Mind-Body Connection

Recall that I had an assignment from my father’s physician to make sure he had fun during my extended stay in Encinitas, to help him recover from grief and loss. I took the doctor’s advice more figuratively than literally, appreciating his sincerity and compassion. Along with 8 medical and dental appointments over the past month (I just counted), we’ve had lots of trips to the ocean, the desert, the theatre, the deli, and most valued by Sidney – Harbor Freight Tools and GTM Discount Store. He walked 6 laps around his courtyard nearly every day. I found classic movies for him every night on Amazon. I also made sure to have my own escapes, and was happy to bask in the sun.

Today’s exam included an EKG, following up on expected yet troubling indicators for his heart function. Imagine my surprise when the doctor looked up from the graphs and spikes to look directly first at my father, then at me. “Your cardiac output has improved remarkably,” he said. “It’s changed by 40%, and this is way more progress than I expected. What have you two been up to?” I beamed. Sid took it all in stride. He gave me all the credit for his enhanced outlook. The doctor corrected him to emphasize that we both deserved credit. He talked about positive attitude and the ability of the human body to respond to laughter and optimism. He gave practical tips about how to turn daily struggles of aging into affirmations. When my father complained that his left eye didn’t work as well as his right despite all the surgeries, the doctor said “well then wink and keep that eye shut!”

We drove home along the beach highway in the fading sunset, which Dad pronounced as “murky” and I considered the most beautiful of the past month. He’s got some more work to do on that optimism.