It's Tough to get Old - but consider the Alternative

How the devil did I get this old? I guess I'm not "good" if only the "good" die young.

I have done some bad things in my life (don't tell my grandchildren!).. But not real bad. However, apparently to make up for my badness, I have had to suffer most of the maladies that befall my fellow old-timers, and because I was probably a little worse than most people, I have had a few extra maladies.

Now, that gives me the opening to do something that all old folks like to do... talk about their illnesses. If you feel that this will be too boring (you are probably right about that), jump to a different and more pleasant blog.

I am told that I have "pre-diabetes" ... give me a break! Because my finger-tip tests are in the 100-120 range, I must watch what I eat, exercise and keep testing for the rest of my life. In talking to my fellow NARFE (National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association) members, I find that we all have "pre-diabetes."

Diabetes is a definite problem for my children, since it is hereditary. My late wife's mother died at 50 from diabetic complications. My grandmother had to take insulin for most of her life.
So now some of my progeny already have the disease, or the precurser to it. It's not a fun thing to have.

I have had a heart attack and I have a stent. Thank God for modern medicine and aspirins. When my attack started, before I called for help, I chewed two aspirins. My cardiologist says that this probably saved my life. The stent that he put into an artery helped too. They performed the procedure at Sinai and kicked me out early the next morning.

During cardiac rehab, I made lots of good friends and got into pretty good shape considering.

My next problem was a wound that wouldn't heal. It was on my leg and was not like your everyday run of the mill wound. It was at a ten level pain mark. The hospital thought that it was the result of the bite of a brown recluse spider. Normally, that spider would not live in Maryland, but anything goes during global warming. They treated me as though it was the result of a spider bite, but they were not really sure of the cause.

During the treatment, placement of a compression bandage caused another wound that had to be treated. Once the first and second wounds healed up, a few months later one appeared in my other leg. All had 10 level pain, and each took about a year to heal up. I went to Wound Care Centers in two hospitals and neither of them could find out the true cause of the non-healing. However, as a result, and just in case circulation is the problem, I will have to wear tight Jobst stockings for the rest of my life.

Basta! as the Italians say. Enough! I won't bore you anymore. Things are not that bad for me right now, except that my right carotid artery is 80% clogged and I will have to have surgery to get it unplugged. I don't really want the surgery, but everyone is telling me I should.

Damn! It sure is tough to get old!