When I called my sister-in-law Janeen on her birthday on March 10th, I listened to a woman who sounds the same as she did 30 years ago, when I was 30. She has this pleasant way about her, and our conversations are nearly always easy, and this one was easy as well. But as I listened to her, I realized that I was speaking with a 78 year old woman. That I may be as in charge of my faculties and as optimistic as she is if I am allowed to reach 78! Listening to her, 78 doesn't seem old--and I told her as much. 90 seems old, not 78.
But then, Janeen and my brother Tom, and for that matter my sister Darlene and brother-in-law Bill, have had their fair share of physical challenges as they have aged. Bill turns 74 this year and my sister turns 73. Neither of them seem old either. But I know they have aches and pains, like Tom and Janeen do, and that just comes with the territory of aging and dealing with that "decaying" process.
As a 60 year old who will turn 61 in June, I am beginning to experience more aches and pains. And I know is that it is common. Whenever older people get together socially, the conversation will inevitably veer into a discussion about aches and pains, or even who is in the hospital or who recently died as their bodies gave way to that process.
For me, it is a rare morning when I am free from some little bodily complaint. I've come to accept it and not fight it. Usually, the stiffness or those aches and pains subside as I get up and start doing things. If they don't, I'll find my way to a chiropractor's office or I will pop some ibuprofen, and then nearly always I am good to go.
I'm am making a concerted effort to go for brisk walks five days a week, for a minimum of an half-hour or a maximum of an hour, and I try to not walk on flat terrain exclusively but try to access the numerous hills that surround my house. And while I do spend a great deal of time sitting, whether in sessions and/or the computer (like right now!), I take stairs and I will walk to a destination if its fairly close. When we go on hikes, I will set the pace, especially going uphill. I was blessed with good lung capacity, and hiking is not a unpleasant experience for me no matter how difficult the terrain.
Furthermore, I am making great efforts to watch my diet. For those who don't know, I am pre-diabetic and have been taking medication to control becoming diabetic for years. When I had a blood test earlier this month that showed unusually high blood sugar levels (for me), I became even more mindful. I am eating multiple salads a week, eating fish regularly, trying to eat fresh vegetables and fruit, and laying off the sweets.
Sweets have always been a challenge for me. I believe it was sweets (as well as a poor diet) that finally did my father in when he was diagnosed as being diabetic in his 60s. I will always remember eating Dunford's Rocky Road Chocolate Cake that routinely was in our home that seemed to have a good 1/2 to 3/4 inch of frosting on top. It seemed we always had dessert after every dinner, and that set me on a course for living for and loving my sweets. But I can't and won't be a slave to my sweets.
I do not want to become diabetic, with all of the attendant maladies that come with that bodily state. I want and need to eat well, continue losing a few pounds here and there, exercise, and generally take care of this body. It requires mindfulness and purpose on my part, keeping focus when it would be easier to slack off or indulge.
Overall, I feel in pretty good shape, even with the aches and pains. I am very grateful to be as well off physically as I am. My hope is to continue to take care of this bag of bones so that my children, grandchildren--and who knows, even great-grandchildren, can call me at age 78, and that I too will be of sound mind AND body!
1 comment:
I like sweets, too. They are my true weakness. I make rice krispy treats with brown rice syrup, raw peanut butter, and brown rice cakes. They are not as good as See's Candy, but they are pretty good.
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