It is not uncommon, especially in certain populations, that people are living lives in a fashion that might seem totally unrealistic to the norm. People are living in health conditions where one disease seeming scary enough, some have five or six different serious health conditions, and they continue to live a life that a ‘normal person’ would never understand.
Let me give an example of a patient not uncommonly seen in a hospital setting; a 58 year old male, who has suffered from a previous heart failure, is obese, weighing roughly around 370 lbs, has been drinking most of his life and smoking for 40 + years, is diabetic and has huge swollen legs.
And despite all of the proof out there, he cannot stop his bad habits; though he might be able to recognize them. He does not check, (or care to check?) his blood sugar regularly, so they are usually high. [In my previous blogs I talked about why high blood sugar level is extremely bad for the body). And although he claims to have cut down on his drinking, he cannot discontinue his smoking. This patient that I am describing also needs a wheelchair to get around, mainly because he has developed severe arthritis in his knees and cannot walk on them properly. It has come to a point that it is hard for him to get in and out of his wheelchair fast enough to go to the restroom so he has to carry around a urinal. On top of this, due to his diabetes, he has developed diabetic neuropathy which has led him to have a couple quarter sized ulcers (holes in skin) on the bottom of his foot which are not healing because his health is very poor. It is possible, if these ulcers do not heal and instead get infected, that he might need to amputate part of his foot.
And so, it comes down to why and how?
How can someone live like this and why do they choose to live like this. I believe the problem lies much deeper and is very complicated. Many patients as described above also suffer from psychiatric issues which have one way or another pulled them so deep down in the dark that they feel they will never recover. They feel that their life cannot get any better and cannot get any worse. And so they continue their ways. This is clearly not a healthy state to be in. It can lead to many tough health decisions for doctors, and us as physicians do not ever wish our patients to be in such a state.
What is important is that it takes a while for a person to get to this level, and if you or someone you know is similar in the pattern described above, or feel are treading down this path, they need your and professional help. They need close family members looking out for them, and although it might take time, a healthier and better outcome will be much more worth it in the end as opposed to not caring and letting a human being just slip away into their misery. There are many Behavioral human services organizations and consultations near your area code and a quick Google search will bring forth numerous. Such an act is a must upon everyone and it can truly make a difference in a family member, friend or a neighbors’ lifestyle.
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