DEAR ABBY: I love my wonderful neighbors of 28 years. They are 10 years younger than my parents. They have been like a second set of parents to me. My concern is for their health. They are in their 60s and 70s, but neither one goes to the doctor.
The wife went 20-plus years ago and decided never to return after they prescribed diabetes and blood pressure medication for her. More recently, she can no longer leave the house because she has injured her arthritic knee so badly. She refuses to get it checked and claims it will heal. (She diagnosed herself via Dr. Google.) Her intelligent adult daughter is aware of all of this.
I know this is a choice people make, but at this point I'm sure it's just anxiety that is keeping her from getting the medical help she needs. She's missing her garden, her grandchildren and grocery shopping, so I'm sure she doesn't want to spend the rest of her life like this. Her husband has no influence either and is picking up what she no longer can do. I have tried encouraging her to seek advice, but haven't pushed her so hard as to push her away. What should I do? -- SCARED FOR THEM IN MASSACHUSETTS
DEAR SCARED: If anyone could do anything, it would have to be the woman's husband and her daughter. I assume you have pointed out to your neighbor that with medical help she could heal more quickly, and also that there is something called preventive medicine that can help people avoid becoming seriously ill. Because you have talked until you are blue in the face and still haven't been able to get through, my advice is to love her while you have her.