Women Over Fifty

I am continuing to visit Curves three times a week.  In October I was a marshmallow.  Now, in 2009, I’m a recovering marshmallow.  I’ve been pulled away from the heat, toasted, but still whole.

I’m also a bit silly, but today I rejoice because I’m feeling good and I hope to feel even better.  Seven years ago I spent two days in the hospital with a suspected heart attack.  Evidence didn’t support that, but I definitely was sick.  I was so sick I couldn’t walk from my bed to the bathroom and back without taking a rest.  No fun.  I slept and I slept.

I was suffering from a bladder problem that took a long time to diagnose and almost as long to cure.  While searching for an answer why I sometimes didn’t make it all the way to my bed before I was back in the bathroom again, I saw a urologist who, with seriousness, told me that because I’d had children I should expect some bladder problems at my age.  He pretty much told me to live with it.

Well, I was alive, but I wouldn’t call it life.  I was desperate for an answer and saw another urologist who was able to diagnose the problem, and after two years of treatment, pronounced me cured.  I told him I could tell I was better because I had driven to his office, waited for him in the exam room, and now was ready to go home and I hadn’t visited the bathroom yet.

So, being over fifty can have it’s problems.  Doctors sometimes cling to the old idea that these problems are imagined, exaggerated, or just the hysterical whinings of an old woman.  Yes, there are doctors out there who still don’t understand the over-fifty woman.

Fortunately for me, I am now in the hands of some very good doctors.  They help me maintain my health, including the suspected heart problem and diabetes.  But none of them repeated to me often enough that I needed to exercise.  You see, they’d grown tired of saying it and not have anything happen.  I just wasn’t listening.

Last year my left knee hurt me so bad I went  to a knee specialist and went through all of his tests, some shots for pain, a knee brace, until finally he said I wasn’t really ready for a knee replacement (good news), but offered nothing much for the pain.  (The shots had given me unacceptable reactions.)

So, on an appointment with my knee specialist, when I was beginning to accept that I would never walk comfortably again, I asked about the possibility of physical therapy to strengthen the muscles of my legs so my bones could have a rest.  (Your muscles, when strong, hold your joints away from each other allowing the joint to move freely.)  The doctor seemed relieved to have something to offer and sent me to physical therapy.

I’ve only gone to one physical therapist, but I understand from talking to others with knee pain that I have an exceptionally good one.  He walked me through strengthening exercises, and also provided some pain relief so I could do what I needed to.  The pain relief came in the way of massaging the muscles around my knee, electro stimulation, and cold packs.  Within two weeks I was feeling no pain, but continued to go for physical therapy three times a week.  This continued for three months or so.  Then my insurance quit paying and it was time to go.

I had worked so hard to gain the pain relief and I was beginning to walk and do the things I enjoyed.  So I went to Curves where I exercise three times a week.  (Other gyms could probably do similar things for you, but I like the Curves attitudes and encouragement.)  If you saw me exercising today, you’d have a hard time believing I saw last summer’s county fair from a wheel chair.

My happy knee specialist allows me to do all the exercises with some exceptions:  I warm up my knee muscles before I begin, and I don’t do the squats.  Believe me, it’s not a hardship to give up the squats.

Leaving Curves today I went out for lunch and then went shopping.  I felt a lot like the old me, only tighter and more put together.  I feel optimistic.  I feel like I can do it.

Tonight I’m going square dancing with my sweetie.

What works for me might not work for you, but I must tell you to try it.  If you aren’t a good self starter for exercise, then go to a gym or another exercise program.  Personally, if I were to try to do this at home, I wouldn’t make it.  At home there never seems to be time to exercise.  Be sure to follow the recommendations of your doctor.

What I’m trying to say is don’t give up.  Don’t settle for what you’ve got now.  Fight the marshmallow effect!

Marilynne

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