Thursday, October 30, 2008
How F***ing Lucky!
As I picked up my latest project this morning this thought ( The Title) kept flashing in my head! Yesterday outside Fairway in Otisville a woman limped up to me and started asking about my foot. Did I break it or what. As the conversation progressed I found out that she was six years older than me, was wearing a small Air Cast, and was waiting to see a new doctor in two months about correcting her problem. She had already had a knee replacement and because her husband was a GM retiree she was losing her insurance on the first of the year. As we stood out in the cold I gave her my surgeon’s name and suggested that she might call his office. She thanked me for talking with her and went on about her business. How lucky am I to be in the position that I’m in.
The last few weeks I have been thinking about the fact that in February I will turn 74 years old. My dad lived to 75 and my mom 76. Both of them smoked and drank. They had survived a house fire with some damage of smoke inhalation. I wondered if I had quit smoking soon enough to survive a little longer.
Then this morning I looked down at my hands and saw straight fingers. My eyes had no glasses in front of them and I only use my 2.75 glasses for small print and to embroider. I was diagnosed with emphysema five years ago this month and have been able to omit the medication for the condition so far. I will come out of the cast that has corrected my left ankle in another week. My right ankle was corrected last year on the day before Thanksgiving.
Although I have a few aches and pains my general condition seems to be good. How lucky is that?
