TODAY: HOSPITAL VISIT CONFIRMS I AM AN OFFICIAL SENIOR CITIZEN

I have been suffering with hip & leg pain for about 10 days: the past 2 days I couldn't even get out of bed for more than 5 minutes before slinking back to lie down flat.

Well ...

Today was the day the hospital confirmed to me that I am an official Senior Citizen 😉

It's going to be an adjustment 😂🤣

The adjustments won't be major - just tone things down a bit (example: instead of intense hiking ... do low-impact).

Bob lived with pain all his life; intense pain from spina bifida (not open, just there in his spine), sciatica, and a broken thigh bone that never totally healed properly (though it was a miracle the surgeons even managed to save his leg from amputation).

But stuff like this is scary when you are a solo lobo - and you don’t know WHY you are in pain.

Leg pain woke me up around 2 AM … I walked down the hallway, and saw fog hanging over the Park: it reminded me of those horrible early morning “missing Bob” drives I made in 2018, to the local hospital before deciding to pack a duffle; and camping in Bob’s room.

By 9 AM, the leg pain was so bad, I called my SIL Merry, and asked her to drive me to the hospital to find out WHY the pain was so intense: she came without hesitation.

Bob & Merry; August 2007.

I went to the hospital straight from the bed, in my pajamas … and I didn’t care.

The pain was that B.A.D.

A couple of X-rays – and a Cortisone shot – and I could move without wanting to scream … or rip my leg off and throw it across the room.

Waiting for my release papers … and trying to make sense out of the Doctor’s assessment.

A guesstimate concerning the problem: nothing definite, but an age-related-clue.

A guesstimate clue was given that will probably send me to the Poor House if everyone (Admittance receptionist, 2 attendants, 1 Doctor, 4 X-rays/X-ray Technician, Cortisone shot, Prednisone tablet, Diagnostics, Paper printing) wants their $$$$$ up front.

I racked up a hefty hospital bill just to be told I am now officially a Senior Citizen.

I don’t have insurance – and I won’t be old enough for Medicare until next year, when I turn 65. I don’t know what to tell them all when they bill me; other than “stand in line”.

Non-narcotic pain relievers: $18 for everything. Hopefully when they are all used up, and the inflammation is relieved … the pain will have subsided enough to be manageable in the future.

My ‘Vitals’.

I should have these vitals’ statistics tattooed to my forehead so the people freaked out about covid CAN SEE that I AM FINE. I will not kill anyone by walking around without a freaking mask … 

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