Archive for the 'Aging' Category

Poetry and Medicine

Published on April 16, 2012 in Aging, Alternative Medicine, Author Blog, National Poetry Month, Poetry, writer blog, writing and Writing for healing.

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In honor of National Poetry Month, I would like to talk about the link between physicians and poetry. During the course of history there have been many physicians who practiced medicine and were poets. William Carlos Williams is typically the doctor who comes to mind as someone who wrote poems between patients on the prescription pad he kept in his pocket. One of my favorite quotations of his is: “It is not what you say that matters but the manner in which you say it; there lies the secret of the ages.”

Other physician-poets include John Keats, Chekhov, and Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. In my view, the connection is quite clear. Poets tend to be in touch with their deepest emotions and the best physicians are those who are also able to tap into the deepest part of the psyche. In other words, they have the innate ability to connect emotionally with themselves and their patients. Taking this one step further we can use the analogy of the rhythm of a poem being a metaphor for the rhythm of a breath and/or a heartbeat.

Poetry has been incorporated into a number of medical school programs, including Yale and Harvard Schools of Medicine. In a recent article in the New York Times called, “The Doctor as Poet,” (December 1, 2011), by Pauline Chen, M.D. explains how poetry can help physicians empathize and understand what a patient is going through. This can be done by both the reading and writing of poetry. Dr. Rafeael Campo of Harvard Medial school, who is also an award-winning poet, talks about Marilyn Hacker’s “Cancer Winter” which helps her colleagues understand a patient receiving a cancer diagnosis.

In his fabulous book, the Call of Stories, writer and physician Robert Coles, talks about how over the centuries poets who became ill were also inspired to share their experience through poetry. He says, “It prompted them to look not only inward but also backward and forward–to ask the most important and searching questions about life’s meaning.” Coles is an advocate of all narratives and in his book he accentuates the power of poetry and how he admires poets and the merging of poetry and medicine. “Like patients,” he says, “poets are probably holding on for dear life to some words.”

Here is one of William Carlos Williams’ poems, most probably inspired by one of his patients:

Complaint

They call me and I go.
It is a frozen road
past midnight, a dust
of snow caught
in the rigid wheeltracks.
The door opens.
I smile, enter and
shake off the cold.
Here is a great woman
on her side in the bed.
She is sick,
perhaps vomiting,
perhaps laboring
to give birth to
a tenth child. Joy! Joy!
Night is a room
darkened for lovers,
through the jalousies the sun
has sent one golden needle!
I pick the hair from her eyes
and watch her misery
with compassion.

The Oscars — Then and Now …

Published on February 27, 2012 in Aging, Author Blog, Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg and writer blog.

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Growing up in the suburbs of New York City in the 1960s and 1970s, my mother allowed me to watch television if it was The Oscars, the evening news, The Ed Sullivan Show, The Honeymooners, Leave It To Beaver, and I Love Lucy. She considered television bubble gum for the mind, and would rather have taken me to the library or a Broadway show than encourage television. This habit has spilled over into my adulthood, and still at the cocktail parties I frequent, I am never able to converse about the popular television programs. Ask me about spirituality, psychology or what books I have read and I am right there in the middle of the conversation. This is just who I am, and thus, without a doubt, we are truly products of our childhoods.

Nevertheless, unlike today where Oscar parties are common, in those days, people just watched The Oscars with their own families in the confines of their own homes. We came to learn that the best and most powerful awards were always presented last, so falling asleep early was never a viable option. The first half of the Oscars always consisted of movies that most of us never saw because either they were shorts or not readily available to the general public.

In all these years passed, I think I missed seeing The Oscars only once, and it was because we were traveling. I just cannot go without watching it. Many people would rather read about it the next day in the newspaper. Not me. Over the years, there have been many complaints about the awards presentation—they are too long, too boring, too superficial or too political. Each year is different. Each year another complaint or observation. Each year everyone has their opinion. Personally, I enjoy watching no matter what.

