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Title: Peggie Nishimura Bain Interview
Narrator: Peggie Nishimura Bain
Interviewer: Alice Ito
Location: Seattle, Washington
Date: September 15-17, 2004
Densho ID: denshovh-bpeggie-01-0071

<Begin Segment 71>

AI: Well, so just before the interruption, you were saying that you had been together for thirty-five years, with your husband. And then, and then he passed away.

PB: Yes. He finally passed away, I took care of him, and he had cancer of the prostate, and he had surgery, and he had quite a difficult time afterwards. I don't know whether it's something that happens to most people or not, but they more or less lose control of their bowel movements, I guess, or their, they become (incontinent), and he was having a very difficult time, because he was unaware of what was going on. And he always was sort of hard of hearing, because of his work on the airplanes, from, at a very early age. And in those days, they didn't have the equipment that they have now to protect their ears. And being young, he wouldn't do what they told him to do, I guess, to protect their ears. So he was hard of hearing, and then he also had eye problems, because he had macular degeneration. So he was getting practically blind, he was blind and he was deaf, and then he started... well, I don't know whether he had Alzheimer's, or he was just senility because he was in his nineties. In fact, he was ninety-seven when he passed away. And I took care of him for a whole year after he became to a point that actually, he should have been in a nursing home. But I felt that I would take care of him as long as I could, and he didn't want to go to a nursing home, naturally. He said he wasn't going to go, but finally when I told him that I was sick and I would have to go to the hospital, and he would have to go to a nursing home for a short time, he agreed to go. So he was in the nursing home a very short time, only about two or three months before he got real bad. His legs would swell, and I had talked to one of the nurses from Group Health, and she said, "He probably has congestive heart failure," but I never did find out exactly what he died from, but he was gone, in two to three months' time, he was gone. So... I have wonderful memories, but I'm alone now.

[Interruption]

AI: Well, of course, you must get this question often because you have had such a long life. And although you've had many difficulties that you've discussed, you've continued on. And at present, you're quite able to take care of yourself, you're living here independently, you must get this question often: what, what do you think has contributed to your long and healthy life?

PB: Well, probably one of the things is good genes, I guess. I don't know, but all of us are living quite long, I would say, because I have a sister that's ninety and one that's eighty-eight, and a brother that's eighty-three, so we're all doing quite well. But I think that for myself, I'm just one of the lucky ones, because I have my own teeth -- [laughs] -- I don't have to have hearing aids, and both my sisters do; they both wear hearing aids and they have a lot of trouble with their teeth and eyes. I have all three, and I think my memory's pretty good. [Laughs] And I keep dancing, people think I'm crazy maybe, but I enjoy dancing and I'm still taking hula lessons and just recently have given up square dancing, but if my legs will hold me up, I'd probably be dancing again. [Laughs]

AI: Well, is there any advice that you would give younger people that you'd like to pass along from some of the things that you've learned in your life?

PB: Well, I think the main thing is to keep busy. Don't give up, because... because you get old, you don't quit, or you retire, you don't... lot of people retire, and they think, well, they're gonna just sit down and take it easy. That's the wrong attitude. You gotta keep busy. You gotta keep physically busy and mentally busy. I'm always doing something; I said I would never get bored, because I have too many things that I want to do. I have a lot of things I have to do yet before I say goodbye. [Laughs] And I know a lot of people say, "Well, how come you don't have wrinkles in your face?" Well, I don't know whether this is a reason or not, but my mother never used soap on her face. She just used water, warm water, and she always used to say to me, "You're so pale." She said, "When I was young, I had rosy cheeks, and I never had to use rouge or anything." She says, "People nowadays, they don't exercise enough... eat good, but exercise, do something. Be busy all the time, keep your mind busy." And I do. I don't sit still very often, or even if I'm sitting down, my mind is always working or I'm working a crossword puzzle or I'm sewing or crocheting or reading or something, doing something, and get outside at least once a day. Try to get out in the fresh air and enjoy nature. Enjoy flowers, and I even enjoy weeds. [Laughs] When I didn't have flowers, I used to go pick dandelions and wild daisies, and I thought they were beautiful. When I first came out from Chicago where I didn't have flowers and I came back to Seattle, I'd stop by the roadside and pick the wild daisies and even bring the dandelions in and them I'm disappointed because they pulled it up. [Laughs] But I think the secret is to keep busy, even, even if you feel that you can't move anymore and you're tired and you don't want to do it, but push a little bit. I think that's the way to stay young.

AI: Well, that sounds like great advice, and I want to thank you so much for taking the time to be with us and to share your memories.

PB: Well, I hope that a few words of wisdom from an old lady -- [laughs] -- might encourage others.

AI: We appreciate it very much.

PB: Thank you.

<End Segment 71> - Copyright © 2004 Densho. All Rights Reserved.