“Don’t ever get old,” my father likes to say, to which my mother chimes, “Hey, it’s better than the alternative!”
Aging is okay if you can maintain a tolerable quality of life. In that regard, my parents are fortunate. I hope I will be as lucky.
Mary came by for lunch yesterday and we were talking about aging as scoliosis patients. We both agreed it’s scary to think about what shape we’ll be in when we’re ready to activate our respective AARP memberships.
The reality of flat-back syndrome (http://tiny.cc/aJi8H) and its gradual progression was starkly evident as I recently flipped through pictures from my college graduation 25 years ago. What great posture I had then, and how naïve my smile, thinking it would last.
Now I cannot bear the sight of myself walking, bent forward at the waist no matter how hard I try to straighten. I rationalize that my hip plays a part in my plight, and that will be corrected when I finally cave and get a new joint. But the flat-back will remain – and possibly worsen.
Writer Howard Phillips Lovecraft said, “The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown.”
That pretty much sums it up.
After all the challenges I faced during my teens –- and those I’ve realized as a wife and mother -- I don’t consider myself timid in the face of adversity. Fear of the unknown is a formidable foe, but I'm steeling myself for the battle.
3 years ago
Maria -- I was glad to stumble upon your blog, and I'm looking forward to reading more entries.
ReplyDeleteI have flatback, am a PR professional and a northern transplant (NY to TX). Looks like we have a few things in common :).
It's a lonely existence much of the time as no one really understands that we look "normal" but are far from it...
Hi, kes1704...we do have much in common...thanks for stopping by - Maria
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