Getting Older

I just discovered another sign of aging – all your doctors start to retire. I always think of a doctor as being an older statesman, or woman, and, I, a younger, dewy-eyed patient. This has been the dynamic of most of my doctor-patient relationships since I was a child and, up until now…

There comes a time in most of our lives when we must take on the role of caregiver. For many of us, that time comes when our elderly parents can no longer look after themselves as well as they once did…

I find being 83 a complete revelation – both that I ever got here (like many others, I thought old age only happened to other people) and what joy it brings me to be here. I can’t speak for other people aged 83 any more than I could have spoken for other people…

I’ve thought long and hard about writing this post. I figure some things are best kept private – in an era where it is the norm to over-share personal information, I have always believed that you have the right to maintain some privacy…

I had cataract surgery the other week – both eyes. It is amazing to wake up in the morning and see clearly without having to first put on glasses. Colors are more vibrant, and I am noticing things that I wasn’t able to see before. Sadly, these things also include…

I love to walk. I’ve travelled to many beautiful places on foot. Whether climbing to the rocky summit of a mountain, standing at the base of a refreshing waterfall or just taking a stroll around the block, walking brings me sanity and joy…

My friend survived another trip around the sun, and I searched for an appropriate birthday card to send her. I noticed that many cards contained exaggerated, pathetic caricatures that resembled cruel and unusual punishment for still being alive…

The Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines legacy as “something transmitted by or received from an ancestor or predecessor from the past.” It’s common to hear about legacies “living on” today when they continue to affect those in the present…

My 23-year-old grandson and I were recently chatting about the stages of life – one of many much-loved conversations where age meets youthful curiosity. When he asked me at what point someone officially becomes “old,” I paused. Then I offered him this…

Growing up, I remember hearing about what I would call “old people diseases,” such as cataracts, liver spots, high cholesterol, arthritis, etc. Ailments that affected people of “a certain age.” Well, here I am at 60 about to have cataract surgery. When I was in my 30s, my ophthalmologist…