Doctor Visits, continued...

Let’s see, my general medical practitioner wants to see me twice each year – an annual check up and then a 6-month quick catch-up. The pulmonologist wants to see me annually with an occasional lung function test thrown in to boot. The cardiologist insists on annual check ups with occasional retesting PLUS monthly Coumadin/warfarin clinic visits for tracking blood clotting moderation. The skin doctor wants 5-year check-ups, and the spine doctor/pain clinic wants visits as needed with an MRI thrown in for good luck. So far I’ve kept all of these appointments and each has been easy, very easy. No new meds; no new behavior adjustments. Weight is coming down nicely. Lung capacity is 65% and holding. The doctor notices my mother is now 102 years old and is confident I’ll survive for another 18 to 24 months without trying!  All is good.

And that’s a relief. A woman at church Sunday wondered if I had changed my hair style or done something different. She claims I look younger. I thought so too over the past couple of weeks while shaving. It seems my face is thinner and my eyes are brighter. And the hair is the same, maybe a little darker and stiffer. Still very little gray and the thinning has stopped for several months.

I don’t know if these are all good signs or temporary benefits of getting married. Of course the ladies at church think the latter is the primary cause!

But what is more important is I am feeling very good and can keep my activity level up nicely without too much trouble. There are times I actually walk normally; not all the time, but some of the time. That’s a good thing.

So, aging may not be for everyone but brave and hardy folks can do quite nicely after the age of 72. And that’s a good thing.

Equaling Mom’s 102 years is not probable. Imagine doing 30 more years of this! Yikes!

March 9, 2016