Thursday, July 16, 2009
Bodies getting older
Here begins a rambling session!
When I was a child/teenager I viewed the older generation as being something a little alien.
"They can never have known the things that I knew about. They surely never had some of the crazy thoughts and feelings that I had!"
Old people were so sure of being sensible and they understood what made the world go round.
They were not constantly wondering about things and making resolutions about doing things better from this day forward.
How could they do things better? They didn't make mistakes!
Well, now that I am part of the older generation I realise that they were probably much like me - a little surer of myself these days of course, but not much wiser really than I ever was.
I am musing like this because I also never realised that the older generation were no doubt having to contend with bodies that were not as strong and healthy as in their younger days. I guess I heard about some of it, but never understood.
It was just funny that my grandparents could remove their teeth. I can do that now! Well, some of them.
Now we are the older generation, we are only too well aware of failing bodies. This week seems to contain lots of appointments designed to help keep the aging body running smoothly.
And of course whenever we meet with friends and family of our own generation we are comparing notes about which bits of us are giving trouble.
Our eyes are faulty.
Expensive new specs this week - and mine needed adjusting this morning.
My teeth are faulty - patched up again today by Bill Clinton until the next time.
My digestion doesn't allow me enough freedom to munch on what I would really like - anyway my teeth don't actually chew very well.
Then there are all the bits missing inside. Today I supplied a "sample" to be tested. This is awkward for anybody - but I have to just wait for the kidneys to push out sufficient urine to be tested.
I am waiting now for my appointment for an ultra sound scan - just to check the goings on of my inside.
Bill is held together with tablets - some for his rheumatoid arthritis and some for his osteo arthritis. Others control his blood pressure.
He has blood tests to check bodily functions.
But nothing was needed to bring his pulse down - and it is down now.
I wonder why it was up.
We know that both of us felt unwell - perhaps we were more unwell than we were admitting to each other. I will continue to wonder if we were mildly affected by the swine flu.
Bill will see the dentist next week about a problem.
I am not grumbling or complaining - it is just a fact of life; a fact I didn't understand about when I was young.
I feel a wondrous sense of joy that I am actually alive - and being alive truly makes up for any inconveniences my body throws at me.
Bill and I are not the only ones in the household to be suffering the ravages of getting older. Tomorrow George has to go back to the vet for a blood test and an assessment of his tablet needs for the thyroid problem.
A spirited thunderstorm has just rumbled and crashed and lit up the sky around us.
When I was a child/teenager I viewed the older generation as being something a little alien.
"They can never have known the things that I knew about. They surely never had some of the crazy thoughts and feelings that I had!"
Old people were so sure of being sensible and they understood what made the world go round.
They were not constantly wondering about things and making resolutions about doing things better from this day forward.
How could they do things better? They didn't make mistakes!
Well, now that I am part of the older generation I realise that they were probably much like me - a little surer of myself these days of course, but not much wiser really than I ever was.
I am musing like this because I also never realised that the older generation were no doubt having to contend with bodies that were not as strong and healthy as in their younger days. I guess I heard about some of it, but never understood.
It was just funny that my grandparents could remove their teeth. I can do that now! Well, some of them.
Now we are the older generation, we are only too well aware of failing bodies. This week seems to contain lots of appointments designed to help keep the aging body running smoothly.
And of course whenever we meet with friends and family of our own generation we are comparing notes about which bits of us are giving trouble.
Our eyes are faulty.
Expensive new specs this week - and mine needed adjusting this morning.
My teeth are faulty - patched up again today by Bill Clinton until the next time.
My digestion doesn't allow me enough freedom to munch on what I would really like - anyway my teeth don't actually chew very well.
Then there are all the bits missing inside. Today I supplied a "sample" to be tested. This is awkward for anybody - but I have to just wait for the kidneys to push out sufficient urine to be tested.
I am waiting now for my appointment for an ultra sound scan - just to check the goings on of my inside.
Bill is held together with tablets - some for his rheumatoid arthritis and some for his osteo arthritis. Others control his blood pressure.
He has blood tests to check bodily functions.
But nothing was needed to bring his pulse down - and it is down now.
I wonder why it was up.
We know that both of us felt unwell - perhaps we were more unwell than we were admitting to each other. I will continue to wonder if we were mildly affected by the swine flu.
Bill will see the dentist next week about a problem.
I am not grumbling or complaining - it is just a fact of life; a fact I didn't understand about when I was young.
I feel a wondrous sense of joy that I am actually alive - and being alive truly makes up for any inconveniences my body throws at me.
Bill and I are not the only ones in the household to be suffering the ravages of getting older. Tomorrow George has to go back to the vet for a blood test and an assessment of his tablet needs for the thyroid problem.
A spirited thunderstorm has just rumbled and crashed and lit up the sky around us.
