A Post Mortem on the Living? |
One of my favorite magazines challenged a coroner. Discovery Channel's Jan Garavaglia, MD, or "Dr. G" as she is known, was put to the test -- she was asked to guess the age of one of their models. Like a true forensic scientist, Dr. G put all the clues together using only the photos she was shown. She's done it before hundreds of times for Jane Does in more "decomposed" states. She pegged the woman's age to be in her early forties. Sure enough, the model was (and is) 44.
Part of me was thinking: clever -- a good way to demonstrate what neglect can do to the body. It also gave the clues about how scientists determine how women age. The article even listed some things you can do to slow aging. Number one: regular use of sunscreen.
But another part of me was outraged. What the heck? The model is alive and lovely. Is the only reason why they used her because she was so "advanced" in years? She ain't dead yet. And another thing: wouldn't it be kind of embarrassing if the coroner got it all wrong? If Dr. G failed, she would have looked really stupid. Maybe her show would be cancelled and her career would be in jeopardy.
I did a bit of observing -- several scans on the female population in my neighborhood, review of old pix of my sisters, and the ever-humbling look in the mirror. I think what really galls me is that the magazine treated aging as a disease, something sinful and wicked. They abused the coroner's talents; Dr. G uses age-tagging to positively ID victims.
I have a mug that says: "Guess my age and win a fat lip!" It was given to me after my thirty-something birthday. And ever since then, I have been extremely sensitive about my age and the visible signs of wear and tear on my body. Yes, we all age, but don't we remain the same person? Why are we (me) so uncomfortable with the way our beauty changes throughout our lives?
I have fallen into the trap of thinking that age is a detriment. It should be avoided at all costs. But that's a bad case of denial. We all will be old and gray, we'll shuffle and, unless we die young, we will deal with glasses and hearing aids and dentures. Not fun. But we will be mothers and grandmothers, and some of us lucky ones will be great-grandmothers! We will get hugs from sweet little children. We will be helped to and from the car (finally). We will have a seat at the table (finally). We won't have to lift anything heavy. And we will be asked to retell all our stories. God willing, we will be honored. And we will find our voices and say exactly what's on our minds (e.g., "That Mike Piazza is one hot little pepe de campana!").
Here's what the magazine should have done. It should have invited a specialist in geriatrics to take a look at the living woman. Acknowledge the sun damage, the receding gums, changes in hairline. And then pronounce, with the exception of accidental death, that this lovely model has many healthy, wonderful years ahead of her. And point out the healthy and smart things she has done to preserve her body and mind from the real diseases. She eats right, takes extra calcium, walks every day, meditates, gets annual exams, visits her dentist twice a year, and uses SPF 30. She spends time alone, with her husband and with her children. She volunteers and does the Sunday crossword puzzles. And oh my, yes -- she looks every bit of her beautiful 44 years! |
Bernadette Sukley |
| About the author: |
| Bernadette Sukley has written, edited, fact checked for nearly 20 years. Her topics range from health to sports and lifestyle, from human interest to hard news. Her work has appeared in Men’s Health, Sports Illustrated for Women, and ABROAD magazines. Currently polishing up 3 novels for publication, she welcomes discussions on women and literature.
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