a few years ago, a relative suddenly lost a large amount of weight. before the weight loss, he was slender with a healthy appearance. in a matter of months, he looked haggard and decidedly unwell. soon after, during a routine health checkup with his doctor, he learned that he had diabetes. at first, he was scrupulous in following a diet that would help him keep his illness under control. as time passed, he became less careful about what he ate. it was too easy to check his blood sugar levels and take insulin and eat whatever he wanted, and he gave up trying to keep his diabetes under control. we've just learned that he now has another major health problem and are anxiously awaiting what his course of treatment will be.
now, another close relative has been diagnosed with diabetes. he is being very careful about his diet, and, at present, he is not having to take any medication to keep his blood sugar under control. it is our hope that he will continue to watch what he eats. his doctor has told him that if he follows his current diet, he may be recover without further medical intervention. that is what he is working toward.
we all must deal with the problems that aging and our past behaviors bring. for many, it is the onset of illnesses like diabetes. in our country, this disease is affecting younger and younger members of the population, largely because of our unhealthy eating habits and addiction to sugary, processed foods. so far, my blood sugar levels have been good, and i hope that continues. my biggest worry is kidney failure. i have chronic kidney disease, as did my father. there has been no change in the level of the disease for quite some time, and at my last checkup a few days ago, there had been a small improvement in my kidney function. my doctor warned that my problem is a consequence of having lived as long as i have, given my family history, and it cannot be reversed. he said that the fact that it has not progressed in several years is a good sign that it can be held in check with a healthy lifestyle. i hope that he's right.
over the past year and a half, i've gradually lost fifteen pounds. i haven't followed any special diet. i simply haven't eaten as much as i used to. my wife has done the same with similar results. we find as we've gotten older that we don't require as much food and that has brought about our weight loss. again, my doctor has told me that i'm enjoying several benefits from my reduced weight. i don't have to take as much medication to control my blood pressure. my chronic back pain has all but disappeared, and he credits my improved kidney function to my reduced weight.
the suffering brought about by having lived so long is inevitable. what is not inevitable is how we deal with it. we cannot change the past, but we can exercise some control over the present and thereby have some control over the future. we can take steps to improve, or at least stabilize, our health. we can refuse to give in to the ravages of disease and old age while still accepting the fact that this type of suffering comes to all of us if we are fortunate to live long enough. the example of my two brothers-in-law who both have diabetes is a lesson we would do well to heed. one simply ignores his doctor's advice and allows the disease to take its course as his health steadily declines. the other is scrupulous in doing all he can to stop the disease's progression and perhaps to recover from it. the choice is ours.
may we do all that we can to preserve our health and to deal with the effects of aging. may we learn all we can about how to take care of ourselves. may we not allow our suffering to cause us to give up, accepting what we cannot change and changing what we can for our own benefit. may we recognize our common lot, giving thanks that we have lived long enough to experience what we call "old age," when we reach that stage of our lives. shalom.
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