Thursday, August 2, 2012

Aches and Pains


            The older I become, the more aches and pains I have on a more frequent basis.  The bone spur in my hip reminds me of my age when I lift more than a few pounds or when I sit for too long on a soft sofa or chair.   When I was much younger, my sister-in-law said, “You can’t run to the doctor for every ache and pain.”  Now I understand what she means.  Whenever I tell my doctor about my aching joints in fingers, ankles, knees and on and on, he tells me it’s arthritis and moves on quickly to the next question I have, and I usually have quite a few.  I make a list before I go so I won’t forget anything. 
            Arthritis pain never goes away completely.  I manage it with exercise, healthy foods, and pain killers.  Various meds may dull the pain, but it’s a constant reminder of age-related maladies.  That’s why I begin each day with a 2-mile walk and always stretch afterwards.  If I’m stiff when I awaken, the exercise gets the blood circulating and I feel much better.  I have also noticed that the joints in my hands and ankles are less painful when I cut back on salt and sugar.  

            Now that it’s summer, I’d like to work in the yard, preparing and planting new flower beds and maintaining the older ones, but I know I’ll pay for it big time.  Keeping the patio plants watered, fed and dead-headed allow me to still feel like I’m gardening.  When I’ve completed those tasks, I sit on the patio with a book and a cold drink and enjoy the fruits of previous labor.  Come to think of it, that’s not so bad.