The Scarlett O'Hara Syndrome

I am in a much more somber mood this week--my youngest sister Jane had back surgery on Monday, and she has developed a pulmonary embolism as a result of the surgery and other health problems. She is only 50, but she has been in poor health for years. Unfortunately, her health problems are primarily of her own making--she has been a chronic smoker and is overweight and out of shape. I should talk--I have health problems of my own due to poor lifestyle choices.

You see, in my family, we all suffer from the Scarlett O'Hara Syndrome--you know, "Oh, mah goodness, I'll just think about it tomorrow." My mother, rest her soul, was the champ at this. She also was a chronic smoker and used to disconnect her oxygen to go into the bathroom to have a cigarette. I was angry with her for years because she missed out on so much with her children and grandchildren. So, I used to preach, preach, preach--an annoying and hurtful habit. It didn't do any good, and it caused hard feelings and guilt all around.

Of course, I preached to my sister, too, and, miracle of miracles, she quit smoking last October, but not because of my nagging. Can nagging ever really change people? I think that tomorrow finally came for her; she made a heroic decision to quit smoking and has stuck to it. Hopefully, it won't be too late. She is now on blood thinners, and the embolism may dissolve completely.

Now she will have to make other lifestyle changes--exercising and losing weight. That is also my problem. Tomorrow is staring me in the face, too, and I better get a move on.