Bette Davis said “Old age ain’t no place for sissies.” Now that I’m here ( 80 and counting ) I know what she means.
Who’s that in the mirror?
Until the age of 52 I was in excellent health, but in 1998 I experienced chest pains that I thought were just indigestion. A visit to the Doctor and an ambulance ride to the nearby hospital ended up in a diagnosis of a clogged artery in my heart. A day later an angioplasty confirmed this and a stent was placed in my heart. I have taken a baby aspirin and metoprolol since then and have had no further heart related issues. After my mother’s death from polycystic kidney disease in 1975 my test for PKD was positive. In 2010 my kidney function level required me to start peritoneal dialysis and in Nov. 2012 I received a deceased donor’s kidney. I take prograf and prednisone daily to suppress my immune system. My third kidney continues to work well. Over the last 10 years I have developed afib and I am taking coumadin. I have sleep apnea ( I sleep with an AVS machine at night ). I have an atonic bladder and self cath 4 times a day. I regularly get squamous cell carcinomas removed from my hands, forearms and scalp ( early life sun exposure and prograf use related susceptibility ). I have a long term fatigue issue. Lately I’ve been dealing with lower back and foot pain. In total, they can make some days a bit challenging.
Benefits and assistance
I collect a modest amount of Social Security income.
I have Medicare insurance and my only out of pocket insurance expenses are small co-pays for prescriptions. I have a Section 8 housing voucher. I have SNAP benefits. I have fuel assistance. These benefits help me get by on my SS income each month
Other
I first became aware of meditation in the early 1980s at UMass Medical Center in a John Kabat-Zinn program called Stress Reduction and Relaxation. It helped then and helps now.
Recent events have made me focus on my “life” – how much time do I have left? After some deep thought I have decided on a change – One More Adventure – time to put some life in my life – and I’m moving to New Orleans in Nov. 2026. More to come later.