Ode to the Queen of Compressed Morbidity

Of all the posts/articles I've written I got the most comments and views on the one I did on my Aunt's 100th birthday March 2019. She passed away this morning after a short hospital stay of congestive heart failure and embodied the active lifestyle that compressed her morbidity.

In 1980, Dr. James Fries, Professor of Medicine, Stanford University introduced the compression of morbidity theory. This theory states that “most illness was chronic and occurred in later life and postulated that the lifetime burden of illness could be reduced if the onset of chronic illness could be postponed and if this postponement could be greater than increases in life expectancy.” (Fries, 1980).

While it is true that preventive medicine and a healthy lifestyle can postpone disability due to chronic illness, there comes a stage in life where significant illness related debility is experienced. As illness progresses, it becomes the source of suffering which we all want to avoid and have be as short as possible.

Staying active as she was (volunteering at an assisted living community til she was 99, reading everyday, cooking and sharing meals with friends, attending the weekly exercise class, church and antiquing/treasure hunting til the end) is a model for us all.

Hunter Thompson said it best “Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming, “Wow what a ride!”

Here's to a life well lived Auntie Ann, an inspiration to us all.