I don't like my last post being one of those woe is me posts so I needed to find a new topic quickly. Yesterday, a friend shared an article with me that was titled '40 Effed up things about being 40' It started out with the author going to the drug store to buy her first pair of reading glasses. She compared herself to a teenager going to buy their first box of condoms (brilliant). When she went to make the purchase the cashier told her that their mom wore those. Needless to say, she was mortified.
I can relate to moments like these that hit you like a ton of bricks. When it suddenly dawns on you that although in your head you are still kinda youthful, you most certainly are no longer considered young!
In the last several months I have been to the doctor about some new medical issues. As someone with a chronic illness, it's sometimes difficult to decipher which symptoms are related to the illness and which aren't. The first thing was lumps I've developed in my thighs. Not huge, but big enough to notice. I got worried and thought I should get them checked out. The doctor examined me and told me it was nothing to worry about. It was just a bit of fibrous tissue that comes with age. 'Huh', I thought. 'Comes with age?' That's a first.
The next time I saw the doctor was for pain in my knees. I have arthritis in my knees and have always known that, but the pain has gotten worse. My joints have also started making noises when going up and down the stairs. He asked, 'What kind of noises?' I told him squishing noises (unable to find a better word). 'Squishing noises?' he repeated. I went over to a step he had in his office (I'm assuming it's there to help children or very short people get up and down from his exam table) and started stepping on and off of it saying, 'Do you hear it?' The doctor said he heard it and told me, 'It's nothing to worry about, it comes with age.' It comes with age?? This is the second time in so many months I've heard that! Seriously, we're there already? He gave me a referral for a knee specialist for the pain and sent me on my way.
I went to see the knee specialist a few weeks later to go over an MRI scan they sent me for. He confirmed arthritis (big surprise there). I asked him why the pain as gotten worse. I asked if there is more degeneration in the joint than before. He told me no. He asked if I work out. I told him I did. He gave me a piece of paper to give at the desk on my way out. I asked, 'But Doctor, I don't understand, why has it gotten worse?' He replied, 'It just comes with age I'm afraid.' Then to add insult to injury, I handed in the paper at the desk on the way out and in return, I was given knee supports I have to wear when I workout! All I can say is that I'm so glad I work out at home and not at the gym because these supports are far from stylish! It comes with age... Really?
I can relate to moments like these that hit you like a ton of bricks. When it suddenly dawns on you that although in your head you are still kinda youthful, you most certainly are no longer considered young!
In the last several months I have been to the doctor about some new medical issues. As someone with a chronic illness, it's sometimes difficult to decipher which symptoms are related to the illness and which aren't. The first thing was lumps I've developed in my thighs. Not huge, but big enough to notice. I got worried and thought I should get them checked out. The doctor examined me and told me it was nothing to worry about. It was just a bit of fibrous tissue that comes with age. 'Huh', I thought. 'Comes with age?' That's a first.
The next time I saw the doctor was for pain in my knees. I have arthritis in my knees and have always known that, but the pain has gotten worse. My joints have also started making noises when going up and down the stairs. He asked, 'What kind of noises?' I told him squishing noises (unable to find a better word). 'Squishing noises?' he repeated. I went over to a step he had in his office (I'm assuming it's there to help children or very short people get up and down from his exam table) and started stepping on and off of it saying, 'Do you hear it?' The doctor said he heard it and told me, 'It's nothing to worry about, it comes with age.' It comes with age?? This is the second time in so many months I've heard that! Seriously, we're there already? He gave me a referral for a knee specialist for the pain and sent me on my way.
I went to see the knee specialist a few weeks later to go over an MRI scan they sent me for. He confirmed arthritis (big surprise there). I asked him why the pain as gotten worse. I asked if there is more degeneration in the joint than before. He told me no. He asked if I work out. I told him I did. He gave me a piece of paper to give at the desk on my way out. I asked, 'But Doctor, I don't understand, why has it gotten worse?' He replied, 'It just comes with age I'm afraid.' Then to add insult to injury, I handed in the paper at the desk on the way out and in return, I was given knee supports I have to wear when I workout! All I can say is that I'm so glad I work out at home and not at the gym because these supports are far from stylish! It comes with age... Really?
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