Old age is for the birds.
Many of you might be saying ... “You don’t know what old age really is.”
Well, OK. Maybe I don’t.
But I do know that I’m older than I’m ever been, and while some of it is good, there’s a lot of it that isn’t so great, either.
On the positive side, I think both Tommy and I inherited the genetics that belie our actual ages.
Hairdressers can’t believe that I don’t color my hair (at age 63). I attribute that to good genes. My mother’s hair didn’t turn gray until she was in her 70s.
But I’d gladly exchange some of the more pernicious genes (colon cancer, tendency to be overweight, high blood pressure), I inherited for a mere coloring of the hair.
On our Northeast trip recently, Tommy requested “Two senior tickets, please” at a museum. The charming clerk replied: “I hope you brought them with you!”
What great sports.
Upon our return home we went to dinner with good friends and neighbors Boyd and Pat. They, too, had been gone, and we enjoyed catching up.
They started a conversation with, “We decided we might need a new mattress because we slept so badly when we got back.”
Tommy and I giggled at each other with sympathetic smiles. We had the same, exact conversation two days earlier. In fact, the first full day home I awoke with a crick in my neck that remained for well over a week.
On that trip I made a notable observation: I had gone two weeks without having taken a single pain pill. My bones began to ache the minute we crossed the Tennessee state line and haven’t stopped aching since (due, in part, I think to that rainy weather).
I walk every day so perhaps pounding the concrete contributes. But physicians tell you to exercise, recommending walking as a great choice.
On the bad side, Tommy and I both went last week for a long-overdue visit to the dermatologist.
We had “issues” that had not been addressed since Dr. Henry King Butler retired and were referred to Dr. Roland (Junior) Nelson.
Dr. Nelson (himself quite young, by the way), graciously identified every single spot about which we expressed concerned as a result of “wisdom and experience” and nothing to worry about ... although he did “burn” a few places off.
Bless Dr. Nelson for trying to put age spots in perspective.
The words “wisdom and experience” were meant to comfort, and he said it so graciously you had to be amused. But no comfort was found. I jokingly suggested that he wipe the smile off his face if he had to tell me that again.
He has no doubt learned a way around the “age” word, and when you’re over 60 you should be expecting it. But I wasn’t quite prepared
Years ago while playing tennis I fell and had a severe muscle injury. The X-ray technician asked what medications I was taking.
“Only one, hormone replacement therapy, “ I replied. She said: “You only take ONE pill?”
Fast forward to 2009. When the nurse at Dr. Nelson’s asked me what medications I was taking, I had a written list to make sure I had them all covered. I don’t want to leave any contraindicating factors out. Oh, no.
Old age. Mixed blessings.
In some ways I’m thankful it has come; in others I’m not so sure.
Dr. Nelson will eventually be asking for that liquid nitrogen for himself one day.
He’ll be where we are soon enough - if he’s as lucky.
’Til next week. |
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