Getting Old Sucks...Sometimes

Thanks to a workout buddy, I have another place to walk.  So, right before Thanksgiving, I took a nice long walk, thinking that my upcoming appointment with the doctor should be a good one.

According to a few of my closer "workout buddies," we are lucky to be here...at our age" they say. Most of the time I wholeheartedly agree with them.  However, since Thanksgiving, I have been hiding under a rock and here's why.

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Next year I have to remember to not schedule my annual physical right after Thanksgiving. Selfish as it sounds, I couldn't eat whatever and whenever I wanted...no eating a lot of turkey sandwiches on hearty wheat panini bread, smothered with mayonnaise (full fat, of course) topped with cranberry sauce...no devouring slices of my pumpkin pies covered in whipped cream...and no mounds of mashed potatoes sitting on the plate filled with leftover turkey, turnips, stuffing and beets...and none of the chocolate pumpkin swirl muffins I made either.  Gosh, I thought...getting old sucks!

You see, my annual physical requires a full blood panel so the doctor can review the results to see where I stand. Sure I passed with flying colors...the numbers were all good, my weight was great as well as my physical exam.  Things seemed to be going along well until they put the blood pressure cuff on my right arm. As the cuff tightened, I could no longer conceal the pain and discomfort with a smile and chit chat. Expressions like...ewwww, ewwwww, ouch, ouch came out of my mouth...rather abruptly too!! After being told my BP was 115/76, I was asked why I was in pain.  Again, I thought, getting old sucks!

My answer was not short and sweet. Well, last year you told me that I needed to get my flu shot and the Pneumovax 23 vaccine before my annual. So I did. I got my flu shot the end of October and I went Sunday morning for the Pneumovax 23, which was a year out since the last pneumonia vaccine (Prevnar 13).  

Let me tell you, it knocked me on my a#$ ever since. Yes indeed, seven hours after I got the shot, I got the chills, the ache all overs and a headache (which I NEVER get). Out of commission for days, I couldn't even get up to take care of the dogs!!  I was so weak and woozy that I had to ask Honey to get me my jammies!  I couldn't go to the gym on Monday, and won't make it to Tai Chi tonight because I still can't raise my arm.  Look how swollen it still is.   Getting old sucks sometimes. I said to the doctor who has always respected my candor.

As usual,the doctor listened attentively and responded compassionately, I am so sorry to hear that. Some people experience those side effects. But just think, you are DONE! And, I have more good news...this will be your last Pap test.  It was then that my mind said, okay maybe getting old sucks...sometimes...LOL!

Bottom line is this. When the commercial comes on for this vaccine, pay close attention to the side effects because I felt like I had them all!!! However, I will say that it is the ONLY shot in my life that gave me any side effects.  And now I have a question for YOU:

Who knew there were so many strains of pneumonia????

I surely didn't.

However...  

Pneumonia is an infection of one or both of the lungs caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, or airborne irritants. There are more than 30 different causes of pneumonia, and they're grouped by the cause. The main types of pneumonia are bacterial, viral, and mycoplasma pneumonia.

Pneumonia | Johns Hopkins Medicine Health Library

www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healthlibrary/conditions/respiratory.../pneumonia_85,P0132...

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