03/28/19 I AM OLD

03/28/19 I AM OLD

YOU REALLY SHOULD read the whole article in order to get my real point.

I AM OLD (72 in 3 days). I am not as old as I am hoping to be, or as old a I may get to be, or as old as many other old people, BUT I AM OLD.

I have pains, and soreness, and weakness, and stiffness, and shortness of breath, and fatigue, and other stuff and then I have more of it.

I haven't always been old. It started when I was young and it has continued up until recently.

I haven't always had pain, soreness, weakness, stiffness, shortness of breath, fatigue and other stuff, but I have those things now, and then I have more of it.

I never felt old until I was bitten by a West Nile Virus carrying mosquito, and then my life changed considerably. I initially suffered major problems, and ALMOST DIED. In fact, doctors told me I was probably going to die because of my WNV. I didn't die, at least not up to the writing of this article.

I did not die. In fact, I have bouts of good health, occasionally. I have been very active, on purpose. My health goes down hill super fast if I do not force myself to be active. There have been times I could not be active and my strength, energy, life slips away more than folks realize. On those occasions I have looked for the first opportunity to get active again. And amazingly I have been able to rebound and regain much of what I had lost in my down time.

I have always been an active person. I have lifted weights, body building, played football, basketball, softball, volleyball, pickle-ball, racquetball, surfed, swam, walked, hiked, jogged, free hand exercise, fished, kayaked, played yard games like jarts, horseshoes, tag, dodge-ball, bocci-ball, coin toss, beanbag toss.

I have done fairly well in some activities. When I was a young teenager I could one arm snatch my own body weight (125#). When I was in my late 30s, weighing only 175#, I bench pressed 255# without a lifting shirt or any other cheats (which was 145% of my body weight). In the past I had quick reflexes and was a fairly fast runner (short distances). My endurance levels were always very high and I almost never slept, but did not suffer fatigue. Though I might get argument, I had a very active and efficient mind. No genius, but at least very active.

I wrote all of this stuff because I wanted to make a point. Stay with me just a little longer.

I AM OLD. I never felt old until I got WNV. When I am active and enjoying decent health, I don't feel old, but when the residual effects of my WNV kick in, I FEEL OLD. In fact, I feel very close to death sometimes.

Finally here it is. I cannot imagine how terrible my condition would be if I had not been active all those years. I probably would not have made it this far if I had not forced myself to be active, even when it was painful, even when I was tired, even when I was strapped for time. If I would have lived this long, I cannot imagine how deplorable my health and condition would be, without having been active. I still force myself to be active, to work out, to kayak. I still put in long hours of work at the computer. But I would not be able to do this if I had not paid the price in my youthful years, my middle age and even into my old age.

I don't like being helpless, ever, but I have been on occasions. I don't like being slowed down, but I am. I don't want to be a burden to anyone. But if I had chosen to not be active, had chosen not to force myself, I would either be dead or in need of someone having to take care of me. Yes, that may still happen. Yes, I know there are people who are in need of constant care, even though they lived their lives responsibly. We can't always choose how things will turn out. But while we can we better do all that we can. Otherwise we will have no real quality of life. Otherwise we will be an unnecessary burden on others, on our loved ones. We will be a financial burden, a time burden, a social burden. Old age is part of life and so are the set backs that go with old age. BUT PLANNED OBSOLESCENCE because we don't have the gumption to take care of ourselves is a selfish decision. I have more to say, but if this doesn't help, then there is no reason to keep talking.