A while ago, FIL underwent a surgery for his prostate enlargement. The surgery went pretty well but follow-up sessions led to the discovery of kidney malfunction. At 74, FIL is disheartened that his health condition is taking somewhat of a downward spiral. As the family puts it, he's always fit and strong with no apparent health problems. The sudden role reversal had impacted him psychologically. In the meantime, everyone else is kinda in a frantic state. SIL went to the bookstores and grabbed a couple of books on healthcare for elderly, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, kidney disease etc. And so, FIL started reading on his condition and concluded that given his current health condition (i.e. high cholesterol level, high blood pressure, gout, kidney malfunction), he would have to avoid having lotsa food, leaving him with an incredibly limited choice, mainly greens, fruits and fish.
And so, the family is switching to dishes with super low sodium content. There are talks about FIL going vegetarian. Over dinner yesterday, I figured FIL was itching for some meat and he shyly requested to have a 2cm thin strip of bbq pork which kindda was the only savoury food on the dining table. Because of his health condition, he had given up (completely) on his Johnnie Walkers and now meat.
Abstinence is not new to me. I remember my dad blowing his top when he realized that his dinner included mushroom which was (according to him) a no-no for gout. But abstinence for an old man, who in any case would not live forever just like everyone else, sounds like a complete misery. I mean seriously, there is a difference between cutting down your intake of certain foods to completely not having them. But when this choice comes from the patient himself, then well, to each his own. But I know that if I lie sick on the bed and I ask for a slice of bread with peanut butter AND is refused, I will probably gather all the strength that I have and give you one tight slap.