Confession: I even enjoy watching the entire red carpet thing, where we get to see the stars and their spontaneous and sometimes inane comments to the reporters. This year there were more dogs on the red carpet than in years past. I enjoy discussing the wardrobes with my daughter, Regine. We talk about the best and worst outfits, the best hairdos and jewelry. We giggle about who looked absolutely horrendous and how they could wear such and such a dress. It is at those moments I suggest she work as a stylist in Hollywood. She has marvelous taste and no doubt would make a ton of money, much more than she makes in New York doing her own thing, but who wants that stress? We talk about who should have won and who did not. We talk about who got nominated and how many times and why they never won. It is a tradition passed down to me from my father and it is in my blood.

Like a good book, I believe the best movies are the ones that leave you with images and feelings that last a long time after the movie is over. It is also a movie that teaches you something about life or helps you tap into an aspect of life you never knew about. Of course, through all this, it must be entertaining, otherwise why watch a movie. Over the years, I have had my favorite hosts. Admittedly, one of my all-time favorites hosted this year’s Awards—Billy Crystal. He is so funny. Gets me laughing. I still chuckle at the year he came out on stage on a white horse. What a hoot. My next favorite host was Whoopi Goldberg, who hosted a number of times. She’s marvelous, funny and bright. The last time she hosted was in 1994, and that evening is posted on YouTube. Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3S6v5yIMKs

Whoopi said she was asked to host because she seems to cross so many ethnic and political lives. “I’m and equal opportunity offender,” she offered.

Each year there is usually one movie that walks away with a slew of awards. This year, “The Artist” was that movie. It won best picture, best director, best actor, best original score, and costume design! It was a great movie and the first silent movie in nearly 100 years to win an award. Bravo!

TO MY READERS: Did you watch the Oscars last night? What did you think? Were you happy about the Academy’s decisions? I would love to hear from you and what you liked most about the awards!

The Mind-Body Connection

Published on January 25, 2010 in Aging, Baby Boomers, Health and Wellness, Journaling, Journals, Musings, Spirituality and Writing, journaling.

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I suppose, once a nurse, always a nurse. Even though I have not practiced nursing in over twenty-five years, I have an innate interest in health issues try to keep up with all the recent advances. In recent years and many illnesses later, I have become more and more interested in the mind-body connection.

This past weekend I attended a lecture given by Dr. Hans Gruenn who runs the Longevity Center in Los Angeles. Now, isn’t this a perfect lecture for a baby boomer wanting to remain forever young?  Dr. Gruenn, originally from Germany, spoke on “Advances in Integrative Medicine,” and gave a powerful and poignant two-hour talk.

Integrative medicine is a type of medical practice that incorporates physical western medicine in addition to  alternative therapies while taking into consideration psychological, environmental, historical and genetic factors. It relies upon a partnership between the patient and the physician and is considered a way to treat the body, mind and spirit all at once.

The major question Dr. Gruenn posed for us, is to ask ourselves, not why we  get sick, but why don’t we heal? He believes that the patient must do their part in maintaining their health. He quoted Voltaire – “The doctor is to entertain the patient while he heals.” He admitted that some people have a tendency to see an array of doctors looking for solutions to their health problems, but that there is a real danger in seeing too many doctors and having too many tests. He agrees that we must pick and choose. He spoke about the difference between medical practice in the United States and in Europe and how the basis of good health gets down to good nutrition and eating fresh organic foods, instead of processed foods. He said that due to poor diets, the life expectancy for our children will be shorter than ours.

In general, he said, “Medicine keeps you honest. It makes you think why you  are stuck, whether it is for emotional, physical or genetic reasons.” He believes that the practice of medicine is a searching process and that if a patient comes into his office for a medical problem, he will typically treat that problem, however, if they do not heal by traditional methods, he will examine other reasons which might prevent their healing, including medical history, ancestors’ history and their general state of health.

