willtakecareofitself.Andifitdoesn’t—ifapatientis
becoming infirm and heading toward a nursing
home—well, that isn’t really amedicalproblem, is it?
Toageriatrician,though,itisamedicalproblem.People
can’tstoptheagingoftheirbodiesandminds,butthere
arewaystomakeitmoremanageableandtoavertatleast
someoftheworsteffects.SoBludaureferredGavrillesto
apodiatrist,whomhewantedhertovisitonceeveryfour
weeks, for better care of her feet. He didn’t see
medicationsthathecouldeliminate,butheswitchedher
diuretictoabloodpressuremedicinethatwouldn’tcause
dehydration.Herecommendedthatsheeatasnackduring
theday,getallthelow-calorieandlow-cholesterolfood
outofthehouse,andseewhetherfamilyorfriendscould
join her for more meals. “Eating alone is not very
stimulating,”hesaid.Andheaskedhertoseehimagain
inthreemonths,sothathecouldmakesuretheplanwas
working.
Almostayearlater,IcheckedinwithGavrillesandher
daughter.She’dturnedeighty-six.Shewaseatingbetter
and had even gained a pound or two. She still lived
comfortablyand independently in her ownhome.And
she had not had a single fall.
ALICEBEGANFALLINGlongbeforeImetJuergenBludau
orJeanGavrillesandgraspedthepossibilitiesthatmight
have been. Neither I nor anyone else in the family
understoodthatherfallswerealoudalarmbellorthata
few simplechanges mighthave preserved,for atleast
some time longer, her independence and the life she
wanted.Herdoctorsneverunderstoodthiseither.Matters
just kept getting worse.