Change is inevitable; embrace it

    Change is inevitable. Whether expected or unexpected, it is a part of life. Obviously change can be initiated by us or an outside force. Things like watching our children grow into adults, we hope that as parents we raised them in a positive way. Giving them words and ways to live by, they can create and change into their own style. We watch as our parents that we relied on through the years begin to rely on us for help as they age. Each day brings about more change.
    For myself, my daughter is entering her senior year in high school, she is the last of the kids to finish. So we are entering that empty nest syndrome. Exciting yet scary all in the same.
    My parents are entering their 50th year of marriage next year. My mother recently shared with me that she is excited yet nervous. It was shortly after their 50th anniversary that my uncle passed away, and immediately following my grandparents 50th, my grandpa got sick and passed away. Celebrating an accomplishment, my mom is also guarded and nervous about what future changes will be.
    I watch as my grandchildren grow into little people, no longer the babies and infants. I see how each of them changes each day into their own little person, and how fast they grow up.
    As I reflect on these life-changing moments, I reflect on the life-changing moments that have happened in my life just recently. I am a changed person because of them. I nearly lost my life to heart disease. I have personally gone through every stage of grief because of that. I will never be the same physically, and forever in my mind I am different. I can’t do some of the things I used to be able to, and I feel as if I am less of a man.
    Acceptance of change is something you must learn to embrace, but we don’t always have to agree with it. Change is something providers educate you as the patient on every day. We teach you on changes that occur with your diagnosis and condition. As parents, we educate you on what to expect as your child grows with each wellness check. As we all grow older, our bodies naturally change. There are so many changes that take place, too many to list, but aging brings about changes in our skin, organs change, and our minds are not the same, among some of them.
    As a health care provider, it is our job to support you through these changes. What can you do to minimize the stress caused by these physical aging changes that we cannot prevent?

The full article is available in our e-Edition. Click here to subscribe.