MY DECISIONS

Sometime last year, I paid a visit to an elderly man whose son came to the pharmacy to get him some medications.

I could understand what this man would be passing through, so I decided to go see him. When I arrived at the place he directed me to, I gave him a call in order to confirm the house.

When I got in, I saw the man sitting; saliva was drooling from his mouth, he also urinated there and the son went ahead to clean it up.

I asked to see his medications and the bag of drugs was brought. I found out he had not been taking his medications and had also resorted to herbal drinks which were bought at exorbitant prices by the woman he lived with. You will get to understand later.🙂

Among those of his children present, none was medically inclined. The good thing was that the daughter was an undergraduate student of Food and Nutrition, so we flowed together in the dietary management of her dad; of which he was doing excellently well.

The son also helped in his exercise by taking him out very early in the morning to take a stroll with the walking aid along the road.

As for the medications, I tried to explain to them the importance of each of them and why he needed to continue with them.

The folder and the documentations made by the Specialists were seen and I encouraged them on the need to give them feedbacks.

I separated the expired medications from the usable ones and explained how they were to be given.

I made a list of other medications they will need to get for their Dad.

His Blood pressure was checked and documented and the need to achieve the right range was emphasized.

I could not check his blood glucose as a new lancet was not present, same with the alcohol wipe.

I encouraged them to care for their Dad as he can still get stronger and better despite his present condition. 

While I was about to take my leave, the son offered me some cash. I refused and told him to use it to get his Dad the medications.

I also learnt during the visit that the man, though still in his early 70's, was initially strong, but his current illness left him in that condition.

As a way of follow up, I called the son after a week to know if he has gotten the medications, and he promised to still buy them.

When he came to buy the medications, it was at this point that he informed me of the series of events.

His Father is a well to do man, but his DECISIONS were not well taken.

He has a good number of real estate investments, however, he had issues with his relationships. He has lived with more than 12 different women, each taking their turns.

It seemed like it was a football game where there were substitutes; when one player is exhausted, another one goes to replace immediately.

This was a similar thing that was happening in this man's life. 

A woman comes, later she goes and a new one comes.

I was surprised when the son said that the current woman should be the seventeenth, not seven but seventeenth woman.

The woman, I believe, did not want the man to continue with his Orthodox medications when he felt sick; thus he resorted to herbals.

There were some other issues in the house; the son wanted the Father's financial assistance but couldn't get any. He later found out that the woman had taken possession of the Rent receipts book and was possibly going to get the money from the tenants and use it all for herself.

The case worsened when they discovered that the lady had been withdrawing money from the man's account each day, since the withdrawal did not exceed set amount. This heinous act drained the man's account.

This case escalated to the hearing of the villagers and she was summoned. The police were actively involved, and as I write she is in the prison waiting for a hearing at the court.

All this actions/incidents were as a result of one man's decisions. 

It is not for us to start blaming Mr A or Mrs B, but it's for us to evaluate the decisions we make, knowing fully well that there is a consequence for each decision.

We are free to decide but the consequences our decisions may not be within our power.

Decide well!

Cheers!