The last of my grandparents expired - my maternal grandmother. She is the only grandparent I have really had a sensible conversation with, the only one I 'knew' because by the time I was 10, she was the only one left. She was 93, frail and weak with no ailments and died in her sleep in her house. Not in a hospital. That's a very peaceful death.
But I don't want to die like that. I still stick to my brain tumour fantasy. With all the passive smoking and excessive pollution inhalation (added to my liking for the smell of pollution), I am sure I will not even reach my eighties. I don't want to. I know I will be suffering from ailments that don't even exist now! Moreover, I am not the kind of person who takes care of their health. I don't eat right or sleep right. How many youngsters these days take care of their health just because they want to live longer? Going to the gym, taking brisk walks or jogging are not the only things that keep one healthy. There are numerous don'ts to be followed too.
Forty cigarettes a day. Have you heard of that? What level of elasticity must be left in those alveoli? Zilch!! Heard of anyone who has quit smoking only once and never smoked again? That's a fictitious species. The more common kind you find is one that quits every night. Then they start again the next morning. EVERY next morning! They have an excuse each time too, just like they have, each time they drink and damage their liver and kill their brain cells. But who cares?
What these uncaring fools don't know is that at a point in their life, they might be with the perfect partner, with lovely kids and their love for life will have increased. They will want to live longer so that they can feel all the beautiful moments. How would it be if one such beautiful moment is near and our uncaring smoker finds himself on his death bed, never weaning off the ventilator, trying hard not to slip into unconsciousness, yearning to live a little more to witness that blissful moment which might just slip out of his reach? How will repentance help then?
Sleeping less has adverse physiological effects. And I am sitting up at 2am and preaching about how one should take care of their health. This habit is enough to make sure that I don't live beyond 80. Nice thing. Like I said before, I don't want to be dependent. A late brain tumour detection would mean quick death, with a brief period of pain and suffering.
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Vrijilesh from Chai Biskut With Vrij got into a blogging treaty with me yesterday. Only bloggers who've had a family in blogosphere can understand how it hurts to miss blogging for so long. The treaty says that at the end of my post, I tell Vrij what he should next write about. The post has to made within a week. At the end of his post will be his question for me. I am allowed to make a post totally unrelated to his question.
Okay, the last line there is a lie :P
So, Vrij, I want to hear about the oldest patient you've had.
5 comments:
Great. A poignant start to the partnership.
my condolences..
you made a good point about health..
how we think of short term pleasures..
that end up harming us in the long term..
Shruti,
My heartfelt condolences. May God grant eternal peace to her soul. Keep her fond memories and try to follow her good teachings.
Please do try to take care of your health. I always say that smoking is not good at all as I left it more than 30 years ago. Drinking in moderate limit is fine as long as you enjoy your drink and do not let the drink enjoy you. One needs to follow regular pattern of life with some exceptions at times.
Take care
Short term pleasures leads to long term pain. We know not it's harming you slowly and tend to ignore.
Sorry to hear about your grandma. You've got a good point about going unexpectedly and quickly. Shocking for the people around you, but far less work.
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