50 is the new 40?

Who ever coined the phrase, "50 is the new 40", certainly wasn't 50.

The phrase I hear most from my 50+ friends is "getting old is not for sissies." It's true. There are exceptions to every rule; people who just don't get sick. I have a brother like that.

Jim is amazing. I'm stunned he's still alive. This guy jumped into what turned out to be a very deep hole; most likely a well. The only thing that saved him were blackberry vines he could hold onto, so my younger brother Fred and I could pull him to safety. His motto was, and most likely still is, "Always expect the unexpected". 

He's also been hit by a car, suffering only bumps and bruises, was in a horrible car crash, where he walked away with no injuries, leaving first responders bewildered. But the most amazing event... he fell off of a balcony, 3 floors up, landing on concrete, again only bumps and bruises.

Meanwhile, I am missing many body parts. I have one kidney, no appendix, 12 fewer inches of colon, no tonsils, no adnoids, and let's just say one of the twins ran away from home. Plus, I take 3 prescriptions that keep me around.

I think many of us are in the same boat. Health insurance, when we were healthy, was nothing to keep us awake at night. At 57, it's more scary than a Freddy Krueger nightmare. Even more so, now that the government health care site doesn't work. 

If you just turned 40, enjoy. Hike, run, bike, swim... Do your favorite things while you can because for many of us, those things aren't possible anymore.

If you just turned 30, I hate you. Unless you're incapacitated in some way, you can do whatever you want or can afford. Baseball, basketball, high diving... whatever. You've not had shoulder or knee replacements... yet. It's coming. Why do you think the color scheme for 50th birthday parties is black? It's accurate.

Now, I'm off to take my Flomax. If you're under 50, I'm betting you don't know what I mean.