In the Spring of Old Age

For almost two months, I have been taking physical therapy. I feel very fortunate in that my career in education - hard won and fought for (I paid all my own tuition and worked assiduously to stay on the dean's list every semester of every year) has afforded me excellent benerfits and I have an excellent family physician whom I believe really cares about my well-being. I won't diverge here to talk about my past with my doctor, but take my word for it. She has been with my a long time and she listens. I told her I was having trouble getting up and down from a seated position and that I had increasing hip pain along with my historic spine pain and knee trouble. She set me up for a set of x-rays (you probably guess I have arthritis) and then I started physical therapy. So far, after two sessions each week for 6 weeks, I would say I notice 20% improvement. It isn't what I hoped for but it is far better than continued degeneration of abilities. I could no longer step up a curb, manage steps (as in going to the attic or down to the laundry room) and I could barely bend far enough to scoop after my dog on dog walks or get in the car.

I learned a lot from physical therapy. I learned a simple thing I can do getting in and out of bed that will stretch my left hip flexor which was so tight it was contributing to a very painful hip joint. And even just yesterday, my therapist noted that I bend forward when walking and he advised me to notice it and straighten up because that contributes to tight flexors too. While walking the dog today, I caught myself doing the forward slope and straightened up and it felt like the world got brighter. One of th benefits of phyical therapy to me is a brighter and more hopeful attitude. Both of my therapists are optimistic, cheerful and no-nonsense coaches. That helps.

At ShopRite today, an elderly woman in front of me, also sloping forward and visibly tired and uncomfortable, was just leaving as I reached the bagging area and check out. The cashier said "How are you?" And I used my usual reply which comes from an old country and western song my brother and I laugh over, "Not bad, pretty good, can't complain; and anyhow everything is just about the same." The elderly woman turned and said, "Good for you! Wish I felt that way." She left and I said to the cashier, "Attitude is free and you might just as well be positive as negative" We both laughed. But it is true. I used to have a personal motto "Things turn out for the best if you ake the bes of the way things turn out." It isn't good logic, it is called circular logic, but it is a good life advice.

So on top of gettting help and trying to stand up straight and have a good attitude, it helps to find aids I put handles in all the places that are hard for me to manage - mostly steps. They help me by making it safer and giving me somehting to hold onto on both sides. Next I want to get a shower chair. And I have had a bannister installed on a stairway that didn't have one. I also put cinder block pavers under some outdoor steps by the doors that were too high. Along with all that, the physical therapy has helped me a great deal with the steps!

Another lucky break for me is that I am an artist. I alredy wrote about selling two paintings and winning my second Art award last month. I am working on a limited edition series for Women's History Month: Carry-Alls (bags with portraits of famous women on the front, sewn on printed fabric and covered in sheer plastic for protection One is on display at The Station gallery at present. It was my Black History Month bag with a portrait of Zora Neal Hurston.

There ss no excape from getting old except dying but I plan to make the best of my time and enjoy every day of it!

Happy Trails - Jo Ann (as always, don't bother with the comments function, robospam has destroyed it - if you wish to reach me, use my epmail wrightj45@yahoo.com

Fight weakness and build strength!