The Magic of Positivity

Know not I Who art thou 

But you amaze me 

With your grit 

You are indeed an inspiration

On a hot February afternoon, I was waiting to see my father’s GP with some of his medical reports. Advancing dementia and related health issues had meant that he had to be hospitalized recently in a rather serious condition. I remember sitting outside the GP’s chamber with a mixture of irritation and worry. Irritation because I could not see the doctor soon enough and worried because I did not know what to expect next.

 I sat there drumming my fingers on the chair next to me and glancing up at the doctor’s chamber. The red light meant that there was a patient inside. After a while,  an elderly lady walked out of the doctors’ room. She had an unstable gait and poor eyesight. I guessed she should easily be in her 70s, if not more 

It was my turn to go in next, but the doctor asked me to wait as she had to attend to an emergency. Nodding, I went back to my seat and waited. After a few moments, this elderly lady trudged past me again with a tray full of medicines. I watched her. Making herself comfortable on the chair, she diligently took out her prescription and an old pen from her handbag. Taking the prescription sheet close to her reading distance, she started to check the medicines and tick each one of them diligently after verifying them from the tray. Her patience was incredible.

 I  took out my phone and clicked her picture and continued to watch her in amazement,  her sheer perseverance. Her mind and vocabulary were so active. A few moments later, I was called inside by the doctor, and I showed her the photograph. She smiled at me. Continuing further, she said that the lady was in her early eighties and was both a diabetic and hypertensive. 

The key to this issue of such activeness is the mind(the doctor said). If we keep our minds active and engaged, the problems of dementia and Alzheimers don’t arise. 

The magic wand is actually in our hands. Why let an uninvited guest into our cerebral home? Why let it play havoc with our lives? But Alas! not many understand this. If they did, numerous families could have a good night’s sleep. 

May you remain active till the Very End  Grandma.