AN
UPDATE ON ME BEING OLD
The Old
Rusty Nail
AN E-JOURNAL FOR OLD PEOPLE
Russell
Burton, an Old Person
I just had my 84th birthday. I guess it is
something to celebrate for not many people get a chance to do so and at my age
there are fewer survivors each day as I grow older. And, being old is a serious challenge which I
have addressed before on this Blog. In
fact, each year the challenge grows more serious as I find myself not being
physically capable of doing things I could do with ease just a year ago. Yes, changes are coming more rapidly than I
expected and this concerns me for I do not have many changes left in me. I fear not as many changes as I can tolerate
for I probably have several years left to live. Well, that is my thought now.
I will attempt to document some of those changes I
have experienced since I turned 80 years of age when I decided I had become old
and started to write this Blog. Of
course this metamorphosis being old was indeed a gate through which I
recognized as significant and one in which there was no turning back, for this
was a journey of time and a person cannot turn back the clock. Simply these
were changes which I have found occur more rapidly each year.
I think the most aggressive change I have found is in
my ambulation, you know walking either for simple exercise or to get
someplace. This was once a form of
exercise which everyone calls probably the best form of physical activity
available especially for old people.
Some four years ago I had a regular walk which I took about three times
a week each of which covered about 3 miles that took me about an hour. Frequently, I had a friend walk with me. Over these four years, my walk went down to 2
miles then just a walk through the park which was about one mile until now I will
no longer even attempt that. And, my
friend who is a few years younger than I am has recently become quite ill with
pneumonia and COPD so that she can no longer do this walk. I suppose she could come back from her
medical problems and do that walk again. But not me, because my problem is not
medical it is simply age!
Now, I am admitting to a profound change in one of my
physical activities which I thought I could continue to perform until I died.
Yes, some of my physical problems involves back pain but the work of walking
that distance three times a week is just too great for me to perform
anymore. Of course, this is distressing
but even more so because it has happened so rapidly. Yes, a year ago I was
walking in the park and enjoying it.
Not only my capability in this walk is gone, I have no
desire to even attempt to do it. And,
this lack of enthusiasm for my walk I see in just doing odd jobs about the
house. One such activity is keeping my
patio deck cleared of leave. Instead of
doing it daily when there are few leaves I put it off for several days when it
becomes a major chore. By that I mean instead of just a few minutes to do that job like it
did a year or so ago it will take me nearly an hour. And, it hurts…Why do I do this? Because I have lost the motivation necessary
for me to get out there and do it when I should!!!!!
When I went to a store I would park further from it
than I had to so I would get some walking exercise. Now I try to get as close to that store door
as I can. And, I am thinking about
getting a handicap sign to hang from my car rear-view mirror to get parking
closest to the store!
I continue to go to the gym for strength training and
my aerobics on the stationary bike which I use to do each twice a week. I have found excuses to reduce this activity
to once a week. So, my gym routine is Monday I lift weights, Wednesday I do my
aerobics and Friday I walk for about twenty minutes on a short circular track
at the gym on a carpet.
And, walking on a carpet instead of outdoors on
asphalt makes lots of sense for when I fall and I will, it hurts less. Interestingly, I did fall the other day doing
my walk at the gym. Two young guys came
over to help me get up but I declined their help and was able to do it by
myself which was important. But, it was embarrassing for me for it showed my vulnerability
from being old which I am not pleased about.
Now, I am doing an hour of physical therapy with a therapist twice each
week to strengthen my lower back and reduce the pain. You know with a back without pain, I might
get back to doing my walk in the park, but I think it is more than just pain so
I know that will never happen for several reasons other than back pain.
The lower back pain and reduced mobility is a common
malady of us old people. In a recent issue of the Discover magazine it has a page where it lists. ‘20 Things You
Didn’t Know About’ something. The March
2016 issue has the something ‘Your Back’.
And by far the majority of those 20 things were about our spine
pathologies. It notes that lower back
pain is the most common backache to which I am sure we old people will agree.
Of course I find it most difficult to get down on my
knees or bending over to pick up something.
Some of this of course has to do with my back problems but also simple
physical mobility is significantly reduced.
I find myself at times walking like an old person taking unsure shorter steps. For
years I thought of painting the inside of my garage. Of course that would require some repair work
on the cabinets and walls. I could have
done it last year, I think, but I would not even attempt it now.
Other changes I have found over these last four years
includes my reduced thirst desires and less interest in foods for I am sure my
tasting and olfactory senses are less keen. Re my water intake I have a large
glass of water on the kitchen counter which I keep full just to remind me that
when I see it I take a good drink.
Besides the maladies I have just listed, my balance
has gone south. Walking up and down
stairs without holding onto the banister is difficult. I always try to do it without holding onto it
but my hand is just an inch above it just in case. I think challenging myself
physically like that is important and slows this aging process down, but I am
not sure. I know, I will not walk down stairs without a banister.
I am working on my poor balancing by standing on one
leg. Years ago it used to be easy but
now I have a chair in front of me using my index finger resting on its back for
much needed support for my balance. I do
that exercise once each day standing on each leg five times for 10 seconds
each. It seems to be helping my balance for now I can do some of it without
using my index finger. I guess this is
progress well at least my balance is not getting worse.
Even though my physical prowess has diminished at
least my mind remains sharp and that is much more important than being able to
walk long distances. And, I am still very capable at driving my car. In fact, I am sure I am a better driver than
when I was a young man. At least, I do
know I am much more careful. And, I continue to have excellent vision with
minor correction with bifocal glasses. I
just had my eyes checked and some minor changes in my prescription. Leg
reflexes are important here and mine are still quite good.
Of course it takes more time to clean my patio and
make my bed but I still do it. Yes, I
make my bed every day. I never fail to
do so even years ago I didn’t really care and frequently I just didn’t take the
time. Now, it is very important that I
make it each and every day for if I didn’t I would get a feeling that I am less
capable because of old age. And, I don’t
want that feeling. Yes, I can and do make my bed every day!
Other daily chores includes cooking my meals which I
still enjoy. My cooking includes making my own pie crust (some people have
never learned how to do that) and cooking some fairly complex dishes. Since I live
alone I probably throw out much of it because it is difficult to cook for just
one person.
I just hosted our biweekly bridge game. It was my turn and it went well, which
included serving an upside down cake for dessert which I made. Of course moving
furniture and putting up the card table, chairs, and small food tables required
some physical effort which was accomplished without much effort. Maybe that is the secret it didn’t take much
physical effort. Hey, and I won the game…
Oh I suppose someday I will not make my bed or clean
off my patio. I will stop going to the
gym; you know, give up. And, my ability to walk from my car to a store will be
compromised. That day is coming for sure but at least I still have the desire
and physical ability to put it off for I hope several years. But an old person never knows what is just
around that time corner.
On the Web News I recently read that Cindy Crawford
(you know that famous model) just turned 50.
And, she noted that ‘age is just a number’. Let’s see what she says when she reaches 80. Let me see, that would make me 114 years
old. I can hardly wait.
Strangely I am complaining about living. I guess this is a sign of being old.
P.S. I just got word from Amazon that I just sold
another book, my e-novel Mary. Wow… What I am suggesting here is that my
readers should buy my book for it is a really really wonderful story. Get on the Web and type in Mary by Russell
Burton and there it is for sale at a very reasonable price. And, I thank you.
2/16
