Bay', I rambled this morning and hope that is okay with you. The discussion on joints over on the quotes and thoughts thread, almost set me off there but BJ's and your experiences make it just too tempting to ramble along here. (Had to come back to proofread all this in the afternoon!)
I'll have to be careful rambling because I'm such a lame critter, there is no telling where I might end up. I've been thinking how my leg and arm joints have not been troubling me lately with what is probably osteoarthritis aches. Those seem to come and go over a month or two. Still, my "awkward gait" is a little more awkward this October, this 2020.
20+ years of stumbling around has taught me a few things. Foremost is try to be conscious of my direction and purpose. Another is to stop before looking back. The easiest way for me to fall is to look over my shoulder. No glancing back, without some thought to it ...
You are likely to remember that we laid my 101 year old father to rest almost exactly 1 year ago. He was not one to expend much effort except in moving forward, right up until the final weeks of his life. Oh, he had his memories and ideas and, honestly, better communicated them during the last few years of his life than at any other time that I remember.
I have a new neighbor that I hope to continue communicating with. Here's how that may go. The last new neighbors that I got to know, the young guy introduced himself when I was out in the yard without my hearing aids. I pointed that out to him but we exchanged pleasantries and I said that I would learn his name at another time. Wouldn't you believe it, once again I was out without the silly aids when he hurried over to the fence with his girlfriend! Fortunately, DW was nearby and she came over to run interference for her "better half" while I tried to melt into the landscape.
I became so defensive about this experience that now, I almost never leave the house even to walk across the backyard, without the hearing aids. One might expect better habits and skills since I've worn the miserable things for over 3 decades.
Joint Surgery. I was sent to a neurosurgeon by the primary care guy, years ago. "Oh no, we had better not do that work with you carrying that rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis." Seven years later, I was sent back to same surgeon, "we can do some work on those nerves but it will be for the pain, only." I went off to an orthopedic surgeon for a second opinion. He agreed, too late for my "awkward gait" repair. So, I'm envious of BJ
. Live with the pain? Yeah, that was my decision.
DS recently turned 50. He said that the most common advice that he has had from old people through his life is "don't get old!" Baloney. That's just a very lame way of looking for sympathy. Let's just do the best we can and appreciate what surrounds us and appreciate others, both from our past and in the here and now.
Steve
on his way out to the garden ~ and now back 
