Getting fit can be hazardous to your health

The Way I See It

by DON WEST

Since Bobbye is becoming so healthy, regular medical checkups, eye exams, physicals, and most that is recommended for her, she is falling apart. We get one part fixed and they find something else that needs fixing. They tell us we need to exercise more; well actually they tell us we need to exercise some. I get most of mine by exercising my elbow with a fork or a glass of libation. But Bobbye reminds me a lot of my mother when she was still living. If the doctor told her to do something, she did her best to follow the orders.

So, Bobbye decided that we should take down the bicycles that have been hanging in the garage since we bought them five years ago. I think they may have five miles on them, but that could be an exaggeration. Wait, mine does because I did ride it to work a few times several years ago, then once I had to ride home against the wind and so I hung it up next to hers in the garage. Bobbye, early on a couple of mornings, took a spin around the neighborhood. As you will remember, she recently had carotid artery surgery because of some blockage which is caused by questionable eating habits, poor exercise routine, and some other factors such as heredity may contribute to the problem. So she broke out the old bike, made a block or two, came home, and promptly fell while trying to get off the thing. Since I was already at work, she drove herself to the emergency room and discovered that she broke her shoulder. She has been in a sling with her arm strapped to her body ever since. This healthy lifestyle is about to kill us.

I ran into a friend at church last week, and he recently had heart bypass surgery, carotid artery surgery, and a battery of other procedures done. He told me that he felt a hell of a lot better when he was so unhealthy he had to have all those procedures.

There is always a bright spot in even the darkest of days and when one of us is down, the workload for the other doubles. I have had to take up the slack around the house, washing, cooking, ironing, and helping Bobbye with those tasks that have recently become either impossible or difficult at the least. Judy, a friend of ours, had an accident in her yard some time back and had to have rotator cuff surgery. Her right arm has been in a sling since, so she’s having to learn to function with her left hand. Good news, Judy, Bobbye has a good right hand, but her left is out of commission. I can put the two of you together so ya’ll can get the ironing done.

However, we have discovered that God’s earthbound angels are lurking everywhere and when one least expects, they arrive to lend a hand. The cards, flowers, callers, visitors and well-wishers have been overwhelming and she certainly enjoys the attention. My in-laws have cooked and gotten her to doctor appointments and helped with dressing and hair things that are beyond my expertise. I’m reminded of the little girl who said, “Don’t let Mommy brush your hair when she’s mad at Daddy.” Finesse is not my forté. There is a lady whom you will find cooking near the railroad tracks, and when we were still in business were sure to stop in when she served her once-a-month smothered liver. Though she had no idea of our circumstances, an angel delivered some of that tasty dish just in time. I drove into the driveway from work and was thinking about what I would prepare for dinner when the angel was sent.

Our next-door neighbors brought over a pot of chicken with all the fixings and that lasted us three days. They promise there will be more to come, but I am getting spoiled now. I warned Bobbye, just after the accident, that the fast-food joints were going to get a workout, but so far, our cups runneth over. Not to be outdone by our new family health nut, I also broke out my bicycle on a couple of occasions and took it down to the corner and back. Oh, did I mention that we live on the corner. Don’t want to rush into this health kick too quickly. I heard that there are 206 bones in my body and every one of them is breakable.

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Posted by Graphic Designer 2 on Sep 20 2012. Filed under Editorial Columns. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.