Your Life Is Up To You

In my younger days I never really took the time to read much.  If I had time, I would knit or do projects.  Now in my later years, I have read a lot of books.  Usually I read mystery novels or historical fiction.  I really enjoy books that take place in local settings that I am somewhat familiar with.  Unlike my husband, if I don't like or can't get into a book in 50 pages or so, I am done.  He struggles through to finish no matter what.  I can't do that.  There are too many good choices to waste time on books I don't like.  I can enjoy a story, but by the next day I am on to another and don't think much about it again.  That was not true with the last book I read.  I usually don't write about books I read, but I can't get over this one and feel the need to write about it.  The book is called The Leisure Seeker by Michael Zadoorian.

We got this book from my son-in-law's parents.  They like to go to library book sales and fill bags with books to read.  They had picked this book up because it looked good and was about the older generation.  They read it recently and gave it to us because they thought we would enjoy it.  A movie has been made from this book with Donald Sutherland and Helen Mirren.

I think everyone of a certain age should read this book and perhaps younger people with parents in their 70's and 80"s.   It confirms what I have believed for a long time.  Medical science has one purpose.  It is to prolong life as long as they possibly can no matter what.  Doctors require all kinds of tests and scans for healthy people.  I don't really blame the doctors, they are given guidelines by the medical organizations they work for to make money.  I remember when I had to go to three different doctors for cancer treatments and check ups.  They were allowed a certain number of minutes to see me.  I would see on my chart the number of minutes circled.  If you have a doctor who isn't pressured by time constraints, that is great.  I never felt they had the time to understand me or how I was feeling especially mentally.  If my numbers were ok, then I was ok.  I think at a certain age you should be treated by a doctor for concerns you have or symptoms you have.  If there are good treatments that cure the problem or make life comfortable and manageable, I'm all for it.  What I can't see is stopping life to endure treatments and multiple doctor visits in hopes of prolonging a life so there is no more quality of life.  This book is about that.  The couple in the book are in their 80's, married nearly 60 years and neither of them are in good health.  The wife has cancer and her treatments are causing side effects and not really helping.  The end is near for her physically.  The husband has Alzheimer's disease.  The end is almost there for him mentally.  They runaway from their doctors and their adult children for a last adventure in their old camper.  They travel from Detroit along Route 66 (where they could find it) to California.  They lived their final time on their terms, and that is how it should be.

I was struggling with what I believe and would want to do and if I were in a similar situation.  This book helped me with that.  If you get a chance, read this book.  Hopefully the movie captures the message as well as the book.  At a certain age and situation, the choice is yours.  Do what makes YOU happy.