of the attendees were about my age with kids about my kids age and the question came up "How many kids do you have?". I feel the need to answer honestly, then brush it quickly under the carpet with a shrug and a "yeah but" before it stops the conversation dead. Makes me feel a bit cold and callous, but it's either pretend it didn't happen "Oh, I have an 11 year old", or gloss over it so other people don't feel uncomfortable.
If you visit a country town cemetery, a fair majority of the headstones prior to about 1920 are kids. We've made massive progress in health outcomes since then, but not everyone wins.
Anyway, I apologise that got morbid fast. If you are prescribed meds, take them!
MY08 D3 - The Antichrist - "Permagrimace". Turn the key and play the "will it get me home again" lottery.
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Very Very Lucky!
Originally Posted by NavyDiver
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