Maynard Evans High School

As a child of the '80s, I grew up watching Saturday morning cartoons. I have fond memories of pouring myself a bowl of Honeycomb cereal and plopping down on the couch for the next few hours to see all my favorite shows. I can go on and on about the nostalgic feeling about these shows and what they meant to me. The shows had hidden messages about strength, courage, fear, and sadness. Some of my favorites were He-Man & Masters of The Universe, GI Joe, and Transformers. My absolute favorite show was called Superfriends. Superfriends was an ensemble show featuring the best superheroes, including Superman, Batman and Robin, Wonder Woman, and Aquaman. I loved them all! What was unique about each superhero was that they all had a vice - something that could strip them of their powers and bring them to their knees. For my favorite superhero, Superman, it was Kryptonite. When used against him, the green, crystalline material from Superman's home world of Krypton would strip him of his powers, rendering him useless.

While I am not a superhero by any stretch, I am used to feeling strong, powerful, and agile. Combine that with a good night's sleep and a strong cup of coffee, and sometimes I do feel like I can leap buildings in a simple bound (hopefully, you got the Superman reference). Well, just like Superman's Kryptonite, I met my vice. For the past six weeks, I have been dealing with sciatica pain. The pain radiates from the hip area and can extend down through the calf muscle and down to your toes. I had a classic case that left me bedridden for ten days, limiting my mobility and causing chronic pain. When I thought things couldn't get worse, my lack of mobility, an overabundance of pain pills, and poor diet led me to develop Gout. While I had heard of this condition, I always associated it with "older" people (no offense). When the doctor gave me the diagnosis, my response was one of denial. "How could that be?" I asked him. He said it was the perfect set of conditions. For those unfamiliar with the condition, Gout is a type of inflammatory arthritis that causes pain and swelling in your joints. Gout flares (including mine) often begin in your big toe or a lower limb. It usually flares for a week or two and then resolves itself. I am on medication to help reduce the effects of the symptoms.

In keeping with the superhero theme, while they all typically have an arch nemesis, I would not wish this pain on my worst enemy. During this time, I have had plenty of time to think about how I arrived here. Initially, I thought this was the "universe" telling me I needed to slow down. However, as the long days and sleepless nights continued, my thoughts went elsewhere. Is this a wake-up call for me to reevaluate my lifestyle? I am one year away from the big "50". I am expecting my AARP card in the mail any day now. But what does turning 50 really mean? What hit me is that based on CDC data, which puts the average life expectancy of men at 73, I have probably lived more than half of my life already! But then I thought, I know plenty of people who are living active, vibrant lives in their 70's and 80's. Just look at our Pine Hills Seniors. I love being around them. Their energy and zest for life is amazing!

Based on how I have felt over the last few weeks, I am considering some wholesale changes to my lifestyle to help ensure my remaining years on this earth are as meaningful (and pain-free) as possible. For all of my readers, if you suffer from chronic pain, please ensure you get the proper care you need. Seek out a second opinion if you don't think your condition is improving. While money and finances will always play an important role in determining your overall lifestyle, let us also remember that health is wealth!

-The Editor