Dunedin, New Zealand, my city - my people

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

"... at your age..."

I have just been to the doctor for him to check my blood pressure medication. I would like to decrease it if possible but he is reluctant to even if my readings are lowish. He said, "You are 60 now and at your age you could have a stroke if your blood pressure goes too high." I hate that phrase, "at your age". Every body says it to me. "You should have given up running at your age, go biking instead." "At your age you should go for walks and take up bowls." "At your age you should be slowing down, not working so hard!" "You went for a dirty weekend! Are you still doing that at your age?" At a shop the other day, "I'll take that to your car sir, at your age you don't need to be lifting that!" I never said what came to mind, I just politely said, "No thanks I'll be fine!" Then the good one was a forty year old guy at the gym when comparing distances for twenty minutes of rowing, "You beat me! I hope I can still do that when I'm your age!" I guess I have to accept gracefully that I am getting older. I should be thankful for the measure of health and well being I have.... but if you are talking to me, please don't, whatever you say, verbalise the phrase "at your age." I could possibly scream at you, which is not a good look at my age!

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