Growing old has remedy

Much is written about aging, mostly how to keep your mind alert, diet and exercise. But in the real world, aging means strokes, heart attacks, cancer, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, nursing homes and the list goes on.

Then there are the byproducts that go along with growing old - wheelchairs, canes and walkers, hospital beds, taking away keys to vehicles … and pills. Jerry has taken pills for his head, his stomach, heart, leg, for diabetes; in addition he goes for a shot in his arm every four months.

Growing up in a family of 12 kids, I thought we’d be young forever. But my oldest brother has arthritis in his knees so bad he has trouble walking. His wife, who has waited on him all his life, has hurting hands. Brother Verne had heart surgery and is now caregiver to his wife who suffers from dementia.

My oldest sister Lela is probably the healthiest of us all and will likelyoutlive all of us. The next sister, Helen, who has always seemed so young, has to watch her blood pressure, and her husband had heart problems last year.

Paul, just a year older than me, had a stroke and is in poor health. Two younger brothers died, in case you’re counting.

I’m on my second bout with cancer - they got it all, but I still take radiation treatments - and my husband has had problems too numerous to count.

Even my younger sisters have aging medical problems. Betty has serious heart problems; Joy seems healthy, but her husband has diabetes; Gay said she is falling apart and Cynthia has undiagnosed leg problems. Her husband has MS.

Children, who themselves might be suffering from illnesses, job problems, fi nancial diffi culties and raising children, become caregivers at just the time they might beginenjoying life. Caregivers are told to take care of themselves, but that is not always possible.

Most of my siblings are non-smokers and nondrinkers with long marriages; some are vegetarians who eat healthy and drink milk. Family members include preachers, missionaries, gardeners, church-goers, hard workers. So, we’ve not really led unhealthy lifestyles.

So, what to do? The only remedy that is constant, that I can lean on, is knowing God has promised, “He will never leave me nor abandon me.” It’s also a comfort to know in this uncertain future, “He is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Heb. 13: 5, 8). Another standby I’ve clung to is Psalm 23, especially, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.”

I can’t understand what people lean on if they don’t believe these promises, like the chapter on old age in Ps. 71: “Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth” and “Now also when I am old and grayheaded…” (vs. 9,18). Growing old might not be so bad after all.

Marie Putman is a former Gravette resident and regular contributor to the Westside Eagle Observer.