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.
