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Retiree's Advice: Stop The Constant Talk About Aging's Aches And Pains
By Wash Gjebre, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
July 13, 2004
Isn't it about time we seniors turned the page on our preoccupation with health care? It's become an obsession, a far-reaching collection of rants about our ever-present aches and pains.
There must be other hot topics of interest when the elderly get together. Personally, I'm rather tired of hearing about medical histories and updates when I'm with fellow seniors. A routine "Hello, how are you?" usually elicits a long list of medical topics.
Yes, I, too, am guilty of the launching into some of the diverse health-care topics when socializing with fellow retirees. I'm rather disturbed because, until a couple of months ago, I was taking only one small white pill called Lipitor per day. I felt I was a rarity at a time when all my elderly friends (including my wife) were swallowing pills of all sorts. Then, all of a sudden, I was rejected twice in a month when I tried to donate blood. Something about blood pressure. Now, several weeks later, I'm taking five pills a day and seem to visit the drugstore more frequently than the grocery store.
Sure I'm disturbed, because I felt fine long before various drugs began filtering through my aging system. And, of course, I felt compelled to join in the conversations with the elderly, with whom I now could relate.
At times, it seems we launch into a stream of consciousness on pills, blood profiles, blood pressure, vitamins, constipation, hospital procedures, Medicare; a friend even e-mailed me a colored photo of his recent colonoscopy, would you believe! And of course, there are discussions about prostate problems, triple, double and quadruple bypasses, catheterizations, aspirin therapy, hearing aids, diabetes symptoms, cat scans, MRIs . Ad nauseam. And at times it seems as if everyone is trying to outdo everyone else on the pills they consume, the number of trips to the doctor's office, the cost of hospital stays and meds and other items on the medical agenda.
Really, now, don't you fellow seniors feel we need to get on with other subjects in this universe?
The computer is also a popular vehicle for running discussions about health matters. Like the e-mail I received the other day from a friend. It goes like this:
"I went online this morning to order a new prescription for Prilosec, the pill I take for my esophagus. In the past, a 90-day supply via mail order has been $30. Today the bill was $20. This was my first mail-order prescription under Security Blue. Go figure."
But he also sent a correction: "Whoops! I just realized the price is for generic, not the brand name. Wishful thinking on my part, I guess ..."
See what I mean? Stimulating colloquies they're not.
Then at The Palace in Greensburg a few weeks ago, some of the intermission chat somehow turned to the health of a friend's brother. Just couldn't seem to get around to talking about the delightful pops concert by the River City Brass Band. I was reminded that his brother is home from the hospital but that the three-times-a-week dialysis is very rough on him.
I often wonder if there is anything else left for us on which to dwell.
And just when I thought I might have put some of these cursed health topics to rest, albeit for a short time, a mail promotion from an insurance company reminds me that I should attend a luncheon to hear a pitch on "Clarifying the realities of retirement: Strategies to help you live the way you want to live," poses these questions: "How can I assure that my money will last as long as my spouse and I are alive?" Not to mention, "How can I maintain my independence and dignity from catastrophic illness or nursing home expenses -- without being dependent on my children?"
I think we ought to venture out of the box and try to forget the pesky aches and pains.
Enough already. Let's change the subject.
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