When I read all about the poor health of people in third world countries, I am very grateful for my team of doctors, dentist, and eye care experts that have kept me going into old age.
First line of defense in anybody’s health is your dentist.
He checks the lymph nodes in neck and jaw line, looks for lesions in the mouth and under the tongue, and in general bully’s you into flossing.
If you neglect these items, the impacted tooth can lead to a general infection and heart problems.
The primary care doctor makes sure that you keep up with flu shots, and for women the bone density scan every two years and mammogram every year. Blood tests are important to find vitamin and calcium deficiencies. I know, the appointments and drug costs are sometimes burdensome, but think of the alternative.
The cardiologist works with the primary care doctor, and keep the old ticker in shape with the appropriate medication. The patient also is obliged to keep her weight down and get out walking in the fresh if sometimes polluted air.
Being a reader and retired librarian, I was noticing that I had some trouble focusing, so got an appointment with an optometrist for an eye check.
Along with the regular checks he found that I needed eye surgery to prevent glaucoma, so whisked me off to another expert the ophthalmologist for laser surgery. this surgery opened the eye drainage channel so pressure would not build up and lead to blindness. In my case it got caught just in time.
And last but not least, is the very friendly and talented Dr. Bloom, a top dermatologist who makes my face in the mirror happier.
He is very attentive to spots on my nose, forehead, and back of the neck. In the past two years, he has frozen suspicious looking spots, and done a biopsy of a sun wart that proved not to be cancerous.
With my family history it is a wonder that I have lived this long.
The fact that I have lived to be this great age and can look far younger is due to the fact that i do not despair at the face in the mirror, and can enjoy each day as it comes.
It does take a bit longer in the morning to put myself together, and apply all the pills, notions and potions to protect me from the great outside, but I follow my doctor’s advice, and have never been steered wrong. That trick of wetting the skin and then applying Vaseline seals the moisture in. It is not expensive or time consuming, and the result still gets me compliments.
Maybe it is just genetics, but having no bags under the eyes in the morning, and getting up ready to enjoy the day is due to the close co operation between myself and my Great Health Team!
