Love and Pain- Neither Are Just About YOU

By Dr. Alexander

You can look at aging as either a death sentence or a privilege. For me, I look at it as a privilege.

Congrats, you get to make it another year!

at is not to say you won’t have your hardships along the way. Besides, if life were easy, would it be worth it?

As we age, one of the di culties we face is the fear of slowing down and becoming a shell of ourselves. With every passing year it seems like any excuse to not be active has become a valid excuse. Is it raining outside? Don’t leave your house. Does the place where you would be watching your grandkids have stairs that give you trouble? Suddenly you have dinner plans. And if there is a slight ache or twinge in your back, no more going out dancing until your back ‘heals’.

It is easy to nd a reason to stop being active as we age. But we all know what happens when we stop being active and let go of the activities that we once loved. ere is a new saying- “sitting is the new smoking” because it can be just as detrimental.

We know slowing down can be tough on you, but you should also be aware of how it a ects those around you. ink about your loved ones. Maybe the one you have spent the last 50 years of your life with. Or maybe you just found your rst true love. Whatever the case, you want to be there for them as you both age. e funny thing about love is that you truly care about how your partner is doing. What you may see as nagging (i.e. “Go get your shoulder looked at honey” or “Is that back pain still bothering you?” or “Honey, why are you still limping?”) is really just your spouse’s way of saying they love you and want you to enjoy life with them.

Will your shoulder pain allow you to lift the groceries from the car, carry them into the house, and put them away in the cupboard?

Is that back going to hold up or just give out on you when you bend over to give your spouse a boost out of that low chair at a restaurant?

Imagine being loved so much that you have somebody who is worried about your well-being. Do you think it is time to listen? Do you think it is time to have that ache or pain taken care of?

We hear the same sad story over and over from our aging patients- that they’re upset with themselves that it took them so long to get the help they needed for their aches and pains. at they had done nothing for years and not listened to their spouse, and now they are really hurting.

Not just that the pain had become worse over the years. It is the pain of knowing that they had wasted those golden years in pain and su ering while their spouse was just trying to enjoy the time with them.

It is because when their spouse became ill, they now had to do more around the house and become the caregiver, all while dealing with their own constant, nagging pain.

We know this story all too well, which is why we love helping our active adults stay active. It is not just the pain we love helping with, it is knowing that you will be a better person for your family. It is the fact that you will now be able to take your turn in taking care of your spouse when they need it, and you will not have to pop pain pills to do it.

If you, or your spouse has been dealing with some pain that you feel is slowing them down, we would love to help. is month, we are setting aside 5 Discovery Visits for our friends at Leisure World.

What to expect during the discovery visit:

• Time to discuss what started your pain, how it has progressed, and what you have tried for it.

• Discuss what hasn’t worked so far.

• Find out what impact this is having on your life.

• And create a plan so that you can be present for your signi cant other.

All of this for FREE. But slots will be limited to the rst 5. is is open to you, and more importantly, to your signi cant other if they are ready to age gracefully with you.

Please call to claim one of the 5 available openings this month.

(480) 452-9191