How do I feel???
What’s the greeting most often heard? One of the most used is “How are you?” Most times that is what it is, just a greeting. The greeter is not interested to hear about your health. Just the opposite. If you were to respond with anything to do with your health, you would find yourself talking to the preverbal “brick wall”. The elderly are wise to the question, they could be on their death bed and still respond with, OK I guess, or not bad, or old age ain’t for the timid or weak of heart.
I can attest to that as I am approaching 82 and I feel as though the wheels have fallen off. One of my doctors told me when I was finally being released from a five week stay at St. Joseph’s Hospital 60 years ago, you will be fine if you make it to 75 years old but after that count on the wheels falling off. I am hanging on for dear life to the steering wheel but I am weaving almost out of control. I am one of the lucky ones as I am still upright and taking nourishment. I have more of my friends under the sod than on top. When I do get to have a conversation with someone my age, the talk is all about our doctors and our aches and pains and our last procedure. We live for the next pill. After 65 years, we get our prescription drugs for a small fulfillment charge. The drugs come from the vast government funds that are never there for important surgeries that we wait for months and sometime years to get done. Many in Canada die before getting the treatment they require for the lack of doctors and nursing staff required. Statistics show over one million Canadians are waiting for much needed surgery. The average wait time is 23 weeks. Disgusting! We have the buildings in many cases but not the staff. This slip up was because in it’s wisdom, some dopey politician decided to cut the enrollment down in medical schools because doctors would not be needed in the future. The money would be better spent on bricks and mortar where politicians can show physical achievement for our taxes. We are dying prematurely because of that foolish decision. I have been waiting for over three months just for a surgeon to assess me as to whether I am a candidate for a Colonoscopy to see if my suspicions are founded that I might have Cancer. I am not sure how long I will have to wait for the surgery, if needed. My friend in the USA had all the procedures completed within a week.
Between Joan, my wife and myself, we have been dealing over the past 7 years, with Bi pass heart surgery, Melanoma Cancer, seizures, Diabetes, A-fib, Arthritis, Lung congestion, and various minor but annoying aches and pains. Is it any wonder seniors have days of depression and sadness?
As hard as it is some mornings to just get up, I consider myself fortunate. For the past 5 years we have been members in The Coronation Music Circle of Niagara Falls. About 25 more or less, of us go into Senior residences and sing the oldies from as far back as the turn of the last century. Many of us are much older than those we are entertaining and many times you wonder if there is anything going on in some of those gray heads. And then, all is shown to be worth while when you see a foot tapping in time with the music. This is another plus day. Our violinist is almost 98 years old. I kid her when I call her Mom.
Oh, to be younger again.
Paul D. Scott