The old rusty Nail
AN E-JOURNAL FOR OLD
PEOPLE
A Perspective on Old Age from an Old
Person
WORDS TO LIVE BY
Russell Burton
‘If you can do it doesn’t mean you should do it’. I just learned this advice the hard way as my
body continues to remind me of that every minute of today. My deck was in need
of new flooring as many of the older boards had rotted. So, a couple of days ago I removed the old decking
to find that the foundation boards also needed some help.
I had not felt as good then for a long time when I began
this project. In fact, I just keep going
lifting heavy boards and setting them in place with screws using my electric
drill. Ah yes, instead of nails these
days structures of this type are screwed into place. I am not objecting to this new system of
attaching boards for it is easier and when it is time to replace them it is a
great improvement over having to yank out 8 and 10 p nails.
And, I kept going and going, like the little battery bunny.
In fact, I worked hard for about six hours.
Of course, I worked much too long for an 80 year old man who hadn’t work
like this for several years.
Well, that night my hands swelled and with my arthritis in
my fingers, I was not able to close my hands.
But, in the morning my hands had improved considerably with some but
modest swelling.
Not to be deterred I thought I might set the remaining
screws on some of the decking that I had put in place the day before. Well after about ten minutes of sever pain in
my back bending over I decided that that was ridiculous. So, I rested the remaining part of the day
and drove to vote. I felt no pain as I
pressed the voting computer. Of course,
I needed some help explaining to me how to vote using this computer like machine.
And, I rested with little pain for the remainder of the day.
But, the next day upon getting out of bed I found my right
leg too painful to stand erect. Clearly,
my leg pain was coming from nerves leaving my lower back. Now, I am no physician but the reason for
lower back problem comes from what obviously the over work I did two days ago.
Now, I have had similar back pain and with about two to six
weeks rest I am back to my normal self but just a bit older. Of course, I’m hoping that I will return to
‘normal’ as I have in the past, but one thing old age tells me is that a person
can’t always count of what has happened in the past.
The one thing I know for sure is that I’m not going to have
any back surgery. My neighbor has had
three operations on his back and is permanently stooped over. I saw him the other day using a long pare of
forceps to pick up his newspaper lying on his driveway.
My back problems started many years ago with a sciatic nerve
attack. I was in bed for several days,
but I finally did recover and returned to work pain free. This back pain has returned on occasion but
not frequently so I sometimes forget that I have a strained back and should
take care of it. My first attack was before they used MRIs. They took an x-ray
of my lower back and found no serious pathologies.
This pain has returned since without any warning has left
the same way. My neurosurgeon has taken
several MRIs during these episodes. And,
each time, with a smile, he told me that I needed a new lower back or as he called
it a new lumbar spine. He has never
suggested back surgery as he has not been able to determine exactly what was
causing my pain. But, each time the pain
disappears and I stay pain free for many months, sometimes years.
Regarding spine surgery, there are times when surgery is
indicated and can be of great help. I
acquired drop foot several years ago after cutting fire wood for the
winter. I should have gone to a
neurosurgeon right away for surgery can fix this problem. But, the longer you wait the poorer the
results are from surgery. I waited so
long that the surgeon told me that surgery would not help me at all.
I do plan to take it easy until my back heals. That means no walking nor working out at the
gym. I may continue with my aerobics at
the gym, along with my stretches and balancing exercise. But, I think weight lifting is not a good
choice right now.
Looking into the future, I hope that I remember this lesson
that I have just experienced. But, there
is no guarantee for I have repeatedly experienced this same stupidity for many
years. I guess when an old person feels
really good he/she believes that the clock has been reset but it really
hasn’t. My age is here to stay so I
should remember that and appreciate everyday that I am relatively pain
free.
I write ‘relatively pain free’ for I am never totally pain free
as aches and pains come with old age.
Still without this damn lower back pain, life is nearly perfect.
So, heed my warning you old people and remember life without
pain is far better than life with pain.
That is it is better to be rich and healthy than poor and sick.
Well, I’m going to close this one down a bit early for my
back is beginning to ache as I do nothing more strenuous than type (work
process?) on my computer.
An update on my back and leg, I can report that today, that
would be the next day, my pain is nearly gone and I can walk upright. I still did not walk today but I am relieved
that I am so much better. I am sitting
with a pillow supporting my lower back.
This support seems to relieve the pain especially when I get up. Sitting has never been my friend considering
my back pain even when I am ‘healthy’.
But, I have learned that it is stupid to overwork my fragile
body, especially my lower back. There is
no doubt that regardless of how I feel mentally and ready to go at it, I had better
go at it one bit at a time, like a computer does it but with lots of rest
between each bit.
Being incapacitated really does put fear into a person. It makes you imagine what it must be like to
be permanently incapacitated. I do feel
for those people for their lives are so difficult physically and that must play
havoc with their mental outlook on life.
Certainly being physically unfit for but a day was grueling enough.
So, I reminisce realizing how lucky I have been over my
life. Yes, I have made mistakes but on
the whole, I am living a good life. I
almost typed ‘I have lived a good life’.
Hey, I’m still at it and hope to continue for several more years.
So, it’s the old rusty nail closing another article and this
time with good advice to all of us old people.
Remember, ‘Just because you can
do it, doesn’t mean you should do it’.
