Aids in Old Age

I know !! You are thinking of Aids the pernicious disease . But I am thinking of a different kind of aids. Everyone in my family knows that stored in my attic is a bed pan. It is to stay there. The reason being is that if I throw it away, I will surely need it. My reasoning is that as long as it is there I will stay well and mobile and never, no never need to use it. !! The same applies to carrying an umbrella. I keep one in the glove compartment of my car, also a flashlight. So far I have never needed the flashlight on the road so that part works for me.

My son-in-law was chatting with me and he asked me if I had a cane. I told him I had one his wife had given me to carry when I go berry picking. I can stamp it on the ground to warn snakes of my presence, thus they never appear where I am picking. I told him I had thought of putting it up in the attic also. Come to think of it I may just pitch a package of Depends up there too. Also maybe a hearing aid could be put up there. I have never known anyone who uses a hearing aid and was happy with it. They squeal and wake people up in church or interrupt conversations and seem to be a general nuisance.

I could add a magnifying glass to the stash. So far I can read from the telephone directory but not for any length of time, or at least not comfortably for a long time. I use them for driving because of my own fault. Some years ago I went in to get my drivers license renewed. While waiting for the clerk to get on with it, I glanced into the eye test figures and just said them out loud - and not carefully looking at them. She announced to me "You need glasses to drive". I could not dispute her as I had not even paid attention to what I had done. I will admit that it is easier and more restful to drive wearing glasses for distance. I have actually called my sister in Ohio to tell you I had misplaced my glasses and couldn't drive off without them. For some reason this works for me and I always will soon find them, usually where I had looked before.

I have not learned how to avoid misplacing things however and I do not know of any aid for that. Once I called my neighbor and told him not to leave his home until I had found my house keys ! I could not get out of my house without them. I had a key hidden outside for just such an occasion. He complied with my request and it ended happily as I did find my keys inside.

There are probably a lot of aids we would all like to avoid having to rely upon. I suppose it all boils down to adjusting to changes. That is where family is such a valuable asset. They are there to be supportive and encouraging. A role reversal if you will, what we once did for them they are doing for us. That is one aid I would not want to throw up into the attic for I treasure using that support in my advanced years. It give me cheer and joy and adds adventure to my life, a kind of crutch which is needed on occasion and the rest of the time I can walk without it.