First if all, I don’t know a lot of people who cherish the idea that they are getting older, but for some of us it is a wonder that we did.
A couple of weeks ago we traveled to the Mississippi Gulf Coast. While down there I was fortunate to get to play a round of golf at Shell Landing. This really is a nice course so that made it all the more fun. My golf game is improving some and that is because the golf course was a safer place than most during the pandemic. That, coupled with the fact that I convinced my wife Nancy that I needed a new set of clubs, has improved my game.
We have a small group that likes to get together and play a round when we can.
So back to the coast trip. Twice in my life I have experienced gout. The weekend of our trip happened to be one of those times. So on the way down I stopped and got some fresh cherries. They reduce the lactic acid that is the source of gout. By the time we got ready to golf, my big toe was actually doing much better.
We played our round of golf and by the time we had finished I noticed that now my left knee was sore. I had my meniscus repaired on the right leg around 2015 so I had thought I was good for awhile. But the leg kept bothering me for a week.
Nancy insisted that I go to Sports Medicine. Here is the kicker--the doctor I had used for my knee had retired from practice. I did not think he was that old. So I had to get a new doctor. I told the receptionist on the phone that I wanted a cool doctor. She set me up with Dr. Matt Young. He was in fact cool and seemed like a good doctor. He checked out the old knee and asked if I had considered shots or therapy. My response was “no, I want it fixed.”
His initial diagnosis was a little arthritis along with a damaged meniscus. He set me up for an MRI, which I was able to get at Magee General. We are still awaiting results, but the pain is very similar to the last issues I had and I want it fixed rather than a temporary solution.
I had mentioned to a Sunday School classmate about how sore I get after playing a lot of golf. His recommendation was to take Advil and stretch before playing. That is the same thing Dr. Rudy Runnels has been telling me for years.
As I aged I have started having sleep apnea so, again, at Nancy’s insistence I went to have a sleep study done and, of course, I needed a machine to sleep with. In all honesty when I use it, which is about 75 percent of the time, I sleep much better and feel better the next day. She said that I don’t stop breathing and gasp for air. I did not realize I was doing that until I started using the machine six or seven years ago.
Now, however, if my mask is not seated properly it sounds like a tornado coming through.
So instead of her waking me up to put my mask on she will move it on my face. I accused her of trying to suffocate me the other night. I think her response was, “You’ll know when I try to take you out.”
I suppose I should count my blessings that I don’t have more serious health issues than I do. Aging isn’t all fun, but I have a lot of life left to look forward to. Not everyone is so fortunate, as we have learned during this past difficult year.
