Tuesday, October 01, 2024

A Lifetime of Living

kat in 1976 at 24 years of age

There comes a time in your life as you grow older when you realize life does not last forever. In the past, like when you are thirty, you think retirement is a long time off. When you reach that age though and are not going to a job every day, at first it is a transition period. Can be fun because now you have time to do whatever it is you choose to do. After being retired for a period of ten years or more though, you start feeling like maybe your life is going to be ending soon. Maybe you won't live to see certain things or how things turn out. It is a scary thought but is also true. I have always been a positive person. Thinking that way has always helped me to get through the bad times of my life. And there has been many. 


Senior housing

Now I am finding that not dwelling on how many years I have left is what I have to do. You cannot spend time thinking about dying or your own death. It will come soon enough without spoiling those years before. In fact, I believe you can hasten your death by thinking about it all the time. Every ache and pain does not mean I have something terrible and am going to die. For me running to a doctor all the time would make me feel that way. Doctors have a way of worrying you before they even know you have something to worry about. Instead I tell myself I am fine and get on with what I have to do today.

 

kat

This week I am having blood work done at my doctor's office. Not looking forward to that. I know it will mean that the doctor will be warning me about something. Worrying me about something in those blood test result numbers. I am only doing this so I can make plans to have my dental issues taken care of. Want to make sure I am okay to do that. Maybe I will be able to have the doctor give me an order to go back to my Lymphedema therapist. You can't do that without the order from the doctor. I really need to go back. Most doctors do not know much about that condition but my therapist is very knowledgeable about it. So I feel confident going to her when I have the need. 


Using a walker

My life has not been easy but easier than some. I had no real health issues until the year I turned fifty. That year is also the year I lost my mother. I was noticing pain in my knees then and it increased over time. Nothing worked for it. No supplements and I tried them all. I did not go to a doctor because I had no insurance. I do not blindly trust anyone just because they are certified or registered in some profession. Lives end and one day mine will also. I am not going to think about it now. I have no plans to have any surgery on my knees or to start taking prescription drugs. When I have the dental work done I will be taking prescriptions for that. Antibiotics and pain medication but for a short time. I will only take the pain medication when I really need it. After my mouth has healed I will not need them any longer. Looking forward to getting all that taken care of in the near future. 




Copyright © 2024 Kathleen G. Lupole
All Photographs Copyright © 2024  Kathleen G. Lupole