Photographer: Martina O'Shea
As I grow older I become more and more conscious of osteoporosis. I don't have it but I have seen the devastating effects it has had on my mother. She is ninety years old now and not in very good health. She has shrunk a good few inches and has a very curved back. From being a relatively tall woman, keen on swimming and other activities she has now turned into a shadow of her former self. I watched her decline with immense sadness. Various events in her life made her lose interest in her own well being and from the time of my father's death she just gave up on almost everything. It's been over ten years now.
So I have become quite paranoid about losing height and losing flexibility in my spine. Compared to my twenties I am now about half an inch to an inch shorter, depending on what time of the day I measure my height - apparently we are taller in the morning, it's to do with gravity and spine compression. We lose height at the rate of one cm per decade starting at the age of 40 but I also know that it is possible to slow down this process or even stop it by watching our posture and maintaining a good diet (calcium and glucosamine sulphate are excellent supplements) and of course exercising for flexibility - this explains my fixation on stretching.
I have noticed with dismay how easy it is for young people to sit at a desk or in the car and curve their spine. At some point that curvature becomes permanent and people walk around protruding their necks and slouching. A few years down the line that is their default posture. A yoga teacher of mine suggested sitting with a yoga belt strapped across the shoulders, to keep them well back. I sometimes do that as well as sitting with a book on my head for a few minutes to get 'to feel' a good posture in my body, how to hold myself.
I work on the principle that I only have this one body and want to take good care of it, once it goes I will not be able to replace it. The Romans used to say Mens sana in corpore sano (a healthy mind in a healthy body) and that has become my motto.
It is not out of a desire to look good. It is out of a desire to feel good, a desire to be healthy, knowing that life is a lot easier and infinitely more pleasant if you are well and feel good in your own skin.
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A huge thank you to model Ella Rose. I have never had the pleasure to meet her but I have admired her photos, especially those taken by Neil Huxtable such as the one below:
Photographer: Neil Huxtable Model: Ella-Rose
Ella-Rose took me entirely by surprise today by sending me a lovely message on MM. I was feeling a little tired, this Hysteria tour is taking its toll - it's Cambridge tomorrow for another week.
I am copying it more or less verbatim (I do hope Ella -Rose will not mind):
"I just wanted to say: how inspiring to see such a beautiful, elegant and versatile model so successful in 'maturity'. I sometimes worry about how long I can do this job for, but seeing your portfolio has been reassuring. Wonderful work! You are beautiful."
I am truly touched Ella-Rose! It means a lot to me to know that a beautiful young woman such as yourself can find inspiration in what I do. Having noted your passion and commitment I do not doubt for a moment that you have a long modelling career ahead of you. I will enjoy watching you grow and mature.
(All photos unless otherwise stated modelled by Alex B.)
I can kind of relate to this posting , as Ive watched both of my parents make poor decisions since they separated when I was twelve , and now I see them starting to experience the results of those choices . I dont think they were due to grief , as maybe your moms were , but their lives are poorer as a result , just the same . Wish I could offer some words of comfort , but all I can say is that , despite particulars being different , I kind of understand .
ReplyDeleteAlex, I worked daily with my mother in the last (87th) year of her life. She had severe osteoporosis, and she was in a walker and having deep pain from spinal compression when she was assigned to a physical therapist. The doctor also entered her into a projected two-year prescription of daily self-injections of Forteo, a synthetic parathyroid hormone. Between visits with her therapist, I took her through the prescribed exercise program. Within six months the hump on her back, which had been hard as a rock, had softened and diminished. She and I walked (no walkers or canes!) every day for at least four city blocks, sometimes more. She became strong with her exercises, never complaining about increased repetitions. The pain left her. It was simply miraculous.
ReplyDeleteA year later, she had a stroke and was in a coma. She had signed a living will and made my brother her power of attorney. My brother gave her two days on life support before he signed papers to remove it. He walked out of the hospital and left her to die alone. My sister and I were called, and we stayed with her to the last. I was told she would die when her oxygen level reached 30, but she lived until it went down to zero.
What this sad story taught me was the power of the body to recuperate, given a chance. Although it had been her expressed wish to be taken off life support, she clearly did not want to die. I will always regret she was not given more time. I truly believe she might have come out of the coma and recovered some mobility. But I will never know.
Watching a parent age and deteriorate is heartbreaking. My thoughts are with you and your mother.