Being without a walk manager isn’t new territory for the Sedalia Walk. The three of us, WyAnn, Jessica, and I met and decided to set up our committee meeting schedule for several months.
Eventually, the Greater Missouri Chapter found a new walk manager, and Julie turned out to be a dynamo. Although she had a long drive each time she met with us, she came to town often.
Last year we held our walk in the afternoon during sweltering weather. This year, we moved it to the morning to avoid the heat. As luck would have it, Saturday was much cooler anyway. People were wearing jackets, and I took advantage of the cooler weather to break out my 1998 denim “Memory Walk” shirt.
My family arrived and we took a group photo. During the opening ceremony, the MC announced that Jim’s Team was the best fundraising team. Following the flower ceremony, I spoke briefly about the 1998 walk and caregiving. I didn’t rehearse what I was going to say because I wanted it to come from the heart.
After the opening ceremony, the walk began. Ginger found a place on one of the golf carts, the rest of Jim’s Team walked through the balloon arch and stopped for a photo. After we walked through the covered bridge, I saw a sign that said “short” route, and I figured that was the route for me. The rest of the team opted for a longer route.
As I walked the short route, I paused to read some of the signs and meandered along the path, coming to the realization that the short route was beyond my capabilities. Luckily, a golf cart came up behind me and I gratefully climbed on board. I had a nice chat with my friend Anna Lee Bail, who coincidentally happens to be the most photographed person in town. She never misses a community event. In fact, she had left the walk for a while to participate in another fund-raiser that was taking place at the same time.
I had to leave soon after the walk, so my sons helped me carry the items from my sponsor table to the car. “I can unlock it from here,” I said. “I need to tell a few people goodbye.” They headed to my car in the parking lot, and I made my rounds and headed toward the car. My sons were standing by the car and it occurred to me that I hadn’t unlocked the doors.
As I clicked the locks, I said, half-jokingly, “Before long, you’re going to have to change the name of the team to Jim and Linda’s Team.”
For several years, I’ve noticed that my memory isn’t as good as it used to be. For about two months, I had bouts of vertigo. One day, I had a series of them and went to the emergency room. They started with a head and neck scan. The scan showed that I had some “age related” problems in my brain. I have to agree that getting old isn’t for sissies.
The important thing with age-related brain changes, according to my physician, is to watch my numbers: blood pressure, cholesterol, and A1C. Keeping active and maintaining a healthy lifestyle has always been a goal of mine. My arthritis has made exercising difficult at times, but I give my dog credit for dragging me outside on a regular basis despite my whining.
I’m giving myself the same pep talk that I would give anyone with health problems: concentrate on what you can do, not what you can’t do. A positive attitude won’t make your problems go away, but they make them seem less burdensome.
I’ve also discovered that when I’m tired, I need to rest. If I’ve walked as far as I can, there’s no shame in accepting a ride on a golf cart.
Copyright © Sept 2023 by L.S. Fisher
http://earlyonset.blogspot.com
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