Is this man Elderly? in New Immigrant

Okay, he IS seventy, but does That make him elderly? He runs six miles
a day. He lifts weights. He devours books you’d never find in the “easy
reading” section.

Last week Tom went to Mayo’s for routine check-ups. In his online notes about Tom’s visit the peach-cheeked resident dermatologist described him as “an elderly gentleman.”

After a few moments of dismay and hurt, Tom has been getting mileage
with elderly man jokes.

Two days later the gastroenterology physician’s assistant, who’d written
about Tom’s fitness, went on to say he didn’t need another colonoscopy
for five years and at 75 she wasn’t sure they’d recommend one. What?
At 75 are you too old to matter?

Amidst this I’m reading Atul Gawande’s book “Being Mortal.” Gawande
is a favorite of mine you may recall. He’s an oncology surgeon who writes well about problems in the U.S. health system. Obviously “Being Mortal” deals with these pesky Elderly people and how our system is failing them. Okay, a needed discussion EXCEPT Gawande does us the unkindness of explaining how our bodies decline without even asking, not because of our bad habits, only because we simply ARE mortal.

Recent events with friends’ health had been rudely ponging our noggins with jeering threats. THEY could die and so could WE! The clock is ticking!

But, NAH, I don’t think that guy is ELDERLY. So, Dear World,
leave us alone!

(let’s see, in ten years I’ll be 79, if I make it…)

Last updated October 22, 2014