On Becoming Diminished
Missing who you were
It happens to most people if they live long enough. Once we reach a certain age, most of us know a few ninety-somethings who amaze us. They seem to have boundless energy, and few if any health issues. How is this fair? I’ve asked myself this question hundreds of times. It looms large for me these days.
By a quirk of genetics, occupations, and as one of my doctors told me, just bad luck, I seem to have been plagued throughout my life with a series of illnesses and injuries. Things I’m thinking of aren’t typical stuff most kids and young adults deal with. Such as coming home from school with strep throat, falling from a tree you climbed, and breaking an arm.
For me, it’s been more like nine fractures, a twice ruptured left Achilles, four shoulder surgeries, two being rotator cuff repairs, various bone spur removals, with one resulting in a MERSA infection. Worst of all, the dreaded spinal fusion in my cervical spine was due to herniated discs and severe spinal stenosis. Bizarre eye issues resulted in the need for five different specialists at Duke. And that emergency gall bladder removal. I hadn’t sought medical help because who goes to the doctor for stomach aches? There’s no need to continue, you get my point.
Have you ever heard of an otherwise healthy person experiencing such calamity? At…
