When I recently went in for my Carpal Tunnel surgery the pre-op nurse asked me a bunch of the usual questions. When she asked if I have had any previous surgeries I started laughing. It hit me at that moment that I have had a bunch of surgeries. And they just keep adding up. Yay for medicare and medicare supplement as of last year. No more $10,000 deductible and co-pays. No more waiting to get my body repaired due to cost or timing a surgery around the start of a new annual deductible.
I've lived a physical life and leverage and gravity conspire to break down my 6'1" frame. However I am very fortunate that nothing has been life threatening (except for a little heart attack in 2011). I think of those unfortunate souls who are dealing with serious life threatening and quality of life issue conditions and it helps me put my issues in perspective. I realize that at 66 shit is going to happen and I'm thankful it's shit that I can manage. I may be paying the price for lifting too many stones in my younger days and poor genetics but I wouldn't change anything. Well maybe a better diet in my younger years could have helped me avoid a heart attach. But the plumbing seems to be in good order now.
I hate going to doctor offices but I've learned to accept at 66 years old it's a reality of my life. It plays havoc with my "white coat" hypertension. I keep a record of my "at home" blood pressure readings so I don't have to listen to the high pressure lecture when I visit a doctors office.
Don't need a fancy gym.
Staying active and maintaining my quality of life doesn't come easy for me. Exercise is a daily routine. I'm not genetically blessed, more like cursed. I work hard at keeping myself moving so I can enjoy life and family. Cycling 200 to 350 miles a month, regular exercise with weights, and a lot of stretching. Old muscles tighten up fast. Also a healthy vegetarian diet (really more like a sushitarian diet, I enjoy Sushi but no other fish). The most I ever weighed was 227 some 30 years ago. In the last 15 or so years I've kept my weight between 185 and 190.
A life well lived is better than a life long lived.
I have 15 reasons to stay healthy...
9 grandkids,
5 grown kids,
and waking up next to my beautiful wife every morning.
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Haha...this is what it has come down to, a list of surgeries so I don't have to stress my brain when filling out a new patient form. I'll be adding my left Wrist Carpal Tunnel release to the list in a couple of months.
Surgeries - Mark Rackow
Knee right arthroscopic
Knee right arthroscopic...again
2008 Shoulder right rotator cuff repair
2009 Back L4, L5 - Foraminotomy
2009 Back T5, T6 - Foraminotomy
2011 Heart 2 stents LAD
2012 Hip left arthroscopic
2012 Hip right arthroscopic
2013 Hip left replaced
2013 Hip right replaced
2020 Back L1 to L5 and S1 - Foraminotomy, partial
laminectomy, Discectomy, Coflex clip L4,L5
2020 Wrist right - carpal tunnel release
2020 Wrist left - Carpal tunnel release