His recommendation for good health is to examine the following:

1)   What is your weak spot? How can you address it?

2)   What is your diet? Do you have a metabolic problem? Genetic issue?

3)   Do you have food sensitivities or allergies?

4)   How acidic are you? (your pH should be over

He suggested the following basic supplements for health (which I was already happily take!)

1)   Omega 3’s (anti-inflammatory)

2)   Minerals

3)   Digestive enzymes

4)   Vitamin D

5)   Probiotics

If your blood test show deficiencies, you might be instructed to take additional supplements. In the 1970s when I studied nursing, Integrative Medicine was not even in my curriculum. Practitioners in this field were regarded as being on the fringe or practicing quackery. Even acupuncture and chiropractic treatments which are more readily accepted today, were considered questionable treatments.

Today is different, many nursing and medical schools are teaching their students to think in an integrative way with the understanding that the  body, mind and spirit all interact and are never independent of one another. Nutrition is part of the curriculum, whereas typically in those days, it was not.

There’s no doubt that some non-traditional treatments might not work or may not have been adequately tested, but with good research and referrals, it is certainly worth a try. Personally, I believe in the mind-body-spirit connection. As  someone who  meditates and writes in a journal daily, I can honestly say that it makes a huge difference in managing my own stress levels!

Boomers Become Elders

Published on January 11, 2010 in Aging, Baby Boomers, General Information, Health, inspiration, Musings, Writing for healing and Writing, journaling.

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This past week my dearest uncle Lou [cousin Jed's father], suddenly passed away. Lou was a dynamic, vibrant, enthusiastic, loving 91-year old whose presence brought a smile on the face of whoever’s path he crossed. He had this indescribable lightness of being and he was a gentleman in every sense of the word. He was a man who right until the end, continued to give back to his community by helping to care for the less fortunate. Lou was from my father’s generation of men and women who I greatly admire. This was the generation I called upon for doses of wisdom and a sense of perspective when life had a tendency to go astray or when there were no answers to unexplainable problems or concerns.

As I sat on the airplane on the way home from his funeral in Florida, my eyes stretched out towards the heavens trying to grasp onto his spirit and keep it close to my heart. I hoped that wherever he might be, he was peaceful and would continue to watch over us.

After twelve hours of travel, I returned home, unpacked my suitcase and sat down at the vanity in my bathroom. For some reason the gray hairs encircling my face were a little brighter and more obvious. I suddenly realized that for my children’s generation,  I am the generation they will look to for their wisdom, in the way that I looked to Lou’s generation for my solace. I stood up from my chair, pulled back my shoulders and walked to the liquor cabinet for some Armagnac [special brandy from France], something I learned from the previous generation to do at the end of the day. My father-in-law swears by its healing powers to help with everything from sore throats to depression. I also learned from my father to be kind, non-judgmental and to treat people with respect. Habits like these are ones I’ve learned after years of standing on the shoulders of giants. I now realize that every snippet of wisdom they shared is now cherished more than ever. Today, there are only a few remaining who were born in the early 20th century. For me, it’s Uncle Bob, my father’s brother who voiced his somber sentiments at Lou’s funeral by saying, “It’s so sad, it’s as if our generation is all standing in line waiting to die, and we never know who will be next.”

Uncle Bob’s words stopped me in my tracks as I tried to imagine what it must be like not having anyone to look up to, or to glance  around the room at family gatherings to see that there is no one older. Also, there was a sense of the end of the road, a sense that there is nothing to look forward to and that everything that generation has seen has been seen many times over. My response  to Uncle Bob got lodged in my throat and all I could say was, “Uncle Bob you’re fine; you look great.” I really did not know what else to say but I did start some serious thinking. I thought about how my generation needs to prepare for the role of being the seniors and bestowing wisdom onto the next generation. We are soon to be the pillars holding everything together, but the big question is are we ready? Are us baby boomers ready to walk in those shoes and share the wisdom of our predecessors?

This New Year brings so many things to think about!