Penny For Your Thoughts
By: Nancy Whitaker
This year I played it smart and got a pneumonia shot; a flu shot and all my COVID shots. I thought I was all set for the heat, cold, rain and snow, but I found out about a few weeks ago that there are other ailments which are “a pain.”
One morning I got up and I felt stiff and sore all over. A sharp pain radiated from my lower back down my right leg.
Yes, I know I am getting older, but this pain was entirely different and more severe. This was on a Monday and by the end of that day, I could not take a step without pain.
Now we all know I am just too young to get any type of arthritis, besides isn’t arthritis for people a lot older than me?
I tried wearing different shoes, stretching, and putting pain cream on my leg and back. Nothing seemed to be working, so I was stuck in the house that whole day.
I kept telling myself, “Girl, you are still a kid, so this pain will pass and you will be out kicking up your heels again.”
After a time I tried some over the counter pain reliever which did little to ease my pain. Now in my mind I wanted to go out to eat and go to a movie. No way!
These old body parts were telling me that I wasn’t going anywhere.
The next day my back and leg was not much better, so I tried to hobble around the house and pretend I was 16 once again. I turned on some music and tried wiggling a bit. Guess what! I wasn’t 16 and I had lost my wiggling ability.
By this time I had self diagnosed myself as having a sciatic nerve problem. I told myself, “this hurts more than having a baby.” And it did.
As much as I hated to admit it, I knew these aches and pains were probably due to perhaps an aging problem?
I finally called my doctor’s office who called me in some medicine. With my medicine, pain rubs, and a heating pad in tow, I thought these items would instantly cure me or at least help me move.
I thought in my own mind that I could still run, jump and dance. But, it even hurt when I just went up and down the steps.
For the life of me I do not understand why people call our older stages of life “The Golden Years?”
How can we enjoy these so called Golden Years with all these aches and pains? Heck I would be thankful just to hobble across my street and get in my car.
The next day, I went into the doctor’s office and got a shot. I thought I was going to get instant relief then, but as of right now that old back and these old legs of mine are still stiff and sore.
After a few days I get a case of cabin fever. Oh I don’t like these achy bones at all. If this is old age catching up me, it sure hurts.
I wound up going to physical therapy and learned stretches and exercises to give my muscles more flexibility. I bought various back braces, a tens unit and 2 heating pads.
They helped ease the pain, but it took me about a month to be able to stand up to the sink and do my dishes. The day I did that I clapped my hands and said, “Thank you Jesus.”
Being so short, with short legs, I have never been a fast runner. Now, I didn’t care to be fast, just a slow pace would be enough.
I will never take my everyday activities for granted. It is really a blessing to walk, go up and down steps, do dishes and drive a car.
Well let me say this. “I still have back problems, but praise God I can still get around.” In my soul there is an immortal kid refusing to keep up with my aging body. ~Shyma, (quote Garden)
Cheers to the Golden Years…
As George Burns said, “Look forward to your future. It’s where you spend the rest of your life” (Golden years or not).
Are you in the golden years yet? How old do you think we should be to say we are in our golden years? When I was a little child, I always thought my grandma was really old. (And she was only in her 40s) What do you think?
Let me know and I’ll give you a Penny for your thoughts.
