A Good Long Life

George and Della Dixon lived good, and long lives. You'll notice that trend in both the Dixon and Fisher families (see the geneology data provided by Curt). In fact, I can't believe many couples of their generation could have such a record of longevity in their ancestry. Della lost her mother to the flu early in life, but what's surprising is that more of their family did not die of similar causes.



George was 82 when he died, at home, after a sudden heart attack. Della also died at home, during the night, of a heart attack or stroke. She was 88 years old. Neither had been in hospital recently or receiving treatment for the conditions that led to their demise.



Uncle Don sent me a brief medical history of his parents in an email. (Sometimes, medical history can help us identify risks and help doctors to give us better medical advice.)



Both mom and dad contacted diabetes late in life. Dad took pills and mother had to take daily shots. Dad was in St John's once for a gallbladder attack and mom was there once to get her insulin adjusted and once to have a benign ovarian tumor removed. Don't recall them being there any other time.



Overall, their health was fairly good until later in life but in those days, folks didn't know what there vitals, etc. were like we know today.



Both had type 2 diabetes (the kind developed later in life). I was surprised to learn that my grandmother eventually developed diabetes, given her slim figure and good eating habits. Even though she had to use injections, the disease actually developed late in life.



Early life in a rural area may have saved them from some infectious diseases like TB, polio, and even the flu during the years when cures were not yet available. After moving to a more urban environment in Indiana, I guess that good habits... moderation... must have helped. Other than walking (strolling, or to get someplace... not aerobic workouts), they took no exercise. Neither smoked while I knew them.



From previous articles, you know that my dad, Jerry, died of an unusual autoimmune disease at age 77 after several years of prostate problems and otherwise great health. Uncle Jim died of lung cancer, also well into his 70's. Both Aunt Wilma and Uncle Don seem headed toward establish new longevity records for the family! Add to that the fact that the spouses of George and Della's children have also enjoyed pretty good health in their senior years.



There's a couple of Dixon lessons here. One is moderation. The other is to fund those retirement accounts. When they say some folks may outlive their money, it could be some of us.