Growing Older but Not Up

Image via WikipediaAbout 10 years or so ago, I worked with a guy who was about 15-20 years older than I was.  He was a wise and intelligent man that spoke in a rather simple way.  One might think from listening to him speak that he was a southern, redneck country boy, but his manner of speaking belied his intelligence.

As he was approaching retirement age, he began to suffer from an assortment of maladies that slowed him down a bit.  He started having problems with his feet and had to sit on a padded cushion at this desk.  In spite of his pain, he kept up a good sense of humor regarding his aches and pains.  He frequently told me that growing old wasn't for sissies or cowards.

More and more each day, I am coming to understand what he was talking about.  I am only 50, but each day seems to find new aches.  I have been suffering from BPH for a few years now, and my doctor has me on Avodart.  I usually end up waking up at least once during the night to go to the bathroom.  I am not sure I know when the last time I got a solid eight hours of sleep.

In addition to the BPH, I have been developing arthritis in my wrists.  It is particularly bad in my right wrist.  Since I am right handed, it can be a little more aggravating since that hand gets a lot more use throughout the day.  Past issues with knee and back pain tend to flare up a lot more easily these days.

The latest issue to come to the forefront for me is some foot and heal problems.  I wake up each morning with a great deal of pain in my right heal.  At first the doctor said it was Achilles tendonitis.  Then he said it was plantar fasciitis.  Either way, it hurts to walk or stand on my feet for long periods of time.  Because the pain is in my heal, it also sometimes flairs up while I am driving as my heal rests on the car when my foot is on the gas.

Still, in spite of it all, I keep trying to keep up with those younger than me.  I must have been crazy yesterday.  Normally, I work from 5pm-11pm when delivering pizzas on Saturday night.  One of the other drivers needed yesterday off, so they asked me come in at noon.  I needed the money, since my care needed a major repair earlier in the week, so I agreed. 

I ended up working a little more than 11 hours yesterday.  Not only was it a long day on my feet, but the temperatures in the early afternoon topped 90 degrees.  Needless to say, my dogs are barking up a storm today.  But, I made it through it, and earned a little extra dough.  On top of that, I learned a new aspect of the pizza business.  In my three years delivering, all I had done previously was deliver pizza and cut and box orders.  Yesterday, I actually helped to make the pizza.  So it just goes to show you, you can teach an old dog new tricks.