68 And A Movie

I'm 68 years old and you know what? Being 68 years old kind of freaks me out, literally I am something like 18 months away from 70! I don't know why this is so difficult for me to deal with but it kind of is. I envy those that I talk to who seem to be at ease with this period of their lives. I mean talk about the endgame. The stuff that I dwell on this fact all day long day in day out. It's just when I have to focus on the exact birthdate for one reason or another that I see the whole lifespan, my lifespan from start to almost finished. I'm currently reading studs Terkel Coming Of Age. Coming-of-age is a good book, I love studs interviews from previous volumes that I've read. I didn't realize when I dug into this book it was about seniors, old folks getting ready to make the pass over. Oh, these guys are not under deathbeds by any means but at 89, 90, 95 you get the picture they don't have long left on the dirt ball. I do find the stories interesting but kind of intimidating too. The lucky ones, the ones who live the longest, are really not that far ahead of me.

Next year at this time I will be 69 years old. I feel like I'm creeping up on 70 and that 70 is some sort of line in the sand. Every day now when I get up, I'm thankful to be alive and thankful when I land in the chair start the day. I've got some skin issues of my but that kind of intimidates me every morning especially when I have to go a couple days between home healthcare. Dana, is great about taping up my butt with a “second skin”. This “second skin” really does protect my buttocks from increased pressure sore or skin breakdown. I try not to dwell on the issue of being 70 years old and skin becoming more and more fragile. This year I've just started utilizing the silver-based cream on my skin each night and I think has made a great deal of difference.

Along with all the wheelchair maintenance I've been wrestling with the past couple of days I'm also having to process the fact I need a new wheelchair cushion. The day that I had to use the backup chair the cushion it really hurt my butt. No skin breakdown thank goodness however, if I had to use the cushion too much I would be in danger. So yes, I needed new cushion. These are really significant issues for me to be pondering and I try to put them out of my mind as much as I can but at the same time be as proactive and involved with prevention, maintenance and quick focused intervention when these issues appear. Sadly, I guess this is sort of a full-time job for one as they reach the 70 year mark. I know this theme is some of the other folks here at the complex their hands are full with similar issues and I can't really complain. As difficult as mine seem they are not, at this point, life-threatening issues. I found out only yesterday one of the ladies in our coffee group, who I really sort of like, passed away and was buried last week. The only way I knew was that there was a card to sign in the foyer. Unbelievable. Life goes on. To that end I chose to go to another movie today – – I know totally irresponsible. The kind of bizarre child's movie called Ugly Dolls a piece on inclusion I guess if I had to justify my time in the seat. More than anything else I just feel I need to get in as many movies as I can