“HELP, I’VE FALLEN and I can’t get up.” It wasn’t too many years ago that I viewed that commercial as humorous. No more.
A few days ago, my wife slipped on a curb and fell. No serious injury, just a cut on her lip and a scraped leg. But she couldn’t get up. Thankfully, my sons were there to help. I couldn’t do it on my own.
My wife’s arthritis makes it difficult for her to walk long distances or climb stairs, hence our move to a one-floor condo.
I still play golf a couple of times a week during warmer weather, and I hit the ball reasonably well for my age. I easily pick the ball off the green, but reaching to the bottom of the cup is challenging.
I like to drive my car. I find it relaxing. Given that we can’t travel to Europe, we’re planning another road trip, this time to Florida. After driving several hours, getting out of the car is a mini-project. There’s a general stiffness that takes a few minutes to wear off.
For all of the above, there is one thing in common—aging. It wasn’t until a few years ago, when I reached age 75, that the aging thing started to kick in. Now it’s a daily reality.
I’m raring to go at 5:30 a.m., but by 3:30 p.m. a short nap is no longer a joke but a necessity. Well, not a necessity, but—if I stop moving—a fact. It’s just automatic: I sit, I sleep.
Don’t get me wrong, we try to keep active. We both track our steps every day—I love my Apple Watch. We usually log two miles or more. While I was quarantined—both times—I walked two miles each day inside our condo. The view was a bit boring, I’ll admit.
There’s no way to escape aging. Well, there is a way, but not a desirable one.
Read the rest of my story and the many interesting comments on the link below.
Source: Elderly as Insult – HumbleDollar
QUINNSCOMMENTARY 
“I know I look old, but do I look poor as well? Sometimes that perception is insulting. You’re spoken to as if you can’t afford the purchase being considered. I get a bit of unspoken satisfaction in knowing that my income is higher than any salesperson with such an attitude.”
That’s a little scary, Richard; that unspoken satisfaction. I appreciate when someone offers a senior discount without my asking, poor or not. Sometimes people show deference to my age (latest example, a young [30ish] man offered to let me ahead of him in grocery line, even though he had fewer items than I). I declined. He insisted. I went. Why deprive him (seriously, not sarcasm) of his chance to feel good about himself? I feel good when I can help others. Why not let others feel good too? I don’t consider it an insult to my age or economic status.
What if I look poor? That’s not an insult. I probably earn more in retirement than the fast food clerk, but I suspect I earn less than the waitress in my favorite restaurant. I respect them both as much as I hope they respect me.
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I take tumeric daily which has helped me a great deal. We also take daily walks when possible. Motion is lotion!
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BC (Before Cancer) I was a regular blood donor, then a plasma/platelet donor. They always request, and verify, that you do not take aspirin (a blood thinner) for 48 hours before donating. I occasionally ask the nurse if they ask about Echinacea use.
And the nurse said, what?
Echinacea, and other “dietary supplements” (including turmeric) have blood thinning properties, as well as interactions with prescription medications. If you take any “natural” health potions, you should clear it with your doctor.
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Yes, I agree. It is always good to check with your doctor.
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Here is my travel tip with arthritis. What destroyed my traveling plans in 2021 was my arthritis. After a long road trip in March, my back was messed up. After a few visits to my Chiropractor I noticed that my left knee was giving me great pain. The arthritis in my knee cause me to shift my weight which messed up my back which couldn’t handle the long car ride. I also have arthritis in back. At first my back hurt so much that I didn’t notice my knee pain or that I wasn’t walking correctly. After knee surgery and physical therapy, I was able to take care of our little snow storm yesterday. In a few months I hope to be walking down steps normally again.
Once we retired we stopped the marathon car rides and reduced them from 8-10 hr to about 6-8 hr. because we now had the time. But now I get out of the car about every two hours whether or not I need to stop. In the beginning of the trip, I can go for hours but by the end of the trip if I don’t get out, I can’t move. If you wait until your are sore or until it hurts, it is already too late. Hopefully, this will continue to work for me for a few more years.
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