Surviving the Senior Citizen Years

  Eye problems and cataract surgery I’ve worn glasses since I was in the third grade. I had to go to a specialist in Pittsburgh every year for a checkup with an eye doctor. I grew up in a small town on the border of Pennsylvania and West Virginia, so it was about an hour’s ride to Pittsburgh, and I didn’t mind that I got to miss a day of school. What I did mind was having my eye dilated. But I still missed a day of school, and that was nice. It seems my pupils were not shaped right, so I have vision problems. There wasn’t much to do about it except to have them annually checked out. I let my vision exams go for quite a while when I became an adult. Of course, when I went back, the doctor told me about a procedure I needed to do to prevent having cataract surgery. A laser was used on my eyes to release pressure. Well, this lasted a few years until the doctor told me I was going to have to have cataract surgery—one eye at a time, which makes sense. I was hesitant and worried...

  I can remember a time when I didn’t take any pills daily. It was quite a while ago. I felt physically fit; I ran a few miles daily and lifted weights. That was a long time ago.   Fast forward forty years, and I’m now on a bucket of pills every day—pills for this and pills for that. The last few years of my father’s life, he took what seemed like quite a bit of medication. He had heart disease and died in 1977 at the age of 61. I guess without the meds, he would have died sooner. Of course, in 1977, there weren’t many options for someone who had severe artery blockage.   My problems aren’t heart problems. I still take blood pressure and cholesterol medicine, just the same. The thing that always bothers me when a doctor suggests a new drug is the interaction with the numerous pills that I already take. Even though they assure me there shouldn’t be a problem, sometimes there is. With the advent of the internet age and Google, you can check up on any medication. It’...

  Try a little Gratitude   At times it’s hard to be grateful for anything. Your body aches, your memory isn’t so great and things that used to be easy aren’t anymore. I know. But reaching the senior citizen years is a gift for most people.   I miss being able to drive. The last four years have been difficult because I feel uncomfortable behind the wheel. In the past, I’ve had vertigo attacks while I was driving, and it’s very frightening. The worst attack came about a mile away from my home. I was driving with no problem, and then my vision turned upside down. Luckily, there was a firehouse station close by. Unfortunately, the firehouse was empty; I think they were out on an emergency. Someone did pull over and call 911. After that episode, I was very hesitant to get behind the wheel.   But you know what? I didn’t get hurt, and someone stopped and helped me out. I will be forever grateful to that lady. And I have my wife of 38 years who supports me a...