about getting older...

getting old has a price.

my most recent payment was my back. almost anything can throw it out of kelter. so i've been whimpering around for the last few days.

when your back is out of whack, everything takes great planning.

for instance, listening to the early warning of the bladder. two items are of utmost importance at this point. one, the warnings of the bladder come on suddenly and urgently, leaving little time to accomplish the trip to the bathroom. but, ah, the trip to the bathroom takes longer when the back isn't functioning properly. that's the second item. it took me about 5 minutes to get from point a (at rest) to point b (bathroom).

i had to carefully, prayerfully, inch my way, step by itsy-bitsy step, down the hallway to the bathroom. holding on to the walls either side of the passageway proved helpful. when i would finally reach the goal, my bladder would be so excited to finally get to empty itself that i had to be extremely careful to use the muscles to control it and yet neither tense-up nor disturb the muscles that allow me to seat myself comfortably (which were also the muscles that were in a tight little ball, daring me to move the wrong way) before freeing the bladder to empty. timing was so important.

after a couple of days the meds prescribed by the doc began to take effect, and i could finally move about a bit more. by this time the laundry was beginning to look like mount saint helen's. (i was hoping it wouldn't explode like msh.) so i decided to tackle the laundry. as it was impossible for me to bend over and pick up anything, i had to invent something to assist me.

using my great wisdom, i took one of those nasty coathangers you get at the cleaners, and devised a tool with which i could hook an item and bring it to my hands without having to bend over. i sorted those dirty clothes into three, nay four, piles: the whites, the lights, the darks and the towels. after chosing which pile needed washing first, i used my handy dandy hook to pick up the items and place them into the washer.

when the cycle was finished, using the device ever so adeptly, i removed items from the washer and put them into the dryer. after they were nice and dry, i used my tool to pull the clean and dry items from the dryer and into my talented hands and folded them beautifully.

my wonderful husband came home and put things away, bless his heart.

we may find them all one day. (just kidding!)

my coat hanger invention does have its limits, however. sayong, i cannot pick up my dropped cell phone, book, or peanut shells. kleenex will cooperate if handled properly and patiently.

i got showered and dressed this morning without needing to use my new tool to pull a clean towel from the shelf. However, i was made aware once again of my age with the old inability to put my socks on without being able to breathe properly--or to hear clearly--because i was bent over.

and now i'm back at the office, working at my computer.

beautiful day today. too bad i can't go out and play. i have to fold letters. i wonder if i can figure out how to do this with my coat hanger...???